Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine by Julie Summers Page B

and open as usual to both schools and Oxbridge colleges.  Sandy was rowing at 4, in the ‘engine room’ of the boat, the power house for the stronger boys.  Of the other crew members exceptional boys who went on to compete in university and college boats sometimes against Sandy, were M. H. Ellis at Stroke, W. F. Smith at Bow and W. F. Godden at no. 7.
    Seasoned rowers tell me that the pressure of rowing at Henley can never be overestimated.  Sitting in the boat at the starting line waiting for the start (which to this day is by verbal command) can be a daunting experience.  From the water the scene is two lines of white piles marching into the distance marking the course; on either side of these spectators, boats and trees, the valley sides seeming to close in on the river and then, so close, the opposing crew.  ‘What you never do at the start,’ Richard Owen told me,  ‘is to turn round and look up the course!’
    Kitch knew exactly what to expect from Henley and had explained, lectured, briefed the boys on what they would encounter.  His hard work paid dividends and the crew was confident and performed magnificently. In their first race, the sixth heat of the Elsenham Cup, Shrewsbury defeated Pembroke College Cambridge; in the eighth they rowed against and beat Magdalen College Oxford ‘in one of the finest races of the Regatta’.  Shrewsbury led at the start and were half a length up at the quarter-mile but Magdalen drew inexorably up until they were neck and neck at the mile post.  But Kitch’s coaching told and his crew proved strong finishers and they ran out here by three-quarters of a length.  It was a particularly sweet victory for Sandy as his brother Hugh was rowing at 7 in the Magdalen boat. Shrewsbury’s semi-final heat was against Lady Margaret Boat Club and they won that with style by one and a half lengths.  The other semi-final was also rowed between a school and university crew, Bedford against New College Oxford, Bedford winning by three lengths.  The final was held on the Saturday and in a magnificent race Shrewsbury defeated their old rivals Bedford by one and a quarter lengths in 7 minutes and 21 seconds.
    Sandy’s account of the race was written in a typically breathless letter to his mother the following day.   On their return from Henley they had been welcomed as heroes by the whole school and he had had almost no sleep at all.
It was the most awful race I have ever rowed, because Bedford were such a colossally strong crew, though they had an ugly style but weight was all on their side.  They are all (with the exception of their captain) the most dirty looking loathly crew I have ever known & so we were determined that it would be too disgraceful a thing to let them win.  At the start we drew away as usual, but only by a canvas this time as they were very fast off the mark.  They soon picked this up & were a canvass ahead at the ¼ mile.  At the ½ mile they had ½ a length lead & at the ¾ mile they had a good ¾ lengths to spare & most of the crowd had given up all hope but as soon as we passed the ¾ mile signal post, stroke knew it was the moment to start work, until then we had been rowing a much slower stroke than they & so had plenty of reserve energy, & from just after the ¾ mile post stroke started to bring her in properly; we gave her 4 tens running & by the mile post were a good ½ length up on them (I’ve never worked so hard in all my life).  When the mile telegraph went up, 1 went up before 2 & a colossal shout of Shrewsbury went up.  We brought it in for the last ½ mile harder than I ever thought we could.  We went up splendidly right to the end & Bedford crocked up altogether.’
     
‘It was a jolly good race for the spectators but not for us as we were all absolutely rowed out.  We soon forgot our troubles in the congratulating crowd of Old Salopians & in getting the cup.  We all get a topping little Victory Regatta Silver Medal (about the size of