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The University of Nottingham Boat Club (NUBC) has beaten Asia’s best, to return to the UK as Malaysian Varsity Champions for the second year in succession.
Following last year’s success the club was invited to take part in the week-long event at the Putrajaya Rowing Course near Kuala Lumpur, by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, and the team did not disappoint.
Gold and silver medals in the four and eight-man, heavyweight and lightweight categories of the Concept2 Ergo Competition showed that the Nottingham crew’s rowing machine training had not been in vain. While on the water the NUBC squad captured further gold medals in the Single and Double Sculls events and a battling bronze in a high-class Coxless Fours race.
The final event of the competition was the Varsity Boat Race for Men’s Eights, with coxswain Jenni Clark joining the squad to defend the title the club captured last year.
The crew faced particularly stiff opposition from the Malaysian National Squad eight who are preparing for the South East Asia Games and with the race covered live on Malaysian TV, several million eyes were looking for a home win.
A fast start saw NUBC gain a narrow lead before an explosive burst called by Jenni after 900 metres saw the NUBC crew break clear to dominate the second half of the race and defend their Varsity title.
A delighted NUBC Head Coach, Ray Sims, said: “The event and course are fantastic but racing in 37 degrees, in high humidity while wearing life-jackets is challenging at any time, let alone in borrowed boats after a 17 hour flight. But starting the year with three gold medals, a bronze and a clean-sweep on the ergs has to be good.
“We're only just back from the European Universities Rowing Championships in Moscow and the standards at Varsity have improved markedly this year, especially with Malaysian Squad entering. Defending an International Title is an impressive start to any year.”
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