SPORTSMANSHIP at its best was on display when The Armidale School held its own at the 117th Athletic Association of Great Public Schools of NSW (AAGPS) rowing regatta in Sydney on Saturday.
From a single coxed ’four’ three years ago, TAS raced in three events over 2000m, at what is many regarded as a pinnacle of schoolboy rowing.
The Third IV finished in sixth place in a time of 7.31:38, ahead of two large Sydney schools.
After being first out at the start, the Second IV struck tragedy only five strokes into their race when a bolt snapped on the rigging.
In the First IV event – the only one in which all nine GPS schools competed – the TAS crew picked up momentum throughout their race.
Coming last at the 1500m mark, they surged some speed to cross the line in seventh place in 7.14:10, with just a second and a half separating fifth, sixth and seventh.
Around 10,000 students from the nine NSW GPS schools and their families were estimated to have been at the Sydney International Regatta Centre for the event.
The TAS crews had been training since November on Malpas Dam near Black Mountain and also took part in camps at Grafton and Southport during the school holidays.
