College Staff Team Makes a Splash at Community Boat Race

A team of enthusiastic staff from Loughborough College took to the water last weekend to compete in an exhilarating boat race hosted by the Waterside Canoe Club in Mountsorrel.

Representing the College under the team name The Educators, the staff crew comprised of a mix of experienced paddlers and complete beginners from the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) department – Ralph Beardmore, Jim Williams, Ifeoluwa Dada, Darren Wallis, Rob Frost, Mathew Radford-Pioli, Sai Krishna Bodakunta and Oliver Wright. 

In preparation for race day, the group organised a practice session to get to grips with the bell boat they would be rowing, and learn the basics of coordination and paddling together. 

The event saw 16 teams compete across a series of heats, with The Educators winning three out of their four qualifying races, including an early victory against last year’s champions. Further highlights came when the team recorded the fastest race time of the entire event, completing a heat in just 1 minute and 28 seconds. 

After a thrilling final race, The Educators secured an impressive third place overall, an exceptional result for a team who had trained together only once before the competition.

Lecturer for Engineering, and crew member, Sai Krishna Bodakunta said: “Beyond the racing itself, the day was a fantastic opportunity to strengthen bonds across the team. We were so proud to have earnt gold medals for our fastest race record! From organising kit to sharing plenty of laughs, everyone involved from Loughborough College played a part in making The Educators first race on the water a huge success.”

Funds raised from the race will support the Waterside Canoe Club’s community outreach activities, including inclusive programmes for people with disabilities, women-only paddling sessions, and local scout groups.