A FORMER King’s School pupil has enhanced his chances of rowing for Cambridge in next year’s Boat Race.
Dave Billings, of Chester, was selected to row in the Blue boat at the Trial Eights on Tuesday.
The event gives the two university club coaches a chance to see how their rowing squads are progressing, as two crews of eight from both Oxford and Cambridge row against each other down the Boat Race course on the River Thames.
Billings did his selection chances no harm as he featured in the winning “One Night Stand” eight, which clocked 18 minutes and 58 seconds to beat Oxford’s “True Love” boat (19:08).
Cambridge head coach Duncan Holland said: “Most of the established people showed why they are established and some of the young guns also put their hands up.ŠI’d say that with three and a half months to go, there are 12 rowers in with a chance of getting into the boat.”
Billings, 20, stroked the Cambridge Goldie boat to a four-length victory earlier this year. He took up rowing when he was 12 and began a serious programme at The King’s School.
While there, he represented Great Britain in an under 16 match against France, winning in the eights.
He later captured a bronze medal in the eights at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and is currently in his final year studying Philosophy at Gonville and Caius College.
The 2008 Boat Race, sponsored by Xchanging, will take place at 5.15pm on Saturday, March 29. For further information, visit: www.theboatrace.org
