Although the Pangbourne College 1^st VIII did not progress through the Heats of Henley Royal Regatta this year, (having lost to a very strong crew from St Edwards), the OP Society and the College co-hosted two reunions at this year’s Regatta with drinks for Old Pangbournians within Lion Meadow at Henley on both Thursday 30 June and Friday 1 July.

Over 80 OPs attended in total with roughly half that number enjoying drinks in the lunchtime break from racing between 1.00 and 2.30 pm. Around forty OPs attended each day and enjoyed a variety of refreshment that had kindly been provided by the College in the shelter of the OP/Pangbourne Gazebo.

Both reunions attracted a pleasing number of OPs from a diverse range of ages and geographical locations with a number of OPs attending from USA, Australia and Hong Kong.  Many had previously represented Pangbourne College and rowed at HRR within various decades spanning the 1960’s to 2010’s.  Thomas Garnier (Headmaster) attended the Thursday reunion and was able to update many OPs personally on College news.

Phillip Plato (current Chairman of the Society) spoke briefly on both days and expressed his thanks everyone for their support of the College and especially those numerous OPs who had attended the regatta on Tuesday evening to encourage the College crew as they went afloat and cheer for the college in their subsequent race. Phillip also updated them on the OP Society’s aims to revive the Nautics Boat club for recreational rowing or informal ergo challenges online, and to possibly encouraging the formation of some Nautics crews to compete in say Henley Masters Regatta or maybe the Head of the Charles in Boston? 

For those less energetic OPs he also explained that there is now an emerging OP Boat Club Supporters Group that hopes to keep all those interested updated on Boat Club news with the aim of attending various rowing events to support all crews at other events such as National Schools, Wallingford. Marlow & Henley Women’s Regattas whilst offering similar opportunities to socialize with OPs at such events too.

Phillip explained that the new Pangbournian Portal website is the best way for OPs to follow these initiatives and all OP news and he urged all OPs, if they have not already done so, to register on the Portal and to tell all other OPs in their private networks to do likewise.

The OP Society is currently attempting to organise a reunion dinner at the College of all OPs from the early 1990’s to mark the 30th anniversary of the Pangbourne 1st VIII’s victory in 1992 in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup.  This event will hopefully take place at the College in November this year with further plans for commemorating Pangbourne’s 2003 Henley victory also under discussion.  Details will appear on the Pangbournian Portal website shortly.