OVs 2000 - present
Zac Purchase (Oswald House 1996-2004)Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter's latest victory was in September 2011 when they won Gold in the Lightweight Double Scull at Bled in the World Rowing Championships. The margin of victory was 0.34 of a second.
Zac Purchase was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list of 2009.
Zac, along with Mark Hunter took GB's first lightweight rowing Gold Medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The lightweight double scull completed an unbeaten season as they eased ahead with 600m gone and held off Greece. World champions Denmark were third.
(Source: BBC Sport 17 Aug 2008)
Zac Purchase stunned the rowing world by securing a hat-trick of gold medals in the World Cup series 2008. Partnered in the lightweight double scull event by Mark Hunter, Purchase secured his third gold medal in as many weeks by beating a strong Danish crew in the final in Poland.
(Source: Worcester News 23 June 2008)
Zac added to his other rowing achievements by winning a Gold Medal at the World Rowing Championships at Eton. Zac Purchase claimed a gold medal, winning the lightweight men's single scull in a new world record time of 6:47.82. "I didn't panic and I just stuck to my race plan. I always knew it was going to be down to the last 500m," said the Gloucestershire sculler. "I felt the Spaniard edging closer. I just had to stay ahead for another 10 strokes.
(Source: BBC Sport 26 Aug 2006)
Listen to Zac being interviewed in Edgar Tower
Luke Narraway (Oswald House 1997-2002)The back-row forward joined Gloucester from The King's School, Worcester. He made his debut away at Leeds in 2003 and has since transformed into a devastating ball carrier who loves to run in open space. He has represented England at Under 18, Under 21 level and played for the Saxons. He made his full England debut against Wales at Twickenham in the 2008 Six Nations Championship which capped off a remarkable 6 months in which he cemented a place in the Gloucester team as well. He will be looking to add to his International honours and continue his great form into the new 2008-09 season. On England's summer tour to New Zealand, Narraway confirmed his growing status with a series of excellent displays in the Test matches as one of the three inexperienced back rowers. An intelligent and athletic man, Narraway has a big future.
Source:http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/
Seb Pearce (Choir House 1990-2000) Seb was cox for the winning Oxford boat in the 2006 Boat Race. He began coxing at the King's and in 1998 won gold at the helm of the Junior Women's Eight at the National Championships coxed the Junior Women's 8 at the Home International. He became Captain of Boats in his final year at school and coxed the GB Men's 4 to Gold in the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Switzerland in 2000. During his gap year on the 'Year in Industry' programme, where he was the Midlands finalist in 2001, he coxed at Worcester Rowing Club, where he still remains a member. This was followed by four years at Imperial College, where he gained invaluable experience on the Tideway, along with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. He was placed 5th at the World University Rowing Championships coxing the GB Men's 8 in 2002, and won the first Men's Student 4's at Henley Royal Regatta in 2004. While at Imperial College he was Captain of Boats for his last two years and was placed 2nd in the prestigious Head of the River Race in 2005. He is currently studying for a Masters in Financial Economics at the Saïd Business School in Oxford as a member of Pembroke College. When not on the river, Seb enjoys golf, skiing and scuba diving, for which he is a qualified instructor.
(Source: http://www.theboatrace.org/ April 2006)