Acer Nethercott
Encyclopedia
Acer Gary Nethercott (born 28 November 1977 in Newmarket, England
) is a British
coxwain, Olympic silver medallist and double Boat Race
winner.
to Physics
and Philosophy
as an undergraduate. He subsequently studied for a BPhil and then a DPhil in philosophy.
and Oxford University Women's Boat Club. He earnt his first Blue when he steered the Oxford women's heavyweight blue boat to victory against Cambridge
in 2000. The Oxford crew won by 2 1/4 lengths, and completed the Henley Boat Race course in a time of 6 minutes and 18 seconds.
Acer then joined the Oxford University Boat Club, steering Isis to victory in 2002. A year later, he stepped up to the Blue Boat, steering Oxford in the closest Boat Race in recent memory. In a thrilling finish Oxford won the 4 1/4 mile race by just a foot in a time of 18 minutes and 6 seconds. The race was also notable for it being the first time in history two sets of brothers competed against each other. David Livingston (Oxford) raced against his older brother James, and a last minute call up for Ben Smith (who joined the Cambridge Blue Boat from Goldie hours before the race after the original crew member was injured) meant that he competed against his brother Matthew, the Oxford president.
In 2004, he won his seat in the Blue Boat after a tense internal competition with Peter Hackworth
, the 2002 winning Blue Boat cox who had taken a year out to study in Italy. In a controversial race, in which the two boats clashed blades and the Oxford bowman came off his seat, Oxford lost by 6 lengths in a time of 18 minutes and 17 seconds.
Acer's final Boat Race was in 2005. Both universities had extremely strong intakes that year, with Cambridge boasting several world champions and the Oxford crew including Olympic silver medallist Barney Williams
. Oxford won the epic contest by 2 lengths in a time of 16 minutes 42 minutes.
in Munich. A year later he won a silver medal at the Olympic Games
in Beijing
.
Despite coxing for both Oxford University Boat Club
and Great Britain
, Nethercott has still found time to compete for University College Boat Club
in 2007 in the annual Eights Week
competition.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
coxwain, Olympic silver medallist and double Boat Race
The Boat Race
The event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
winner.
Education
Having attended Mark Hall Comprehensive and Broxbourne School in [Hertfordshire], Acer was admitted to University College, OxfordUniversity College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
to Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
as an undergraduate. He subsequently studied for a BPhil and then a DPhil in philosophy.
The Boat Race
Acer took up rowing at Oxford as a first year but quickly switched to coxing when it became evident that his body type was more suited to that than pulling an oar. He became a member of both Oxford University Boat ClubOxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
and Oxford University Women's Boat Club. He earnt his first Blue when he steered the Oxford women's heavyweight blue boat to victory against Cambridge
Cambridge University Women's Boat Club
Cambridge University Women's Boat Club is the University rowing club for women at the University of Cambridge. CUWBC field three crews to race against Oxford in the Henley Boat Races, these are the Blue Boat — the women's heavyweight VIII, the Lightweight Boat — the women's lightweight VIII and...
in 2000. The Oxford crew won by 2 1/4 lengths, and completed the Henley Boat Race course in a time of 6 minutes and 18 seconds.
Acer then joined the Oxford University Boat Club, steering Isis to victory in 2002. A year later, he stepped up to the Blue Boat, steering Oxford in the closest Boat Race in recent memory. In a thrilling finish Oxford won the 4 1/4 mile race by just a foot in a time of 18 minutes and 6 seconds. The race was also notable for it being the first time in history two sets of brothers competed against each other. David Livingston (Oxford) raced against his older brother James, and a last minute call up for Ben Smith (who joined the Cambridge Blue Boat from Goldie hours before the race after the original crew member was injured) meant that he competed against his brother Matthew, the Oxford president.
In 2004, he won his seat in the Blue Boat after a tense internal competition with Peter Hackworth
Peter Hackworth
Peter Hackworth is a British coxswain.Born in Islington, London, Hackworth was educated at St Paul's School, in Barnes, where he learnt to cox, following his brother who had coxed the school 1st VIII before him...
, the 2002 winning Blue Boat cox who had taken a year out to study in Italy. In a controversial race, in which the two boats clashed blades and the Oxford bowman came off his seat, Oxford lost by 6 lengths in a time of 18 minutes and 17 seconds.
Acer's final Boat Race was in 2005. Both universities had extremely strong intakes that year, with Cambridge boasting several world champions and the Oxford crew including Olympic silver medallist Barney Williams
Barney Williams
Barney Guillermo Williams is a Canadian rower. He was educated at Upper Canada College, the University of Victoria and then at Jesus College, University of Oxford where he was President of the Oxford University Boat Club.He won a gold medal at the 2003 world championships in Milan, Italy and a...
. Oxford won the epic contest by 2 lengths in a time of 16 minutes 42 minutes.
International Coxing Career
Acer coxed the British Eight from 2005 to 2008, winning bronze at the 2007 World Rowing Championships2007 World Rowing Championships
The 30th World Rowing Championships was held between August 26 and September 2, 2007 in Munich, Germany.-Medal summary:- Men's & Women's Events :- Paralympic Events :...
in Munich. A year later he won a silver medal at the Olympic Games
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Other Rowing
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Nethercott has still found time to compete for University College Boat Club
University College Boat Club (Oxford)
University College Boat Club is the rowing club for all members of University College, Oxford . UCBC has had a recent run of successes, notably in the Women's divisions with the Women's 1st VIII winning Blades in Torpids 2008 and the 2nd VIII winning Blades in both Torpids and Summer Eights 2008...
in 2007 in the annual Eights Week
Eights Week
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...
competition.
World Championships
- 2007 MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
- Bronze, Eight (coxswain) - 2006 EtonDorney LakeDorney Lake is a purpose-built rowing lake in the United Kingdom. It is located at grid reference near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and near the towns of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, who have spent £17 million...
- 5th, Eight (coxswain) - 2005 GifuGifu, Gifuis a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
- 4th, Eight (coxswain)
World Cups
- 2008 PoznańPoznanPoznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
- Gold, Eight (coxswain) - 2008 LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
- Bronze, Eight (coxswain) - 2008 MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
- Silver, Eight (coxswain)
- 2007 LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
- 4th, Eight (coxswain) - 2007 AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
- Bronze, Eight (coxswain) - 2007 LinzLinzLinz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
- 5th, Eight (coxswain)
- 2006 LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
- 6th, Eight (coxswain) - 2006 MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
- 5th, Eight (coxswain)
- 2005 LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
- 5th, Eight (coxswain) - 2005 EtonDorney LakeDorney Lake is a purpose-built rowing lake in the United Kingdom. It is located at grid reference near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and near the towns of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, who have spent £17 million...
- Bronze, Eight (coxswain)