Robin Bourne-Taylor
Encyclopedia
Robin Edwin Geoffrey Bourne-Taylor, CGC
(born 22 July 1981 in George Town
, Grand Cayman
) was a British
officer and sportsman. He is a three times Boat Race
winner, and for his service in Afghanistan he was awarded the second-highest British gallantry medal.
and Christ Church, Oxford
(2000-2005) where he read engineering.
and took part in the Boat Race
four times in five years between 2001 and 2005 (taking a year off to train for the 2004 Summer Olympics
). He was elected president of the Oxford University Boat Club
for the 2004-05 academic year.
2001: Bow - Lost
2002: Seven - Won
2003: Five - Won
2005: Bow - Won
Bourne-Taylor's time at Oxford coincided with some of the most controversial and exciting Boat Races in recent memory. The 2001 race, in which he took part as a "fresher", caused controversy when the two crews were restarted level when the Cambridge bowman lost his blade on the wake thrown up by an Oxford oarsman, when Oxford were half a length up. Following the restart Cambridge went on to win by 2 lengths.
A year later Oxford gained revenge by coming from behind to win, after a Cambridge oarsman - Sebastian Mayer - appeared to collapse in the closing moments. It was the first time in fifty years that the crew behind at Barnes Bridge had gone onto win the race.
2003 offered another thrilling finish, as Oxford won the 4 mile race by just a foot. For 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.
Having concentrated his efforts on the Olympics in 2004, Bourne-Taylor returned to Oxford for one final race, this time as President of the Oxford University Boat Club. 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.
, Bourne-Taylor won his first senior international vest in 2002. He sat in the seven seat of the Great Britain
Eight, which made the final of the Rowing World Championships in Seville
. He occupied the same seat a year later when the Eight won a bronze medal at the championships in Milan
.
Following this success, Robin decided that training for the Olympics and finishing his engineering degree were incompatible. He took a year off from his studies at Oxford, and trained with the Leander Club
in Henley-on-Thames
. The build up to the Olympics for the GB Men's Rowing Squad was somewhat disrupted due to illness, injury and variable form. Illness to the Eight's stroke - Thomas James
- the night before their Heat in the Olympic competition was a particular blow, and while James returned for the repecharge, the crew failed to make the final.
Bourne-Taylor did not represent Great Britain
in 2005 and 2006, choosing to concentrate on finishing his degree and dedicate himself to a career in the British Army
. He returned to the international scene in 2007, rejoining the Eight, sitting in the seven seat, and winning a bronze medal at the world championships in Munich. Bourne-Taylor then spent most of the 2008 in the Eight. However, late changes saw him move into the Coxless Pair with Tom Solesbury. The pair had only a few weeks to train together, and finished a disappointing 13th at the Olympics in Beijing
.
Despite rowing for both Oxford University Boat Club
and Great Britain
, Bourne-Taylor still found time to compete for Christ Church Boat Club in the annual Eights Week
competition. In 2001, Christ Church Men's 1st VIII, with Bourne-Taylor in the stroke seat, bumped St. Edmund Hall
, Jesus College
, New College
, and Magdalen College
, on successive days to move from ninth to fifth on the river, and win blades for the first time in over 80 years. Four years later, Bourne-Taylor was the only surviving crew member, when the 1st VIII repeated that achievement, again moving from ninth to fifth, but this time bumping Hertford College
, St. Edmund Hall, New College and Exeter College
In 2006, Bourne-Taylor competed in the Army crew that reached the semi-final of the Visitors' Challenge Cup
at Henley Royal Regatta
, steering the Army crew from the three-seat. In the semi-final he raced against fellow Christ Church graduate, Jonny Searle
. Perhaps surprisingly, youth failed to beat experience, and despite having a useful lead for the majority of the race, the Army succumbed to a 'Searle finish' cBarcelona 1992
.
, after the 44 week commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, as a Subaltern (Second Lieutenant
) on 12 August 2006 (seniority from 9 February 2003). He was promoted on the same day to Subaltern (First Lieutenant
) with seniority from 9 February 2005. He was promoted to Captain
on 12 February 2009.
His girlfriend Second Lieutenant Jo Dyer was killed by an improvised explosive device
in Basra
on Thursday, 5 April 2007. His first operational posting was to Afghanistan on 1st October 2009. He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
, the second-highest British gallantry medal, in the Operational Honours And Awards List of 24 September 2010, "for gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2009 to 31st March 2010". He left the army in the summer of 2010 and the following year took up a position with BBA-reman, a reconditioned car component manufacturer.
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
(born 22 July 1981 in George Town
George Town, Cayman Islands
George Town, Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. The city has a population of 35,600 and is the largest city on Grand Cayman....
, Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
) was 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...
officer and sportsman. He is a three times 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, and for his service in Afghanistan he was awarded the second-highest British gallantry medal.
Education
Bourne-Taylor was educated at Abingdon SchoolAbingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
(2000-2005) where he read engineering.
The Boat Race
While at Oxford University, Bourne-Taylor was a member of 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 took part in the 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...
four times in five years between 2001 and 2005 (taking a year off to train for the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
). He was elected president of the Oxford University Boat Club
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....
for the 2004-05 academic year.
2001: Bow - Lost
2002: Seven - Won
2003: Five - Won
2005: Bow - Won
Bourne-Taylor's time at Oxford coincided with some of the most controversial and exciting Boat Races in recent memory. The 2001 race, in which he took part as a "fresher", caused controversy when the two crews were restarted level when the Cambridge bowman lost his blade on the wake thrown up by an Oxford oarsman, when Oxford were half a length up. Following the restart Cambridge went on to win by 2 lengths.
A year later Oxford gained revenge by coming from behind to win, after a Cambridge oarsman - Sebastian Mayer - appeared to collapse in the closing moments. It was the first time in fifty years that the crew behind at Barnes Bridge had gone onto win the race.
2003 offered another thrilling finish, as Oxford won the 4 mile race by just a foot. For 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.
Having concentrated his efforts on the Olympics in 2004, Bourne-Taylor returned to Oxford for one final race, this time as President of the Oxford University Boat Club. 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 rowing
Having won a silver medal at the 1999 Junior World Rowing ChampionshipsJunior World Rowing Championships
The World Rowing Junior Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . A rower or coxswain shall be classified as a Junior until 31st December of the year in which he reaches the age of 18. After that date, he shall be classified as an Under 23 rower...
, Bourne-Taylor won his first senior international vest in 2002. He sat in the seven seat of the 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...
Eight, which made the final of the Rowing World Championships in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. He occupied the same seat a year later when the Eight won a bronze medal at the championships in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
Following this success, Robin decided that training for the Olympics and finishing his engineering degree were incompatible. He took a year off from his studies at Oxford, and trained with the Leander Club
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
. The build up to the Olympics for the GB Men's Rowing Squad was somewhat disrupted due to illness, injury and variable form. Illness to the Eight's stroke - Thomas James
Tom James
Thomas James MBE is a Welsh rower, Olympic Champion, and victorious Cambridge Blue.-Education:James was educated at The King's School, Chester, where he took up the sport of rowing...
- the night before their Heat in the Olympic competition was a particular blow, and while James returned for the repecharge, the crew failed to make the final.
Bourne-Taylor did not represent 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...
in 2005 and 2006, choosing to concentrate on finishing his degree and dedicate himself to a career in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He returned to the international scene in 2007, rejoining the Eight, sitting in the seven seat, and winning a bronze medal at the world championships in Munich. Bourne-Taylor then spent most of the 2008 in the Eight. However, late changes saw him move into the Coxless Pair with Tom Solesbury. The pair had only a few weeks to train together, and finished a disappointing 13th at the Olympics 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...
, Bourne-Taylor still found time to compete for Christ Church Boat Club 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. In 2001, Christ Church Men's 1st VIII, with Bourne-Taylor in the stroke seat, bumped St. Edmund Hall
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
, Jesus College
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, and Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, on successive days to move from ninth to fifth on the river, and win blades for the first time in over 80 years. Four years later, Bourne-Taylor was the only surviving crew member, when the 1st VIII repeated that achievement, again moving from ninth to fifth, but this time bumping Hertford College
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
, St. Edmund Hall, New College and Exeter College
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
In 2006, Bourne-Taylor competed in the Army crew that reached the semi-final of the Visitors' Challenge Cup
Visitors' Challenge Cup
The Visitors Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs and has similar qualifying rules to the Ladies' Challenge Plate. Two or more clubs may...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
, steering the Army crew from the three-seat. In the semi-final he raced against fellow Christ Church graduate, Jonny Searle
Jonny Searle
Jonathan William C. Searle MBE is a British rower. Along with his brother Gregory, and coxswain Garry Herbert, Searle won the gold medal in the coxed pair event at the Olympic Games in Barcelona....
. Perhaps surprisingly, youth failed to beat experience, and despite having a useful lead for the majority of the race, the Army succumbed to a 'Searle finish' cBarcelona 1992
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
Military career
Bourne-Taylor was commissioned into the Life GuardsLife Guards
Life Guards may refer to several military regiments:*Life Guards *Life Guards *Russian Imperial Guard*Garde du Corps , during the Ancien Régime...
, after the 44 week commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, as a Subaltern (Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
) on 12 August 2006 (seniority from 9 February 2003). He was promoted on the same day to Subaltern (First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
) with seniority from 9 February 2005. He was promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 12 February 2009.
His girlfriend Second Lieutenant Jo Dyer was killed by an improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
on Thursday, 5 April 2007. His first operational posting was to Afghanistan on 1st October 2009. He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
, the second-highest British gallantry medal, in the Operational Honours And Awards List of 24 September 2010, "for gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2009 to 31st March 2010". He left the army in the summer of 2010 and the following year took up a position with BBA-reman, a reconditioned car component manufacturer.
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 (seven) - 2003 MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
- Bronze, Eight (seven) - 2002 SevilleSevilleSeville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
- 6th, Eight (seven)
World Cups
- 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 (seven) - 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 (seven)
- 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 (seven) - 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 (seven)
- 2004 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...
- 4th, Eight (bow) - 2004 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...
- 5th, Eight (seven)
- 2003 MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
- Bronze, Eight (seven) - 2003 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...
- Gold, Eight (seven) - 2003 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 (seven)
- 2002 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...
- 6th, Eight (seven) - 2002 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...
- 11th, Eight (seven) - 2002 HazewinkelHazewinkelThe Hazewinkel is a Bloso 2,000 m rowing and regatta course in Heindonk, belonging to the municipality of Willebroek, near Mechelen, Belgium. The site consists of a finishing tower, boathouses, a cafeteria and eight basic huts that house athletes using the lake. The course hosts the Great...
- 7th, Eight (seven)