Headington Rye Oxford rowers secure US university places

Four members of Headington Rye Oxford’s championship-winning boat club are taking their rowing skills all the way to the US after securing competitive university offers.

They are among a number of students at the School with prestigious overseas offers, alongside those holding UCAS offers for top UK universities.

Eva Sartin, a boarder who joined the School for Sixth Form, has secured a place at the Ivy League university Brown, where she hopes to major in Biology. She was a member of the Eight which won Henley Royal Regatta’s Prince Philip Challenge Trophy in summer 2026, helping set a new course record in the process. She also was part of the boat which came second at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston last October.

Eva, who is currently studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Geography along with the Extended Project Qualification, said: “Rowing here has been an amazing experience and I’ve loved it.

“The support I’ve had in terms of US college applications has been critical and I would just not have known it was an option without their support.

“It felt so incredible when I got my formal offer in December, it was such a relief.”

Fellow Henley Royal Regatta winner Elayna Yap, who has been at the School since Year 7, has secured a place to study Economics at Princeton, another Ivy League institution.

Alongside her A Levels in Economics, Maths, Business and Biology, Elayna competed for GB in the U19 World Championships and described winning at Henley as her proudest moment.

She said: “I’m really excited to go.”

Boarder Kate Gairdner, who is planning a gap year after her A Levels, found out last week that she had secured a full scholarship to study at the prestigious Duke University in North Carolina.

Kate, who started rowing at Headington Rye in Year 7, hopes to major in Biology after completing A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths and described her biggest rowing achievement to date competing in the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2025.

She said: “The rowing club have been really supportive, they know how you are doing in school and they have offered support and advice throughout.

“The rowing coaches make sure you put emphasis on your school work as well as on training.

“I was really happy when I got the offer last week – there were lots of tears! Without the boat club I would never have had this opportunity and I would never have thought this was possible without everyone’s support.”

Kate hopes to spend time at Sydney Rowing Club before taking up her place in 2027.

Darcey Trotman has also been offered a full scholarship to study at the University of Tulsa, where she plans to major in Business and Law. Alongside competing in National Schools and Henley Women’s Regatta, she has been studying a BTEC in Business and Philosophy and Religious Studies A Level.

She said: “The reputation of the boat club definitely helped people take me seriously when I was reaching out to different universities. I am excited about the next step.”

As of the beginning of February, the 2026 Headington Rye cohort have already received nearly 300 university offers and 95 per cent of applicants have already received at least one offer.

Popular destinations include Bristol, Warwick, Durham, Bath, York and University College London. Another two students are also holding US university offers and considering whether they would like to pursue study in the UK or overseas.