Educated at Radley College and Christ’s, Cambridge, Paul Bircher went on to become a three-time rowing Blue, and two of them were as part of memorable crews. In 1948 he was part of the first ever eight to win the Boat Race in under 18 minutes (on the current course). It was a record that would stand until 1974. In 1949, Bircher played his part in the most memorable of races, when Cambridge got up on the line, to win by a quarter-of-a-length. Bircher was the Cambridge University Boat Club president that year. He won his third Blue in 1950, when the Cambridge cox was Anthony Armstrong Jones, the former husband of Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II. Bircher won his first Henley title as part of the Leander eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup in 1953, when he also competed in the Silver Goblets with his brother, and fellow Old Radleian, Freddie.
Great Britain