Spirit of Niccolò: boat tribute unveiled

In late 2020, Wadham College Boat Club lost a dear friend and fellow rower, Niccolò Torrigiani (Jurisprudence, 2011). On Saturday of Summer Eights (28th May), Boat Club alumni and friends of Niccolò joined with a mass of his family to celebrate his life, sharing memories and stories, and naming a boat, 'Spirit of Niccolò' in his honour.

Throughout the day, it became clear just what an impact Niccolò made on everyone around him. Alumni of the Boat Club wrote: "During his captaincy, which bore more than a little success, he could at times be slightly chaotic but the warmth of his apologetic smile meant that even the grumpiest of rowers could (usually) forgive him immediately.

He was also a stalwart of the club’s social calendar, which in his time at Wadham was marked not only by his personal generosity but also by the loudness of his laughter, reaching all four corners of the most echo­y of Wadham halls or the most cramped of curry houses. Not only that but he had a public enthusiasm for WCBC that was infectious and insisted on wearing everything he could conceivably lay his hands on with WCBC’s logo."

Recognising the "culture of openness and accessibility he did a huge amount to foster", a collective of his closest rowing peers added; "His untimely death has reminded us how important he was to a generation of Wadham rowers and we would like to create a legacy of his commitment and enthusiasm for Wadham College Boat Club."

The Niccolò Torrigiani Award for Outstanding Contribution to Wadham College Boat Club "...is intended to reflect a similar commitment to WCBC by rewarding a current member of the club, who not only commits to the sporting side of rowing but also to creating an inclusive, warm and fun atmosphere for their peers.

By giving it annually, it is hoped that Niccolò’s legacy to WCBC can become a permanent one and that the club’s spirit which he helped to mould can be cemented into perpetuity long after his tragic death robbed him of the opportunity to do so in person."

If you’d still like to support the remarkable fundraising efforts of Niccolo’s parents, joining the generosity of his family, friends and colleagues, you can still donate towards the ‘Spirit of Niccolò’ (selecting Niccolo Torrigiani Boat Fund), Cardiomyopathy UK and Cardiac Risk in the Young.