The silver medal awarded to Dr Acer Nethercott (1996, Philosophy, Physics) at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 has just been put on display at the Henley River and Rowing Museum.

Many Old Members will remember Acer as a brilliant cox and a fine scholar, who died tragically young of cancer in 2013. He generously bequeathed his medal to Univ. To coincide with this Olympic year, Univ has loaned Acer’s medal to the River and Rowing Museum to put on display for the next year. We hope that many Univ members and friends will find time to visit the Museum and see the medal.

Acer coxed three Oxford crews to victory in the Boat Race and won an Olympic silver medal and two World Championship bronze medals as a cox for Great Britain. Acer Nethercott began rowing during his first term at University College, Oxford but soon opted to become a coxswain rather than a rower. In 2000, he steered the Oxford University women’s VIII to victory in the women’s Boat Race. After returning to Oxford to study for a doctorate in 2001, he began to cox the men’s VIII and in 2005 steered them to triumph. Later that same year, he began working as the coxswain for the British national team’s men’s VIII; at the 2007 World Rowing Championships in Munich, Acer guided the crew to a bronze medal before steering them to silver at the Beijing Olympics. Acer died tragically young of brain cancer in 2013.

Dr Ali Cigari (2006, Maths) kindly shared, “I had the privilege of being coxed by Acer at the 2007 Summer Eights, despite the fact that by this point he was coxing full time at GB in preparation for Beijing Olympics. He made us feel like his favourite boat and fully committed to the crew. It was amazing how he had time for every single one of us, even years after those couple of months together.

“He had a real love for Univ; I remember he named UCBC rather than OUBC as his home club on the 2008 Olympics bio.”

One of the UCBC boats is named after him, and there is a plaque in his honour at the Boat House. The University’s state-of-the-art sports hall, which officially opened in 2018, was named in his memory. Acer left generous funds to the College; these are used to help support trips for both undergraduates and graduates to the Chalet in the foothills of Mont Blanc, the use of which Univ shares with Balliol and New College. Students in receipt of an Oxford and/or OMT Bursary are eligible for support depending on their financial circumstances; whilst those not in receipt of bursaries may be considered on the basis of need, subject to availability of funds. Find out more about the Acer Nethercott Chalet Fund and the Chalet.

Published: 11 July 2024

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