Thinking about trialling?
We’re after POTENTIAL, not ready-made HEROES!!
Have you considered trialling for the University Rowing teams?
You may be wondering if it’s possible to pursue rowing and coxing beyond college level whilst at Cambridge if you ‘only noviced since coming to Cambridge’ or whether it is solely the preserve of internationally experienced rowers; is one year of rowing enough to get you into a Boat Race crew? Read on – you’d be surprised at the roots of some of our most famous Olympic oarswomen…
Since 1984, Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club (CUWBC) has been taking oarswomen (the majority of whom are in their second or third year and who noviced at their college) and turning them into top-class athletes. The program is pretty rigorous, but the rewards are tremendous. Many girls apply to the summer Development Squad which runs for a month after the summer vacation begins – consider it a taster; there’s no obligation to trial just because you did Dev Squad, but it speaks volumes that practically everyone who does Dev Squad comes back for more in Mich term! Crews race at local events and at the National Championships, as well as some going to Women’s Henley and the famed Henley Royal Regatta. Following a long holiday CUWBC reconvenes and trialling starts in earnest. Crews train from mid-September to the end of Michaelmas term which is marked by the Trial Eights race at Henley (where the Women’s Boat Races are currently held). A January training camp kicks off the final run-in to the Boat Races (which are held around the same time as the men’s Boat Race at Easter), and around this time the final selection of crews is made.
Frequently Asked Questions…
When will I return to my College crew? – There are a couple of squad cuts during Mich term, and final crews are normally decided by the first couple of weeks of Lent term. If you’re in a Boat Race crew you’ll be busy until Easter. After that you’ll be back with your College, although you’ll be encouraged to stay on and race at the British Student Championships and other events which would involve keeping a weekly paddle in your Boat Race crew through May term. But we don’t insist on it – whatever your college Boat Club wants, you’re free to choose!
Don’t I need to be a successful athlete to begin trialling? – You’d be surprised! Most of our triallists noviced at Cambridge, and although most are 1st VIII rowers you won’t necessarily need to be. If you have a sports background, are one of the stronger people in your club, or just like a challenge then don’t be afraid to get in touch! Typical 2k erg scores for heavyweights are (at the start of Dev Squad) between 7min15 and 8min; for Lightweights this might be more like between 8min30 and 7min40. Many rowers are 5ft4-5ft11, although of course being a 6ft plus helps!!
What is a Lightweight? – On Race Day you’ll need to be 59 kilograms or less, but there’s plenty of time to reach this target – slow and steady!! Plenty of prospective Lightweights start Dev Squad nearer 70kg than 60kg!
How many people are you looking for? Do I stand a chance? – We’re the largest of the University rowing clubs, since we have 3 Boat Race crews. So the squad is also quite big, and fun, and we offer a fair amount of flexibility to individuals to help them fit everything into their lives that they want to! Even if you don’t make a crew you can be sure your rowing and fitness will have been much improved during your time in the squad, and many people just need a little longer so will be successful second time around. We’ve got some of the best coaches on the Cam working with our squad, headed up by Chief Coach Roger Silk, so it’s a great opportunity.
But I do a really stressful subject, I wouldn’t have time! – Surprisingly, many of our triallists are from the ‘busier’ subjects. In my Blue Boat we had 4 Vets and 2 Lawyers; 2 years ago a Blue Boat rower called Sonia Bracegirdle came top of her year in Tripos chemistry; our athletes regularly achieve 1sts – including several Presidents doing their Finals. We row early mornings in time to get back for 9am lectures, and evening training is flexible so no-one has to miss important work. CUWBC trains a lot; 3 early mornings, and double outings on Saturdays and Sundays, plus land training 4 times a week. However if you are organised it is quite possible to fit everything in, and to have a great social life – you just won’t suffer quite as many hangovers as you used to! And we have people from every subject – from ASNAC and other rarities right through to heavy PhDs!
Why should I do it? I really enjoy my college rowing! – We’re not saying college life stops where CUWBC starts… some people even manage to trial at the same time as being Captain! Due to the volume of training we can’t let you row for us and for college together; we want you to maximise your potential and then to plough that gain back into stronger college crews in the May term and future years. CUWBC has always prided itself on helping to raise the standard of women’s rowing on the Cam, and on shaping raw potential so that the all-important May Bumps go well. Equally if you turn out to be the next Cath Bishop the Club is well-connected within GB Rowing and has always actively helped its members to embark on under23s and World Start programs. We know if you are an aspiring school rower or a recently-noviced rough diamond you’ll need chance to scull, and to attend GB trials, and you’d be fully supported in that. You’ll get chance to race on the Cam (which is always a buzz and understandably a source of great pride to triallists), as well as in the most important Tideway Head races in London. And you get to race Oxford on the Royal Regatta course!
Will my college mind if I trial? And will my college Boat Club be supportive? – Well, some colleges are quite generous and provide small bursaries to assist with the cost of trialling. (CUWBC subsidises trialling costs heavily too.) All colleges will be keen to see that you balance your sport with your studies, and CUWBC feel the same way – it wouldn’t be good for our reputation if our athletes didn’t perform equally well academically. So you can expect your college to be proud that you are trialling – some are just more vocal about that than others! And whilst we certainly don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth, we can’t imagine why your college boat club would be anything other than delighted that you wish to grow and reach your full potential. At CUWBC you can be sure that everyone around you is equally highly motivated, especially during Mich term (which can of course be a ‘quiet’ term for college rowing when not everyone fancies the blustery weather!) The experience, fitness and technical advances you gain whilst trialling filter down to your College club rowers and are invaluable for high-aspiring May Bumps crews. It is no coincidence that recent Mays headship crews always have contained massive numbers of Blues and Lightweights! Plus, while you’re away with us and are on the equivalent of a fast-track program, someone else in your college club gets chance to be in a 1st VIII and that’s another way we always considered CUWBC to be helping to produce depth within Cambridge college rowing. Win-win!!!
So who has CUWBC helped on the pathway to success? – To name but a few, Cath Bishop, a famous Olympic medallist noviced at Cambridge, as did Sarah Winckless (who is still an international rower) and Francesca Zino. Rebecca Dowbiggin spent a valuable year coxing with us prior to her fantastic achievements with CUBC. Since 1984 over 30 students have gained places in the national squad through CUWBC. The careers of our rowers and coxes span from the usual range of City jobs in finance and consultancy through to diverse roles in the Armed Forces, Foreign Office & diplomacy, environmental and science research, medicine, teaching… because of the need to organise your time and cram a lot into your terms whilst trialling, CUWBC has tended to attract driven and highly motivated people; and employers do recognise the skills and character possessed by athletes participating in the Henley Boat Races.
But I don’t know anyone in CUWBC, would I enjoy it? – Lots of people only think to trial because someone suggests they should. But if you don’t have anyone connected with CUWBC in your college you might never get put forward! We want to change that: come to us and tell us about yourself! We are far from scary!!! For most people, aside from winning their Boat Race when all goes to plan, their best memories are of the incredibly deep friendships forged through such strong teams. Of my crew, 5 people are all still best friends and have continued that closeness since graduating and moving to London. The whole crew regularly meets up… and our race was 10 years ago!! Even by the end of Dev Squad many people have found great new friends. And we’ve had people from pretty much every college – there is no such thing as a typical CUWBC rower!
Everyone worries that they’re ‘not good enough’… We’d far rather every person reading this asked us, than everyone assumes they’re not! Why not drop Lizzie an email on president@cuwbc.org – she’s this year’s President. She’ll get you started, whether that’s by putting you in touch with someone doing your subject to chat through any questions you might have, or by meeting up for a squad erg next term for interested rowers and coxes. To find out more about Dev Squad, click here.