Message from the President

Dan O'Shaughnessy President of the CUBC (2007 – 2008)

       The Cambridge system proved itself in the 2007 Boat Race, and now we start the journey of proving we have it right again.  Following on the heels of a total sweep in the Blue Boat, Goldie Boat and Spare Pair, the energy in the Goldie Boat House is incredible.  We are getting ready for another epic battle with the Dark Side and I strongly believe that we could not be in a better position heading towards late March.

       Last April Cambridge rowed Oxford down on the outside of the Surrey Bend. The statistics of winning the race from behind at this point would have given the casual spectator a scare, but anyone who knew what the 2007 crew was capable of over long distances would have been calm and collected.  Even while sitting half a length down coming under Hammersmith Bridge, I was totally confident that we were going to pass Oxford.  The more pressure they put on us, the better we rowed.  On top of the Blue Boat victory, Goldie crushed a very strong Isis crew and our Spare Pair set the stage by demolishing their opponents.

       Cambridge has redefined itself as a team that is willing to race the entire distance.  The Boat Race can be won with the momentum gained from being ahead, but it can also be lost with foolish attacks and poor placement on the river. We are very confident that with the coaching team of Duncan Holland, Rob Baker, Grant Craies, Donald Legget, Chris Drury and Martin Haycock, we will not be making any mistakes on the day.

       We train with the intent of being able to dominate any conditions and any situation the notoriously wild and windy Tideway throws at us.  For those who have rowed at Ely, you know well that Cambridge is set up perfectly for practicing in some of the best water in the world, and also some of the worst! But no matter how bad it gets on the River Ouse, the scenery always keeps us energized and excited to be on the water.  Ely is the perfect training ground to get us ready for that epic stretch from Putney to Mortlake.  With the highly charged and fiercely competitive group that has assembled in Cambridge, there is no limit to how fast we can go this season. Practices this year have been marked by dominant aggression and a passion for competitive work - two aspects of the sport that must be considered crucial for victory to be ours.

       We hope this new web page provides CUBC followers with a good view into the program.  We hold ourselves to an incredibly high standard both academically and physically and are rightly proud of our amateur status. Cambridge is a perfect place to use as a springboard into international rowing, or a place to come and train at an international level while furthering your potential in the world beyond rowing.   If you are interested in rowing for Cambridge take the right steps and apply!

       The season is still very new and as President I could not have a clearer job. If you know the nature of the CUBC you know what that job is.


--
Daniel O'Shaughnessy
St. Edmund's College
Cambridge University