Coaches
Chris Nilsson
Chris joined the Club from his previous position as Olympic coach with Rowing New Zealand.
Highlights of Chris Nilsson’s coaching career include:
2004-2008: National coach with Rowing New Zealand, coaching the men’s coxless four and heavyweight double sculls at the Beijing Olympics
2001-2004: Assistant Coach, United States national men’s team
1999-2000: Men’s Head Heavyweight Crew coach, Princeton University, USA
1997-1999: Assistant Coach, Oxford University Boat Club
Edouard Blanc
Edouard joined the club from his previous position as Head Coach in Société Nautique de Genève (Switzerland)
His achievments in coaching include a bronze medal at U23 World Championships, Swiss Championships medals in Elite sweep / sculling categories as well as a Diploma in high performance coaching from the Swiss Olypmic Association. Over the years Edouard has had the opportunity to be coached by various world class coaches such as Harry Mahon, Marty Aitken and Derek Clark which has allowed him to gain a good knowledge of rowing technique and physiology training.
Donald Legget
Donald rowed in the 1962 Goldie crew, and the 1963 and 1964 Cambridge crews. He has coached at CUBC continuously since 1968.
His many achievements at Henley include coaching the winning Leander Club Thames Challenge Cup VIIIs in 1968, 1969 and 1970, the Silver Goblets in 1971 and the Double Sculls in 1972. He also coached Durham University IV- to win the Visitors' Cup, the GB Squad Heavyweight IVx to win the Queen Mother and the Cambridge University/Mladost (Croatia) Composite IV-, which won the Stewards' Challenge Cup in 1995, and still holds the Course and Event record at 6.22. The following year Donald coached Cambridge University BC to win the Ladies' Plate.
Since 1996 he has been the coaching co-ordinator at Radley College, winning the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley in 1998. Radley 1st and 2nd VIIIs under his guidance have appeared on the rostrum every year at the National Schools' Regatta from 1997-2004 and have won a total of 9 Golds in VIIIs and 4 Golds in Small Boats. Donald coached the GB Junior World Championship IV+ to a Bronze medal in 1998 and the VIII which finished 5th in 1999.
Donald's role with Cambridge University Boat Club is with the whole group for 2 days a week in the period prior to selection after which, since 1991, he has turned his entire attention to the Goldie (reserve) crew.
