The Rowing Year

Trials for the CUBC University crews begin at the end of September, meaning that the full University Boat Race programme lasts for six months, culminating in the race itself. We attend Great Britain winter trials as part of our programme as, after the University Boat Race, we are fully involved with national and international representative rowing. In October, we have attended the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, MA, USA. In November we race at the Fours Head of the River which is held on the same stretch of the River Thames in London as the Boat Race itself, except that this event is run in the opposite direction. Also in November, we compete at the British Indoor Rowing Championships (on ergometers). In December, the first term concludes with the Trial VIIIs Race where two equally matched Cambridge crews full of 'Blue Boat' hopefuls race each other over the full Boat Race course.

Immediately prior to the second term the club moves to Banyolas in Northern Spain for a warm weather winter training camp.

During the second term, selection is completed and there are warm-up matches in February and March against tough opposition. Recent opponents have been Leander Club and Molesey Boat Club (2004). There have been overseas opponents as well - Neptune Rowing Club of Dublin in March 2002, and the Croatian Rowing Federation, placed fourth at the 2002 Seville World Championships, in March 2003 (both of whom we beat).

The Boat Race itself is a unique and momentous occasion. Both Cambridge and Oxford have trained hard with equal resources available to both Clubs and of course generous support from the sponsors of the Boat Race. This means that the best equipment and world-class quality coaching is provided, as well as comprehensive support including full-time physiotherapy and sports science back-up (bio-mechanics, physiological and psychological testing and nutrition). After the Boat Race the summer programme includes showpiece events such as Henley Royal Regatta and international competition too, such as the Lucerne College Cup, invitations to race at venues as far afield as Auckland and Rio de Janeiro, and of course our oarsmen compete successfully for places in their national team crews for World Championships and Olympic Games.