The Student Room Group

University rowing

Hey

Posted this in the Oxford forum too but I'd like to see the Cambridge response too.

I've got into rowing relatively recently- around 3 months or so- and would be interested in keeping it up at university.

I reckon I have a pretty decent pull for my weight/height/age/experience and want to see how it compares to those competing in intercollegiate events.

Height- 6'0.5 (heh)
Weight- 80.5kg

2k- 6:34
500m- 1.28

What kind of standard would you need to be to pull for the university?
You need to be in your 20s, ideally, and German :wink: And studying land economy!

Basically, the uni rowers are the absolute creme de la creme. You'd probably have to have a lot of time and training before thinking about trialling for CUBC the men's boat club. However you're only 7kg off from making lightweight- Willa would probably advise and be the person to talk to about that as he's far more involved in CULRC than I've been! :wink:

In terms of college rowing, you've got good times on the erg- pretty much high second boat / First boat scores. You'd probably have to go straight into a senior boat as you've rowed before, but basically your scores are good and a college boat club would be happy to welcome you with open arms. Depending on the size of the college, you might even make the first boat straight away if the college is sufficiently small.
Reply 2
If you ended up coming to Cambridge with erg scores like that, and under 2 years of rowing experience, I would personally be recommending you to row for your college in your first year (unless your college is one of the less established clubs on the river). Ergs don't float and all that - so it's hard to say just how good you actually are. But I would guess that you would be capable of being in your college's first boat almost certainly (especially with past rowing experience). If you were a bit of a spacker on the water though then you might end up slipping in to the second boat, but you'd have to judge your ability for yourself.

The reason I say don't trial in your first year is because it does take up your life - which is arguably better spent getting to know your peers. You're certainly not of the standard to make a competitive shot at CUBC if you ask me. You would probably need to join the CUBC year long development squad, and work your way in to the club by that route (which involves you rowing for your college anyway).

As for CULRC, although it's much more accessible to non-olympic rowers, you would have to judge for yourself whether or not you have the weight to lose to get down to the required weight range. But again, you should leave that until at least your second year.