After a year in our state-of-the-art new boathouse, built with the support of our benefactors, we are starting to see the difference that having some of the best facilities on the Cam makes for attracting novices. Over 100 students, both undergraduate and graduate, have signed up to row with us this year! This large intake, combined with top-class coaching, puts us in a great position for this term and indeed the entire year.
Caian Matthew Holland, cox of the Women’s Blue Boat that beat Oxford earlier this year, and who coached our M1 in Easter Term last year, will be joining forces with Fanny Belais, bow seat of the 2015 Women’s Blue Boat, continuing to coach our M1. Jamie Brown, CUL President 2016/2017 and coach of our W2 last year, will be coaching our W1 this term. We also welcome Julie Hogg (City RC) who will be coaching our M2, and welcome back Leanne Fiddian, our M3 coach last year, who will be coaching our W2.
Our current senior rowers are also continuing to trial for the University, with Seb Baucutt trialling for CUL, Victoria Walker trialling for CUW, Tara Slade trialling as a cox for CUW, and Joep ten Wolde trialling for CUBC. Calum MacRae is also trialling for CUL as a Caius fresher. We hope to see them back at CBC for May Bumps, where there are headships that need claiming!
One recent shining example of what can be achieved at Caius Boat Club is Melissa Wilson, who came fourth (!!!) in the Women’s Pairs at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, with pairs partner and fellow CUWBC rower Holly Hill (Downing College). Melissa noviced at Caius in 2012, joined CUWBC racing in the 2013 Boat Race, then progressed to the GB Rowing Team while at Lucy Cavendish.
Oonagh Cousins has also reached the lofty heights of Team GB, racing in the World Rowing U23 Championships in the Women’s Four and coming 6th in the A final, and also the inaugural European U23 Championships, winning bronze in the Women’s Eight! They are both inspirations to us all, especially to the new novices!
Lastly, I would like to introduce myself. I am entering my 3rd and final year of undergraduate study in Computer Science, having rowed at Caius for the last two years and at Dover Rowing Club in coastal rowing for 7 years before that. The mantle of Captain of Boats has been passed to me from Matthew “Alfie” Alexander, and I hope to maintain CBC’s position as one of the best colleges on the river, if not to take it back to being THE best college.
GTM
Robin McCorkell