Trialling
Are you interested in trialling for OUWBC next year? For more information please contact President Sonia Bracegirdle.
Trialling begins in mid September with new students able to join the squad at the start of term. Training is a mixture of land and water based sessions, with 10-11 sessions in a typical week. Land training takes place at the Iffley Road University Gym, where we are able to use the OUBC tank, ergs and weights facilities. Water sessions are predominantly held at Radley, out of Radley College Boathouse. However, we also make use of the OUBC Boathouse at Wallingford.
Radley is on a roughly 7km stretch of the Thames with well marked 2 and 3km sections. This part of the river is relatively quiet and so offers excellent location for training. OUWBC owns a wide range of boats and two launches. Squad members with their own single sculls are normally able to rack these at Radley, and the club owns two sculls for members to use.
Training is continuous from September until the Boat Race, with around a week off for Christmas and a week's training camp before the start of Hilary term. Crews are normally selected around 6 weeks before the Boat Race. Monica Franke, the squad physio and trained osteopath is able to assist with any injuries, and the squad also receives nutritional and psychological support.
Although demanding, with good time management skills it is possible to balance training with academic commitments. Our members continue to perform well in their degrees with the majority being awarded either Firsts or 2:1s. Jo Smith (Osiris 2006, Blue Boat 2008) came top of her year in Geology. All morning weekday sessions are finished by 9am in time for lectures and no evening sessions start before 5pm.
OUWBC is looking for new oarswomen and coxes (both male and female) to join the squad for the 2010 Boat Race. Although the club does not teach novices to row, many of our successful athletes only had a year's college rowing experience when they joined the club. Anyone interested in trialling should contact this year's President, Sonia Bracegirdle.
Want to find out more about past and present triallists? Click on the links below to read accounts by various squad members.
Felicity Shelley: Blue Boat 2009
Jo Smith: Osiris 2006, Blue Boat 2008
Harriet Keane: Osiris 2008, Blue Boat 2009
