Tobias Schröder

Club OUBC

Year of Birth 1999

Hometown Nottingham

Nationality Estonian/British

College Magdalen

Undergrad/Graduate Undergraduate

Year 4th

What are you studying? Chemistry

What is the most interesting part of your course? Do you have any professional or academic plans after? I am currently writing my thesis on the history of erythropoietin in the treatment of anaemia and its applications in blood doping.

Future ambitions? Win the 2021 Boat Race and row at the Olympics.

How do you balance rowing and academic life? It’s easy to let rowing dominate your life and let your work slip behind. I try my best to keep the two going equally without letting one take over.

When did you start rowing, and why? I started rowing when I was thirteen. I had been a swimmer before and wanted a change. I had always been tall with long arms so it was a natural sport to try out.

What was your first club? Winchester College Boat Club.

What is your favourite part of rowing for Oxford? I am very proud to row for OUBC. I grew up watching the Boat Race and I’m honoured to be a part of its history.

What’s your rowing history, and what has been your biggest achievement so far? I learnt to row at Nottingham Rowing Club and Winchester College Boat Club. In 2017 I won a bronze medal at the Junior World Rowing Championships, and came 5th at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships the next year. My biggest achievement is representing Oxford in the 2019 Boat Race.

Have you raced in the Boat Race before? If yes, when? Boat Race 2019.

Your favourite race so far? The Boat Race.

Do you have any race day habits or superstitions? I don’t have any habits or superstitions. I make a point of doing the same things I would do on a normal training day.

Your sporting idol? Eric Murray - unbeaten in the New Zealand pair from 2009-2016.

If you could have any sportsperson in your crew, who would it be? Roger Federer, but only if he knew how to row.

What gets you through a tough session? Do you have a mantra, rituals? I always feel that the team around me will help me get through a tough session. We train hard but really enjoy what we do, so it’s always easy to have a good time on the water.

Any hobbies, other interests outside rowing? I played the piano and cello for ten years but haven’t played for a long time.

How do you motivate yourself and your teammates, especially with Covid restrictions? It’s still easy to enjoy training in lockdown. As long as we’re all in contact and staying healthy, spirits will be high and we’ll be perfectly motivated to keep going.