Alex Riddell-Webster

Club CUBC Women

Year of Birth 2002

Hometown London

Nationality British

College Murray Edwards

Undergrad/Graduate Undergraduate

Year 1st

What are you studying? Computer Science

What is the most interesting part of your course? Do you have any professional or academic plans after? I find the hardware or ‘Digital Electronics’) side of my course fascinating and I’m looking forward to learning more about it over the course of my degree.

Future ambitions? To go backpacking round the world.

How do you balance rowing and academic life? By keeping absolutely everything in my diary. I also find that everything becomes easier to deal with if get enough sleep every night.

When did you start rowing, and why? In 2014, at my secondary school they had posters of our senior eight up in the library so I thought I’d give it a go!

What was your first club? Godolphin and Latymer School.

What is your favourite part of rowing for Cambridge? Getting to know so many wonderful people who are studying such a wide range of subjects at every degree level.

What’s your rowing history, and what has been your biggest achievement so far? I’ve been hooked on rowing since I was 13, and my biggest achievement is representing GB in the coxless four at the 2019 junior world championships on next year’s Olympic course in Tokyo.

Have you raced in the Boat Race before? If yes, when? No.

Your favourite race so far? Henley women’s or Henley Royal Regatta. I love the atmosphere and the unexpected results that can come from side by side knockout racing.

Do you have any race day habits or superstitions? I always wear my lucky socks.

Who is your sporting idol? Katherine Grainger.

If you could have any sportsperson in your crew, who would it be? I wouldn’t want to row with anyone other than the girls in the squad.

What gets you through a tough session? Do you have a mantra, rituals? A hot coffee at the end of a session is a great thought in cold weather.

Any hobbies, other interests outside rowing? I enjoy baking, although I have more enthusiasm than experience.

How do you motivate yourself and your teammates, especially with Covid restrictions? There’s a quote in the Goldie boathouse I find very motivating. ‘You might not feel like training every day, but there isn’t a day when you feel like losing’.