Barnabé Delarze

Nationality

SUI

Height

193cm

School/high school/secondary school

Gymnase Auguste Piccard

Club

OUBC

Undergraduate/graduate

Graduate

Previous university

University of Lausanne

Undergraduate course

Sports Science and Politics

Graduate course

MBA

Oxford college

Christ Church

Why are you studying your course?

To transition into the business world and kickstart my “post rowing” career.

What is the most interesting part of your course?

Learning about businesses insiders, meeting people from all over the world with diverse backgrounds.

Year you first started rowing

2007

First rowing club

Lausanne Sports Section Aviron

Name of first rowing coach

Arnaud Bertsch

Who is your rowing idol?

The Sinkovic brothers

Why/how did you get into rowing?

I was playing rugby in Switzerland, but it was (and still is) a very minor sport with little training and competition opportunities. As I was living right by Lac Leman in Lausanne, I thought I’d give rowing a go to supplement my training. After a few years doing both sports simultaneously, I had to make a choice and I saw more potential in rowing.

How do you balance rowing and academic life?

I try to manage my time as efficiently as I can and, most of all, be very efficient while studying and focus on the essential, making sure I’m not wasting any time.

Who would be your dream team eight to row with from everyone in the history of rowing?

Mathew Pinsent, Steve Redgrave, James Tomkins, Drew Ginn, Matthieu Androdias, Hugo Boucheron and Olaf Tufte.

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

No

Have you ever been at school/university/on a team with anyone at ‘the other place’?

Yes

Your favourite race so far?

Probably our first world cup win in 2019 where we timed it to perfection. On the more “fun” side, the Red Bull X Row is an awesome race to do (especially if you win it).

What is the best place you have ever rowed?

Aviz in Portugal was one of our nicest training camps.

Where would be your dream place to row?

Probably on a Finnish lake in the summer.

What is your rowing history, and what has been your biggest achievement so far?

I was very bad when I first started. I came last at my first Swiss championships and wasn’t even allowed to compete on my 2nd year. That triggered my competitive side and I started training properly. I quickly improved and went on to represent Switzerland every year since. First at junior level (bronze medal in 2012), then U23s (gold medal in 2013 and 2014) and senior level, taking part at two Olympic Games (7th place in Rio and 5th place in Tokyo), winning the overall world cup ranking in 2019 and a world championships silver medal in 2018.

Obviously, there are long hours and hard work, what inspires you to keep rowing?

I really want to achieve my full potential and see how far I can push myself mentally and physically. I think rowing is a phenomenal way of learning about yourself and gathering important skills for life.

What do you feel is your greatest achievement through rowing, be it accolades or something more personal?

Even though I am really disappointed with that result, I think being in an Olympic final is something I will look back at in a few years. On the personal side, rowing shaped me into who I am now and that is surely my greatest achievement.

What has been your most embarrassing/funny rowing moment?

I am not sure if I can talk about this here... but let’s say that when I was 18, I spent two months in the UK rowing for Sport Imperial. The day before Brit champs, we went out on Dorney Lake for a paddle, and we got expelled from the lake for some technical issue. Apparently, it wasn’t regarded the same way in Switzerland as it is here, and I almost got the whole Imperial College banned from Dorney Lake because of my ignorance. My most embarrassing rowing moment by far.

What is your favourite sports quote?

More is more.

How would you describe the sport to a non-rower?

Pulling on a stick through water pretty hard but not actually as hard as you can for a pretty long time but also not too long... mainly using your legs though!

What is your favourite movie about sports? Why?

I remember watching True Blue shortly after starting rowing and that was something that motivated me a lot going forward. I wasn’t even thinking of studying at Oxford back then.

How does being an athlete make you a better person?

It has taught me so much I don’t even know where to start. But I have learned resilience, hard work, teamwork, self-confidence and so much more.

Why do you think someone outside of the sport can relate to your career as an athlete?

The fact that I was really bad when I first started and seeing how far hard work and commitment took me.

What are your strengths, as a person and as an athlete?

My mental strength for sure.

What do your friends think of your athletic success? How do you handle missing out on activities with friends because of your athletic schedule?

Most of them support it. The ones that don’t are not my friends anymore, which proves they never were real friends. I look at it as opportunity cost. I am the only one who chose this path and I believe the benefits I gain from it are worth everything else I miss out on.

Do you think you can win the Boat Race? Why?

Of course. Because I haven’t come all the way here to lose. And neither have the other guys in the team. It’s a strong group this year.

Any hobbies, other interests outside rowing?

Skiing, cooking, any sports.

Tell us one surprising thing about yourself.

People are often surprised when I tell them that I am actually quite shy at first. It often gets mistaken for arrogance, probably because I’m quite a big guy,