Anja Zehfuss

Nationality

USA

Height

182cm

School/high school/secondary school

Northside College Prep

Club

OUWBC

Undergraduate/graduate

Graduate

Previous university

Stanford

Graduate course

MPhil in Development Studies

Oxford college

Green Templeton

Why are you studying your course?

It provides a new and multidisciplinary perspective on innovation in health.

What is the most interesting part of your course?

Wide variety of scholars and students from different subject areas I can interact with.

Year you first started rowing

2012

First rowing club

Chicago Rowing Foundation

Name of first rowing coach

Mike Wallin

Who is your rowing idol?

Rena White (rower at Stanford University)

Why/how did you get into rowing?

I used to run cross country and track, but I grew 8 inches in a summer and went from being 5’ 2” to 5’10” (aka 157cm to 178cm). The CRF coaches came to my high school and said that I shouldn’t waste my height with running, and I should consider rowing. The rest is history.

How do you balance rowing and academic life?

Deep reliance on Outlook Calendar, and experience with squishing 8 hours of work into a 2-hour window. Also, supportive friends and a great course.

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

Cox: Izzi Weiss (UVA Rowing), Stroke: Steph Grauer (Canadian Olympian), 7: Rena White (Stanford Rowing) 6: Johannes Klaebo (Norwegian multi-gold medallist cross-country skiing Olympian), 5: Emily Delleman (US national team), 4: Alie Rusher (US Olympian), 3: Margaret Saunders (GB national team), 2: Margaret Seaton (Stanford Rowing), 1: Julia Lindsay (OUWBC).

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

I began rowing at Chicago Rowing Foundation, a club in Chicago. I then attended Stanford University where we placed 6th, 4th, and 4th at NCAAs my first three years (last year was cancelled due to Covid). Now I am a member of OUWBC. My biggest achievement so far has been winning the mock Boat Race event at Katie Anderson’s (OUWBC ‘21) birthday party.

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

Yes, 2021.

Where would be your dream place to row?

New Zealand -they have some crystal-clear water there and mountains in the background doesn’t seem half bad.

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

The team and a love of the actual sport. We have an amazing and supportive team dynamic, so that keeps me coming back. The feeling of an eight ripping it on the water so fast it feels a bit like flying doesn’t hurt either.

Your favourite race so far?

Rowing with Stanford at San Diego Crew classic in 2019.

What is the best place you have ever rowed?

NCAA course in Sacramento, California.

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

Managing rowing and school, having friends, and coming out of it somewhat normal. Also, my junior season at Stanford.

What is your favourite sports quote?

If you ain’t first, you’re last -Ricky Bobby.

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

Working 20 hours a week to move a carbon fibre hull 10 seconds faster through the water on race day.

What is your favourite movie about sports? Why?

This is easy. My favourite sports movie by far is Remember the Titans. It is inspiring, great character performances (a young Ryan Gosling) and Denzel Washington is my favourite actor of all time.

How does being an athlete make you a better person?

It makes me much more focused and directed with my time. Everything I do means I am actively choosing to not do something else, so that realization makes me more targeted with what I do choose to do.

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

I have experienced amazing highs with rowing and difficult lows. I think that anyone -from a fan to an amateur to an Olympian can understand how hard it can be to pick yourself up again and make yourself better after a loss. Rowing has taught me that, and I think anyone (regardless of sports level) can empathize with that journey.

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

Working hard on not a lot of sleep, being a team-focused athlete, being incredibly funny (both a strength and a critical weakness), finding well-rated and delicious restaurants regardless of where I am, hyping people up in the boat, cooking a mean roast chicken, having an amazing support system.

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

In the States rowing wasn’t a big sport, so mostly my friends were confused why I couldn’t go to things as I had to wake up for 5.30am practice. Here, people are a lot more supportive of my rowing career. I have no idea what my friends think about my athletic success -they are all experiencing equivalent (or more!) success in their own chosen areas that I don’t think it is that much different or more exciting to be honest.

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

Yes. I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t think we could win it this year, and we have the team and the attitude for it. Looking forward to showing down on race day.

Any hobbies, other interests outside rowing?

I love reading, listening to rap and/or classical music (Kanye and Prokofiev are favourites), keeping up with trends in health, and eating dim sum.

Tell us one surprising thing about yourself.

I am one of three siblings (all girls) and we all row. Two of us have gone to Stanford and the youngest just started rowing at my high school club -she already has broken the first 2k record me and my other sister set.