Felix Drinkall

Nationality 

GBR

Height

1.97m

School/High School Club

Eton College Boat Club

Undergraduate/Graduate

Graduate

Previous University

Oxford

Undergraduate course

MEng in Engineering Science

Graduate course

DPhil in Natural Language Processing

What is your Oxford College?

Wolfson College

Why are you studying your course?

DPhil in Machine Learning

What is the most interesting part of your course?

Working predominantly with language models, I enjoy working with models that have a tangible relationship with the real-world.

Year you first started rowing?

2014

First rowing club?

Eton College Boat Club

Why/How did you get into rowing?

I started rowing when I was 14.

Name of first rowing coach?

Alex Henshilwood

Who is your rowing idol?

Peter Denton

How do you balance rowing and academic life?

I find that both rowing and academia can complement each other very well so long as you look after yourself, by which I mean you get enough recovery. I’ve found that they can both provide a mental break from the other.

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

Junior Worlds 2017 gold. U23 Worlds 2019 and 2021 gold. Henley: Princess Elizabeth 2016 and Ladies Plate 2022.

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

I rowed in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 Boat Races.

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

No

Your favourite race so far?

2021 U23 World Championships final. We were only in the lead for the last 5 strokes and managed to win by 0.21s.

What is the best place you have ever rowed?

The Henley stretch on a cold winter’s morning.

Where would be your dream place to row?

Lake Bled

Obviously, it’s long hours and hard work – what inspires you to keep rowing?

The desire to win big races with people that you’ve suffered alongside. Having 8 other people’s dreams in your hands and vice versa creates a trust that is hard to find in other areas in life. It makes winning feel so much better since you’re winning for them as well as yourself.

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

I say it’s a terrible life choice, but if they keep asking and seem interested, I’ll tell them that there is something truly special about the team aspect of the sport. The fact that you win and lose together means the intensity of the relationships you create and experiences you encounter are more extreme.

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

My greatest achievement is probably being U23 world champion. Although the most valuable thing I’ve got from the sport is my ability to deal with pressure.

What is your favourite sports quote?

“If you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it.” - Irv Blitzer

What is your favourite movie about sports?

Cool Runnings

How does being an athlete make you a better person?

I don’t think it makes you a better person, but I do think that you get better at dealing with high pressure situations. Both in training and racing there are moments where you need to step up and be a good teammate, even if your natural instinct is to not be.

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

I think I’m pretty focused on what I want to achieve, but I also think I maintain a calm state of mind when the pressure builds.

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

They’re very understanding. I’m aware that I’m not always the most present friend as a result of my schedule; however, I’m blessed to have some amazing and very patient friends.