1 mins
Luca Ferraro
Cambridge University Boat Club has over the past few years made a habit of building crews greater than the sum of their parts. With a potent blend of international talent and experienced returners grizzled from years of racing on the Tideway, it was clear from day one of this campaign that we had the parts to potentially create some of the fastest crews the club has ever seen.
It’s a simple recipe: put this rocket fuel in the extraordinary hands of coaches Rob Baker and Bill Lucas, under the watchful eye of Marko Banović and the indomitable Donald Legget, and let them cook.
Right from the start we set out to take the fight to everyone. We met the might of the US at the Head Of The Charles Regatta back in October, and raced international crews and the best of Britain in the fixtures this term. The guys have put in more work than I’ve ever seen in my five years at the club, and not once have I had to push or chivvy or chide. It’s a serious testament to that internal drive that the most challenging racing by far has been within the squad.
As President I worried that my job could be replete with challenges – managing egos and boosting morale – but I’ve been lucky in that the 25-odd that show up at Goldie every day also happen to be some of the best blokes I’ve ever met. All of them bought in magnificently to the programme, the culture and the mission, making my job easy. We’ve met serious setbacks with guts and resilience and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it is not to take a single moment for granted. The squad is hungry for race day and a chance to settle the ultimate rivalry the old-fashioned way – on the water. But for now I’m just enjoying each day of training with my boys.
What a privilege it is to be a part of CUBC.