1 mins
Allan French
The Boat Race 2025 is a special one as it marks the 10-year anniversary of the first Women’s Boat Race on the Tideway. A race that created parity between the men’s and women’s crews, both now racing over the same 4¼ miles of The Championship Course that has been the site of the men’s contest for almost 200 years. On Saturday 11 April 2015 the winning Oxford crew, led by Caryn Davies in the stroke seat, was watched by huge crowds and over 4.8 million viewers at home; it was a fitting occasion and an historic day. The race course may have changed but the necessity of balancing long hours of training with Oxbridge academics, all amidst the intense rivalry between these student athletes, was certainly business as usual.
The term student athletes is key here. Since starting at Oxford last year, I have been immensely impressed by the way the students manage their time and the pressure to perform both academically and athletically. It is not an easy balance; training hours must be long, academic commitments are non-negotiable, and rest and recovery are meticulously planned, yet the students bring with them a fun, supportive and process-driven dynamic.
As part of this journey, a new approach sees the squad racing throughout the domestic and international season. New events have included the Head Of The Charles Regatta and the Heineken Cup, plus supporting and targeting the increasing number of women’s events at Henley Royal Regatta.
For me it is a privilege to coach this group. My job is to push as hard as them, to find ways to integrate training programs into busy schedules, to maximise the enjoyment and efficiency in the process, and to support and challenge people to get the most out of themselves and each other. There are no shortcuts to success, and the honesty in this is what makes it so special.