FINAL THOUGHTS
Heidi Long
OUBC Women’s President
Rowing has helped me get through life’s many challenges. It’s given me more than I could ever have expected: purpose, resilience, confidence, and lifelong friendships. On the water, surrounded by my teammates, this sport enables me to pause academic pressure, silence grief, and create a space to focus on just one goal. It has the rare ability to make you feel part of something bigger than yourself. For all these reasons, I wanted to play my part in creating a Club that gives those things to others.
This year, the presidency has been its own unique test. It was harder than I expected to fit training, academics, presidency, and sleep into 24 hours.
Nevertheless, I remain driven by the ambition to be part of a club where every member can find passion, ambition, fulfilment, and friendships that last beyond a season. I’ve felt supported to try new things and make mistakes. This has helped me push myself to new limits and to develop personally, and, in so doing, it has empowered me to support others to find the confidence to push themselves further than ever before too.
I love rowing as part of OUBC and I am deeply honoured to be part of The Boat Race 2026. I am excited for the race and to see what we can do. It is true what they say: if you find a boat club anywhere in the world, you’ve found home.