JRN

Beyond the Boat

JRN X The Sporty Girls Club

The Story

I had spent most of my rowing career being beaten by our neighbors Thames, I knew the feeling of loss all too well that I had almost come to expect it at that point. When the idea came about to create a series exploring behind the scenes of rowing, and shedding light on topics that were less spoken about in sport, it was my subconscious (or some could say ego) that wanted desperately to know what they had done to beat us. A way perhaps of getting justice, leveling the playing field or just exposing the secrets hidden in the boat house that had created win after win.

Doubt lingered as to whether Thames would ever agree to this level of scrutiny, not many clubs except Oxford or Cambridge had allowed strangers access to their boat houses, let alone allowed their stories to be told by someone other than themselves. Fortunately, Thames surprised me, and perhaps all those on the outside looking in, by readily opening their doors and engaging in candid discussions about what they believed had fueled their rise to becoming one of the most dominant clubs in the UK.

Myself and Svenja, along with the JRN team sat down in winter 2023 with the coaches, committee members and athletes for an honest conversation. What follows is our firsthand account, chronicling their journey and capturing their own perspectives.

Abby and Svenja

Episode One: Equality

To understand the impact and the importance of what Thames have done for women’s rowing we must look back to the 1970s. The era marked by its limited opportunities for female athletes, Thames emerged as a trailblazer. In 1973, they boldly opened their doors to female rowers, a groundbreaking move that preceded the inclusion of women’s events in the Olympic program by four years, albeit even then it was raced over a shorter distance of 1000 meters until the full distance was adopted in 1988.

The foresight and vision that they had in making the change in 1972, not only paved the way for numerous Thames women competing at international and Olympic level, but the legacy it has created for women’s sport is still being felt today. Fast forward to 2023, Thames made history beating Leander in the final of the Wargave Cup at HRR, proving as Head Coach Sander says ‘that you can still go really fast with a full time job’.

But Thames’ impact in women’s rowing goes far further than just athletic achievements. It is evident to see the respect and equality they have within the coaching team and between each other as athletes. Unlike many sports environments, both the women’s and men’s squads are regarded as equals, each celebrated for their unique strengths. This culture of inclusivity extends beyond mere lip service; the coaching staff recognizes the distinct physical needs of female athletes, offering tailored support for issues such as injury and menstrual health.

It is never easy to go against the grain, but perhaps we can learn a little from the 1972 committee’s foresight and look to the future, and understand that women have their place at the forefront of rowing. It only takes a second to see the enthusiasm for racing at WeHorr or HRR to know women’s sport is building. We must invest in not only female athletes, but in women being at all levels of our sport, whether that is coaching or all the way to top level management.

It is poignant my conversation with Jo, a former Thames athlete turned volunteer coach. She muses on the reason for the lack of female coaches, ‘you can not be what you can not see’. We must make coaching and management roles accessible to women, this is not an issue unique to rowing, but an important one where we can take the lead. Clubs need to provide a structure for women that is respectful, equal and supportive. Thames have again pioneered this in women like Pauline Rayner, who was appointed the clubs first female captain in 1991.

But we can not do this alone, it is also men’s responsibility too to recognise the importance of women in rowing, and Thames have understood this at every level. I hope more and more clubs understand that equality equals success.

Episode Two: Investing

It would be remiss of me not to point out the fortuitous circumstances in which Thames found themselves in even prior to any investment. Located in a prime West London riverside location, with a beautiful historic boat house, these things undoubtedly started Thames off on the right foot. Although, club Chairman William hints that it can be a blessing and a curse. Such a large and complicated multi purpose building is costly to maintain, and a trap of being asset rich but cash poor is an easy one to fall into. William points out many clubs get in a mindset of ‘managed decline’.

In the early 2000’s the club had not seen a HRR win for several decades, the committee understood that it needed to invest to drive the club on. To attract, maintain and grow your membership you need to be able to review if the equipment and boat house is of a satisfactory standard. It takes an element of bravery, and members that understood the financial implications, to take on debt in order to raise the cash it took to invest and turn the club around.

The transformation extended beyond mere physical assets; they also reviewed the coaching structure, putting a portion of the capital raised into hiring professional coach Ben Lewis. It is not just a matter of hiring someone full time to look after your program, but choosing a coach that shares your club’s mindset and vision. Conversations with athletes and William reveal Ben’s unyielding commitment to the singular objective of winning HRR. While I dont endorse the notion of winning at any cost, it served as the much-needed catalyst for Thames’ resurgence.

In the present day, the club has leveraged the investment to set up a range of diverse revenue streams including a cafe, restaurant and events business. Recognising the need for a business minded approach is important for clubs that want to thrive and develop. This forward-thinking mindset not only strengthens the club’s financial resilience but fuels continued growth through sustainable revenue streams. Admittedly, it’s a risk, but if you take a leaf out of Thames book one worth taking.

Episode Three: Training

It comes as no surprise that training at Thames is hard, I don’t think this will be a revelation to anyone in the rowing world. The schedule of 10-11 sessions a week, training camps, testing and selections will take its toll on even the most seasoned athletes. Balancing these demands alongside professional commitments and personal lives is a formidable challenge that not everyone can feasibly undertake.

I’d long questioned what Thames were doing in their training program that was making them so much faster than other clubs. You may be disappointed to learn I am not about to reveal their program, but I can tell you they aren’t doing anything wildly different to other squads that are training for HWR and HRR.

So what exactly sets Thames apart? Before my conversation with Sander, I asked friends who had been through the system what had surprised them the most about the program. The resounding response? Rest. Unlike many other clubs, Sunday is a day of rest, as well as longer breaks during the Christmas period. Sander tells me ‘we are not afraid to give people a bit more rest…I try to explain to rowers when you rest you actually improve’. The coaches at Thames understand that session after session comes at a cost to athletes, they try to instill that the more training done the more rest you need to see the benefit.

What is intriguing is the simplicity that they approach rowing, this is not to undermine the intricacies of data, telemetry or technique. But rather to take a step back and not over complicate it, we all know the interview of the Irish double ‘you just have to get from A to B as fast as possible’. Well that is basically it, and Thames understands that, row well and train hard. Captain Toby tells me ‘it’s actually a really simple and unique sport..we sit in a bubble of performance where everything is the be-all and end-all but there are much bigger things going on in the world, and it’s incumbent on us to notice that and enjoy the moment we are in’.

Thames embraces a straightforward mindset. Amidst the intensity of a performance driven environment, Thames reminds us to appreciate the bigger picture and relish the present moment.

Episode Four: Mindset

Nothing sums up the mindset at Thames more than Tintin, cox of the Wargrave eight that beat Leander in the final last year at HRR. Reflecting on her journey, she shares ‘I knew in a very visceral way that at one point in my life I would be lifting the Wargrave cup, I just told myself that’. It is that single mindedness that has got Thames to its current stature. At every juncture and at every facet of the club there is a commitment to a singular shared goal. Each decision is made with one outcome in mind: lift as many trophies as possible.

While Tintin’s conviction may manifest more overtly, you can see the quiet confidence and unwavering belief that are palpable in every member of Thames. Even the new athletes joining Thames this season, you can already see that they take on and embody the confidence that the current athletes already have. It has become a legacy, passed down, generation to generation – a belief in the system and in the results that precede them.

In 2003, the Wyfold crew who broke the 47 year losing streak at HRR surely had doubts and uncertainties, today these are nowhere to be seen. This unwavering self-assurance can often be the deciding factor on race day; you can be up half a length, but if you let doubt creep into your mind the other crew can quickly take advantage. Thames’ crews do not rely on luck or chance, they go out with the belief that they will win, and mindset is a powerful thing.

Episode Five: Competition

Thames knows both sides of competition, it’s easy to forget but it hasn’t always been plain sailing for them, even now not every crew that makes a final is guaranteed a win. Captain Toby experienced this first hand last summer, losing the Wyfold final by 1 ½ lengths. His response to this is not one of outward anger (although it may well have been at the time), more a reflection that he lost to a better crew and what lessons can he take from that into the next season. Understanding both victory and defeat makes for a more formidable competitor; while Thames’ crews enter races with a winning mindset, they are also equipped to navigate the challenges of loss.

Internally they race each other throughout the entire season, they are relentlessly drilled in all elements of race craft. Nothing is left to chance at Thames, they are calculated in their reactions to anything that happens during racing, win or lose.

While most of the athletes said the biggest competition was internally at Thames – and you can see why when there is so much depth to the squads – externally on the men’s side some pointed to London and Molesley as ones to watch. Bear in mind, this was winter 2023 when we spoke to them before racing had really taken place, London has gone on to beat Thames twice this season before Thames took the win at HoRR. While Molesley took a pennant at HoRR, their speed hasn’t matched up to Thames yet this season.

On the women’s side the focus is on university rowing, Brookes and the American universities are the ones they have their eyes on to beat. Sadly for Thames women there is little opportunity to race universities prior to HWR, perhaps this suggests there is room for a competition reform for women’s rowing, and raises the bigger question, who will take them on in the domestic club scene this season?

Episode Six: Thoughts on Winning

If I am truly honest, when we embarked on this project it felt like an experiment, we didn’t know how open Thames would be in reality, or if we had a film, an article or even the narrative of a story to tell amongst all of it. As a London member the rivalry between our two clubs runs deep; while the modern rowing world sees Thames as the top dog this hasn’t always been the case, they have known both sides of competition. Forty-seven years between Henley Royal wins has to undoubtedly hurt.

I had always respected them as competitors as any good opponent does, but now delving into their inner workings, I understand and appreciate a part of the reason for their success. It isn’t fuelled by some mystical formula, there is no witchcraft, and while it may seem like it, they aren’t recruiting superhuman rowers. But what they are doing is being relentlessly single minded in their approach, they know their vision and the course they must take to achieve victory at any cost.

This isn’t merely a catchphrase in committee meetings, it is a deeply ingrained mindset fed into each athlete to accept nothing but the best of themselves and each other. From seasoned veterans to newcomers, every member across all levels of the club shares a common goal and knows what they must do to achieve it.

However, it’s important to note that this approach isn’t suited to everyone. Joining Thames doesn’t guarantee you a medal, the season is grueling and unrelenting physically and mentally, they see many rowers arrive and exit between September and July. The athletes you see at HRR have been through months of rigorous testing; the squads cut down from well over 140 to the select boats you see in the summer.

While this season has seen its share of setbacks, losing at Remenham and the Boustead, I am sure we haven’t seen every card that Thames has to play. They are too calculated and have come too far to let their reputation slip this quickly, do not be fooled they know when to play their best hand.

The Team

Abigail began her rowing journey in 2014 at Maidstone Invicta before switching from rowing to coxing. In 2018, she joined London Rowing Club in Putney, where she coxed both the men’s and women’s squads. Beyond the rowing world, Abigail works as a Design Manager in the construction industry.

Svenja’s rowing journey started at school and continued on to Newcastle University where she transitioned to coxing and coaching. She joined Upper Thames in 2018, where she competed and won multiple medals at HOCR. Now, she keeps up on rowing news to pass the time while she works as Head of Compliance at an automated compliance startup.

Filming & Videography: Nordin Ćatić

Support: JRN Team