When I was younger, I never imagined that I would be occupying my early twenties living in a small town in Oxfordshire spending all my time either rowing or supporting my rowing. At school I wanted to be a fashion designer and imagined my twenties would be spent travelling from Berlin to Paris. Instead, I spend most of my days in a gym or going up and down the same stretch of the Thames. To be honest though, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I learned to row in 2018 at the University of Liverpool. My memories of being a novice at Liverpool are mainly filled with not understanding erg technique and being on the River Weaver during the frigid winter mornings. I’d often find myself questioning my own sanity as we pushed off the landing stage in a heavy boat with massive wooden blades that ripped my hands to shreds. When I moved up to the senior squad, I found the adjustment difficult, but the benefit was that I was improving much more quickly, chasing the tails of those more experienced above me.
Eventually I was racing regularly with Liverpool and had an incredible first year. After two years with Liverpool (and a global pandemic) I decided to move to Agecroft and join World Class Start. This was mainly because I couldn’t stay upright in a single for longer than five minutes, and I knew that if I wanted to trial being able to scull was a skill I probably needed. Like many of us rowing during a global pandemic my year of rowing was not what I had hoped, but by the end of my time there I had not only learnt to stay afloat but to my delight, managed to get into the C final of BUCS regatta.
Like most people, I left University unsure of my future. I knew I wanted to keep rowing, to keep improving, but didn’t know where to go to get the best out of myself. Over the summer I tried one high performance centre but didn’t really find it a good fit. I struggled to fit in, and felt a lot like a new girl who didn’t deserve to be there. At Henley Royal I decided I wanted to move and was told to look into Leander. I assumed I wouldn’t get in given Leander’s reputation of excellence. But after a call with the women’s coach, one month later, I had moved to Henley and got an afternoon job to support my rowing career.
The main thing that surprised me about Leander was how welcoming all the women were. After previous experiences, I was expecting to feel like a very small fish in a very big pond. The environment was so positive and unlike any club I had been at previously. Everyone wanted their teammates to do well: When I got a PB on my 2K every single woman in the squad came up to me, whether they had a good test or a bad, to congratulate me. On several occasions I mentioned that I did not have enough kit, and then I was handed a unisuit from a friend as she said she wanted to help me out. There have been countless occasions like this when someone has helped me out.
The racing experience I’ve had so far at Leander has been incredible. We’ve managed to race consistently throughout the head season and each race has felt like a step on from the last. The squad environment at each race is unlike any I have experienced. Sitting waiting to race at WEHORR with 36 women all in the same kit felt like I was part of something special. It was the first time in its history that Leander Club had boated four women’s eights at WEHORR, and it was a successful one, with all crews finishing in the top 14. Experiences like WEHORR have not only made me more confident in my rowing, but also have reminded me of why this sport is great. WEHORR is one of the largest women’s only sporting events in Europe and to be part of that is incredibly special.
I have progressed massively during my short time at Leander. The support and encouragement from my teammates and coaches has given me the confidence to aim higher, and re-evaluate my long term sporting goals. The training, although difficult, has helped me develop faster than ever. Being around women who do not see my limit as being ‘the limit’ makes me push myself more than I ever did. From weight sessions to ergo sessions there is an environment which encourages and challenges everyone. My experience of breaking into high performance has been rocky but I am now in a place where I belong and can continue to improve.
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