First rowed in 1927, the Women’s Boat Race has since become a mainstay on both the domestic and International rowing scenes. Having only been raced away from the Tideway five times in its history, this year’s race will see Blues descend on Ely, where a ‘covid-secure’ event can be staged. For a detailed preview of the men’s event, click here.
The Crews
CUBC
Bow – Adriana Perez Rotondo
Born in Madrid, Adriana made the move to the UK to study at Cambridge, where she began rowing with Newnham College Boat Club whilst completing a PhD in Computational Neuroscience. Prior to joining the University squad, Adriana spent time with colleagues from Hughes Hall and Darwin College honing technical prowess, winning the Women’s Beginner 4+ at BUCS in 2018. Her time at CUBC has seen her steadily develop a strong racing pedigree, showing strength at 2019 Fours Head where her crew finished second in the Academic 4+, before being selected to race in Goldie that year. In winning the 2019 reserve race, Adriana was able to dispel any notion of newbie gains after only two years in the sport, catching the attention of coaches and landing her a seat in this year’s Blue Boat.
Two – Caoimhe Dempsey
With over six years of rowing under her belt, Caoimhe as Vice-President brings a steady wisdom to her crew. Having grown up in Wicklow, Ireland, she went on to study at Dublin University before applying to Cambridge for a PhD in psychology at Newnham College. During her time at Dublin, Caoimhe secured wins in the second tier Women’s eights at Metropolitan Regatta, where she would return two years later with home club Anna Liffey to place 5th in the Women’s pair, just months before representing Ireland at the Under23 World Championships, where her crew – the Women’s 8+ – placed 5th.
Three – Abba Parker
Daughter of ‘God’ (you’ll see in a moment), Abba Parker spent four years across the pond at Harvard where she became co-captain for her final year, before moving to the UK to complete a PhD in Zoology at Emmanuel College. Whilst at Harvard, Abba built a strong reputation – no doubt guided by her father Harry Parker, who spent 50 years as the Harvard Heavyweight Men’s Coach, during which time he earned his nickname ‘God’. Not to live in his shadow, however, Abba resolved not to simply ride the wave of her father, instead producing an emphatic string of victories prior to her move to the UK. President for the 2019 Boat Race season, Abba had big shoes to fill, with her predecessor Daphne Martschenko leading the squad to an impressive seven-length win over Oxford in, but Abba would deliver. Much like Daphne, Abba was forced to settle for a seat in Blondie, but still delivered a win in both races. She returns to CUBC as a regular member of the squad, supporting this year’s president Sophie Paine.
Four – Sophie Paine
President
Sophie was born in Freeport, Bahamas and attended Brown University from 2015-2019. She represented Brown in two National Championships in the Varsity 8+ and one National Championship in the Varsity 4+, as well as four Ivy League Championships. She rowed for Great Britain in the Women’s U23 8+ in Sarasota, Florida in 2019, coming away with a silver medal. Currently studying at Wolfson College for an MPhil in the Sociology of Media and Culture, the first Bahamian to row in the Boat Race has high hopes for her squad on home water. In a year that is hugely symbolic for her and the squad, we look forward to seeing what she can deliver.
Five – Anouschka Fenley
Born and bred in Oxford, Anouschaka learned to row at Headington School, before gaining a place to study at the University of Washington, where over the course of four years, she tuned her engine to the roar of the Huskies. By the time she left Washington, Anouschka had built an impressive CV, having rowed the Women’s Varsity 4+ at the Oregon State Classic, the Women’s Varsity 4+ in the Windermere Cup and the winning the Women’s Third Varsity 8+ at the Pac-12 Championship in her senior year alone. She retains her seat from the planned 2020 race, and is one of six returning Blues for the 2021 race, having previously been a part of the winning 2019 Goldie crew. A strong rower through-and-through, Anouschka will contribute experience by the bucket-load to the crew.
Six – Sarah Portsmouth
Graduate of the programme at Yarm School, Sarah began her Cambridge Architecture degree in 2019. Finishing fourth alongside light-blue counterparts at Fours Head 2019, Sarah soon demonstrated the muscle required to enter the Blue Boat, and was rewarded with a seat in the 2020 crew. She returns this year in the same seat, with the same dogged motivation as the rest of her cremates, having missed out on a large part of her university rowing experience.
Seven – Bronya Sykes
Another returning Blue, Bronya spoke to us back in 2020 about the typical day of a Blue, and has since successfully focused her efforts on re-selection for the 2021 race. Bronya entered the world under the watchful eye of her father who coached her from the age of 11 at Trafford Rowing Club, where she remained until her move to CUBC. During her time as a junior, Bronya enjoyed a pot-hunting career, during which she developed the physical and metal resilience that would allow her to thrive at Cambridge – both on the water an in the lecture theatres.
Stroke – Sarah Tisdall
Aussie-born Sarah is walking down a well-trodden family path in gaining a seat in this years Blue Boat, with her grandfather last achieving the feat almost 90 years ago. After leaving Brisbane, her journey to Cambridge – like so many others – included a four-year layover in the US, where she rowed under the Women’s Heavyweight programme at Harvard, returning to Australia to compete in the coxed fours at the 2019 Under23 World Championships, where she won bronze. This will be her first appearance in the Blue Boat, as she balances rowing with her MPhil in Education at Lucy Cavendish College.
Cox – Dylan Whittaker
Another returning member of the 2020 crew than never was, Dylan has forged a strong reputation as a coxswain whilst at Cambridge. Notable achievements include a silver in the Championships Eights at BUCS 2019, along with the lightweight men’s four at Fours Head the same year. Dylan, currently studying at Kings, will undoubtedly bring a wealth of experience to his crew, most notably, intimate familiarity with the course at Ely.
OUWBC
Bow – Megan Stoker
Previously resident at Bath University where she studied Biomedical Science, Megan made the move to Oxford to join the Morten Group, where she joined a team of mitochondrial researchers at Oxford’s Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health. Megan learned to row at Peterborough City Rowing Club, before moving to Bath where her crew competed in the A-final of the championship eights at BUCS 2018. By the time she arrived at Oxford, Megan had developed a powerful internal barometer for what a strong performance consisted of, and went on to prove her worth with a win in the Under23 500m at the British Indoor championships in 2020.
Two – Anja Zehfuss
Stanford graduate Anja majored in Human Biology before making the trip to Oxford where she reads Development Studies at Green Templeton College. During her time in the US, Anja took her seat in the 2019 second varsity eight, which placed fourth at NCAA Championships and second at Pac-12 Championships, before going on to place on the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll. Whilst the majority of her Senior year at Stanford was derailed, she’s made a strong impression at Oxford, securing a seat in the Blue Boat in her first year on-campus.
Three – Martha Birtles
Returning from the 2020 Blue Boat, Martha only began rowing when she joined Oxford as an undergraduate at Mansfield College. Martha steadily developed her strength, resilience and boatmanship in the Oxford University Women’s development squad, before successfully trialing for the Blue Boat in 2020. She returns this year in the three seat.
Four – Amelia Standing
Three-time Blue and Boat Race veteran, Amelia will be one of the few athletes competing this year who have experienced the thrill of a Tideway Boat Race. Her journey to becoming a Boat Race athlete at the comparatively tender age of 19 began at the King’s School Chester where she learned to row, first competing at the National Schools’ Regatta in 2014. Later, in 2017, Amelia would be selected to represent GB at the Coupe de Jeunesse, winning gold on both days of the regatta. By the time she arrived at Oxford, she had already found her feet, and trialed successfully in her first year as an undergraduate.
Five – Julia Lindsay
Ex-University of British Columbia Thunderbird, Julia gained her BSc in Cognitive Systems the US before migrating with her rowing expertise to Oxford. One of the most experienced athletes in her boat, Julia has been crowned Head of the Charles, a champion at the Canada Summer Games where she raced in the lightweight double, as well as five Canadian University Rowing Championship gold medals and two Canadian University Rowing Championship team titles (2018, 2019), which culminated in her receiving the award for Graduating Female Student-Athlete of the year (2020). Julia is currently a Psychiatry MSc candidate at St. Cross college, with an interest in the applications of technology in alleviating the symptoms of mental illness.
Six – Georgina Grant
One of OUWBC’s most experienced rowers, Georgie learned to row at Bewl Bridge in 2011. She went on to row in the four at the 2015 Junior World Championships, as well as at Mosley and Oxford Brookes, where she excelled at Talent ID trials and Henley Women’s Regatta. Georgie was selected for the 2020 Boat Race, and returns this year in the six seat, having been previously selected to row at four. Georgie is currently studying for her MSc in the History of Science, Medicine and Technology at Harris Manchester College.
Seven – Katie Anderson
Another former Yarm School pupil, Katie is also an athlete who first appeared on the rowing radar as a member of the Great Britain Coupe De La Jeunesse squad where she won a bronze medal in the JW2-. Having previously rowed alongside Sarah Portsmouth (CUBC Blue), at Yarm, Katie has since ascended to Vice-President at OUWBC, having been selected for Osiris in 2020, whilst she continues to study Economics and Management as Brasenose College.
Stroke – Katherine Maitland
Katherine is another highly experienced dark Blue who was due to take her place in the 2020 Blue Boat. Katherine developed her trade in the states at Duke University where she helped lead the varsity eight to three appearances in the Grand Final race at the ACC Championship before ending her career with the Blue Devils by securing third place with 72 points at the 2018 ACC’s. Prior to hopping across the Atlantic, she learned to row at Eton Excelsior Rowing Club with whom she meddled at NSR. On her way to OUWBC, she stopped off at Leander for a season, where she won the double at Henley Women’s Regatta.
Cox – Costi Levy
Costi began rowing with St Paul’s Girls’ school at the age of 14. before joining the women’s crew at Tideway Scullers School, where she competed to the semi-finals Henley Women’s Regatta. Another victim of the pandemic, Costi returns to the Blue Boat, having previously been selected for the 2020 race as coxswain
The Race
The 2021 Women’s Boat Race will be conducted on the Great River Ouse over a distance of 4.89km, beginning just North of the Prickwillow Road Bridge, and finishing just before the Victoria Street Bridge. Unlike the Tideway, the Ouse is likely to be rather ‘cosy’, with the blades of the crews being only six metres apart for the majority of the course, while high, reinforced banks could lead to large amounts of wash raining down on the trailing crew; many predict that whichever boat is able to secure the faster start will go on to win the event.
CUBC Women’s Chief Coach Robert Webber is optimistic about Cambridge’s chances come the fourth of April, saying, “Our athletes have shown remarkable resilience… we’re excited to race.” It’s a sentiment echoed incredibly closely by his Oxford counterpart Andy Nelder who suggested that his rowers had demonstrated “Impressive resilience..The race at Ely will be different, but the core values it represents will remain the same.”
For the first time, both the men’s and women’s races will be umpired by women, with Judith Packer taking change over the women’s race. Judith studied engineering at St. Peter’s College, Oxford, before qualifying as an umpire in 2001, after which she travelled the world, officiating at World Rowing events.
This year’s Osiris vs. Blondie Reserve Race will take place at Ely at a later date, in line with British Rowing and Government guidance.
Cover and featured images: Fergus Mainland and Roesie Percy
Headshots: The Boat Races
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