Blog: Ace

Women's rowing at www.sonsrowing.org.uk

Women's Squad

The women’s squad at Sons has proved that with flexibility, determination and the right organisational and training structures, you can pursue a demanding career, train and perform at high levels and still have fun doing it. We are a very friendly club and welcome everyone from complete beginners to elite rowers and scullers. Sons Women tend to have a range of experience – from novices that learned to row at Sons, to competitive university rowers, several of whom have returned from long breaks from rowing.

As much of the current squad has demanding careers – including doctors, lawyers, engineers and bankers – training is highly focussed on maximising results and competing successfully at high levels without having to spend every moment at the club. The training schedule is based around key events – in particular Henley Women’s Regatta and the Women’s Head of the River Race – so the intensity and training commitment increases in the lead up to these races. The rest of the year is based on building strength and ability, and having fun at smaller regattas and head races.

Winter training is both land and water based: weights, ergs and circuits during the week and double outings on weekend mornings. The club is fully equipped for rowing training, but training programmes are provided at the beginning of every week so that you can train away from the club if preferred. We race at a number of head races in pairs, four and eights leading up to the Women’s Head of the River.

Spring and summer training kicks off at training camp (2005 at Banyoles, 2004 outside Rome and 2003 in the south of France) and leads up to the big summer regattas. Crews are set as early as possible, and water training is in those fixed crews, with flexible training schedules if necessary to maximise time on the water. In 2004, we raced an Intermediate VIII and Intermediate IV+ at Women’s Henley, the Metropolitan Regatta, Wallingford, and Reading, amongst others. Both crews successfully qualified through the time trials at Women’s Henley. The IV+ reached the quarter final, having won S3 at Reading the week before. Subsequently the squad recorded wins at Bedford Quarts, Molesey and Oxford City regattas.

A good social life is also part of the fun at Sons with summer and winter balls, club nights on Thursdays in the Linden House bar and ad hoc parties and BBQs.

If you have never rowed before and would like to give it a go, our dedicated novice sculling programme contact provides an opportunity to get out onto the water without making a long term commitment. Novices are welcome to join the squad as soon as possible.

If you have rowed before and want to join a club that is successful and used to structuring training around demanding lives and careers but which still retains a friendly atmosphere and great capacity for having fun, Sons is the place for you.

Contact the Women's Captain

www.sonsrowing.org.uk

by Ace on 17:08 on 1st May 2007