Here you can find information on how to get involved with rowing as a rower, cox or coach and how to join the boat club. This page also gives an overview of the first steps towards your active membership. Note that the level of commitment is determined only by yourself. In addition, joining as a member of Wolfson College comes without any fees. If you are interested please email either novice captain (Bronwyn or Daniel) and fill in the linked form.

Novice rowing

As someone who has never rowed or coxed before typically you will be first taken on an indoor rowing machine (ergo) for a short session and then taken out on the river in a tub with the aim of learning the fundamentals of the rowing stroke.

Soon after you will be rowing in an VIII with other novice rowers, a coach and the odd senior rower to try to accelerate the learning process. You train together and compete against the other Cambridge colleges in various competitions such as Queens’ Ergo competition, Clare Novice Regatta and Fairbairns.

After the boatclub dinner at the end of Michaelmas term you will officially transfer status from being a novice rower to being a senior rower. At the start of lent term there will be trialling for positions in the senior boats which will compete in the “bumps” races. Positions in the boats will be determined by fitness, technique, potential and commitment.

Senior rowing

As a member of a senior boat, you will be training together to compete in the Lent and May “bumps” against crews of various colleges. In such a race, your boat will race to escape those behind and trying to catch the ones in front. There will be one race a day for a short week. Crews that succeed in catching or “bumping” the boats ahead of them on every day earn an “oar” and can row one division higher in the next bumps. Check out videos of the bumps experience on YouTube.

Coxing

As a cox, you are responsible for directing the boat on the river. In addition, coxes play an important role in motivating the crew during races. For further information, please contact our cox captain.

Coaching

After having accumulated some rowing experience you might consider training and coaching a crew by motivating its members and passing on your knowledge. It is a rewarding experience to see a crew grow and work together. Our senior captain has more details on becoming a coach.