sbhbc newsletter mt16 3.1
TRANSCRIPT
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
ST BENET’S HALL BOAT CLUB NEWSLETTER
Welcome from the Captain, Marco
Hughes (History 2015-2018)
Greetings! I am Marco Hughes, this year’s Captain.
Having rowed at school, I am in my seventh year of
rowing and am looking forward to using
as much of my experience as possible in
the pursuit of glory for SBHBC. This year
has seen an historic occasion for the
Boat Club; for the first time, a women’s
eight took to the water for Christ Church
regatta. With decent performances put
in by both the men’s and women’s
eights at the regatta (p.2), we now look
to Torpids, taking place towards the end
of Hilary Term (p.11). The men’s squad
has incredible depth this year, with
competition promising to be fierce for
the eight seats. The women’s eight has
also shown signs of greatness,
with motivated and talented
athletes ready to row our new
eight to glory at Torpids and
Summer Eights. I am also
delighted to report of the
incorporation of St. Stephen’s
House (Staggers) under the St.
Benet’s banner, and that they
have become an integral and
monumental part to our current
Boat Club. I look forward to
nothing more than our showing at both
Torpids and Summer Eights and cannot wait
to report back further news of St. Benet’s
success on the river.
In this issue:
Welcome from the
Captain (p.1)
Christ Church Regatta
report (p.2)
Our new coach (p.3)
New faces in the Boat
Club… (pp.4-7)
…and see where our
old faces are at now!
(p.8)
Friends of the boat
Club (p.9)
Upcoming events
(p.10)
“The women’s
eight has also
shown signs of
greatness, with
motivated and
talented athletes
ready to row our
new eight to
glory at Torpids
and Summer
Eights.”
Marco (stroke) winning Henley with St Paul’s School Boat Club
back in 2015, before he turned his expertise towards his
favourite boat club.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Christ Church report If you want the short version, the Benet’s Boat Club took the river by force,
leaving no prisoners, giving no mercy, and allowing the opposition to win only
on the condition that they be pushed by us like they had never been pushed by
anyone before, and indeed would never be pushed again. For the longer
version, we turn to our blow-by-blow account, taken from the wonderful St
Benet’s Hall Boat Club Facebook page (which if you don’t already like, I urge
you to do so!).
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Our new coach, Lucy Mason Hi, I’m Lucy Mason and I am the current coach of St
Benet’s Hall Boat Club. In the past, I have rowed for
Nottingham Rowing Club’s High Performance
Centre, and am now studying at and competing for
Oxford Brookes University. Before I was at Benet’s,
I coached novices at Nottingham and even started
up my own rowing club at school. Since joining
Brookes, I have acquired medals from the British
University Championships, London Metropolitan
Regatta, Ghent International Regatta and even
Women’s Head of the River Race on three different
occasions. Most of these events have been in an
eight, a boat for which I have a real passion, which
makes it an exciting task coaching oxford athletes
who race only in eights.
Never before have I coached a squad like the St
Benet’s Hall Boat Club. The sheer enthusiasm from all athletes and the amazing
attitude at the boathouse have been extraordinary. The
novices we have had this year have taken to the sport so quickly
and showed so much potential, that we certainly have exciting
prospects for the future. We have people who started rowing
only a few months ago achieving times on the rowing machine
better than those in other squads who have been rowing for
years, something I have never seen before. Furthermore, the
difference the new boat has made to the women’s squad has
been enormous, and you can clearly see it has had a brilliant
effect on the squad as a whole. I am delighted to say St Benet’s
have been a joy to coach and that they are going to progress
leaps and bounds in the next terms and, crucially, in the coming
years.
Lucy, right, before storming Henley
with Brookes earlier this summer.
“Never before
have I coached a
squad like the St
Benet’s Hall Boat
Club. The sheer
enthusiasm from
all athletes and
the amazing
attitude at the
boat house have
been
extraordinary.”
Lucy, on the right,
shooing some Tabs.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
New faces in the Boat Club… St Benet’s Hall underwent its most radical change in admission process with the
class beginning their studies in October 2016: for the first time ever,
undergraduate women would study alongside the men in our glorious
institution. This was made possible by the acquisition of 11 Norham Gardens.
Although fundraising is well underway and proving extremely successful, all of
us students at St Benet’s Hall are worried for the Hall’s long-term future and
thus keen to see the purchase of the building solidified as soon as possible. If
you think you may be able to help, please do get in touch with the Hall.
Without further ado, let’s meet some of our newest members!
Jenny (Arabic and Islamic Studies) and Josie
(Classics), Benet’s
Hi. This is Jenny and Josie. We are freshers
in the first co-educational Undergraduate
year group at St Benet’s Hall. We have both
really enjoyed our first term, having become
involved with the first Benet’s Women’s
boat. In a typical week, we have two water
sessions, one at the crack of dawn on
Thursday, when the view of the
river is at its most insta-worthy,
and the other, when the sun
typically sets around 4 on a
Saturday. Josie, as cox, has been
responsible for safety,
encouragement and steering, and
Jenny, as a rower, has been
learning the correct rowing
technique, and most recently, good race strategy. We rowers also have
one supervised land session coached by the lovely Lucy on Tuesdays,
which always results in sore limbs for a few days. It’s been great
gaining these new skills, and without the encouragement of the older
years, we would never have become so enthusiastic about this sport.
There’s a certain camaraderie at lunchtime around the Benet’s
“…the crack
of dawn on
Thursday,
when the
view of the
river is at its
most insta-
worthy…”
- Jenny and
Josie with
their novel
take on early
morning
outings.
Jenny (left) and Josie (right) in the Benet’s Calefactory.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
common table when we moan about being up for 8 hours already to all the non-
rowers, and need to nap in the JCR before dinner, but the lack of sleep (at times)
has definitely been worth it. The sense of community we have felt through
rowing, not only when training, but also at our first Regatta with all those who
came to support, is something really special, particularly in such a small college.
It’s been great to put down the books and de-stress in the fresh air, helping us
to keep sane through the deadlines and essay crises associated with our two
subjects, Classics and Arabic with Islamic Studies. We are very proud to have
managed to put out a full boat for the Christ Church Regatta and to have
represented a college that we both love.
Dom, Benet’s (Classics) I had never rowed before coming to St Benet's, and so
this world is very new to me! Despite the initial
challenges of being a novice, I soon came to really enjoy
training with the team, and Christ Church regatta was
great fun! I look forward to getting in a boat next term
already.
The women’s eight on their way to a narrow defeat
in the first round of Christ Church Regatta 2016.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Caisen, Blackfriars (Theology) Blackfriars have been officials affiliated with Benet’s for several years now, and
continue to be a crucial component of our Boat Club.
It's great being able to connect and work together with people from
other smaller halls at Oxford. While Blackfriars isn't heavily
represented in Benet's rowing, I've never felt out of place or the
odd one out. Getting in the boat unites us as we work to better each
other, and ourselves, and most importantly to trounce the
competition! That’s what makes rowing for the Benet’s Boat Club
so wonderful.
Sarah, Staggers (English)
Members of St Stephen’s House have been rowing with St Benet’s Hall Boat Club
this term, and we are delighted to say that they will continue to do so for the
foreseeable future!
My name is Sarah Blair and I am a PGCE English
student studying English at St Stephen’s house. I really
wanted to try a new sport when I came to Oxford so
when the chance to take up rowing was offered I was
very keen. The Benet’s rowers have been so
welcoming and I feel that I have learnt so much from
them already and I can't wait to get back out on the
water next term.
Sarah with Tiarnach, also Staggers,
both of whom are members of the
almighty Benet’s Boat Club.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
The new boat
And, by unanimous vote, perhaps everyone’s favourite new member of the Boat
Club, our new women’s eight! Purchased from LMH Boat Club for the tidy sum
of £1,500, we are currently launching our biggest ever fundraising drive to not
only rack and insure two boats and two sets of blades, but also to continue to
employ the services of our wonderful coach, Lucy Mason (p.3), who can be down
at the river coaching Benet’s crews almost every day. If you would like to help
us in our endeavour, please do sign up as a Friend of the Boat Club (p.10).
But first, some pictures of the blessing, conducted by Benet’s own Fr Oswald, of
our new boat (still yet to be named), that happened barely an hour before the
women’s first race. (We are immensely grateful to the wonderful Roo Waters
for these fantastic photographs.)
Members of Benet’s, Staggers, and
Blackfriars all pose for a photo after
a strong row at Christ Church
Regatta 2016.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
…and see where the old faces are at now! We care about our old members, and are keen to stay in contact with as many
of them as we can. We are very keen to hear from all of you, so please don’t
hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected]. For more
details, see Friends of the Boat Club (p.10), but first, read Nick’s story!
Nick (PPE 2013-2016), Captain 2014-2015 What was clear from the start of my time
at Benet’s was the commitment and
passion, from both students and staff, to
the boat club. As I can attest to, once you
leave the Hall this can slip away as the
concerns of ‘real life’ take hold. I
currently work in a financial technology
company in London streamlining the
operations of banks
worldwide that frankly
consumes most of my
time, but the little time
outside of this that I
enjoy spending on the
Thames is entirely a
result of the passion for
the sport that SBHBC
imparts on its crews.
Doubtless, I would spend little time back in Oxford if it weren’t
for lasting contacts with the crew. My time at the club saw the
Friends of the Boat Club scheme set up and the first set of
blades for a decade. It’s fantastic to see this development of
the club continuing since then with the introduction of women,
expansion of capital and continued commitment to the alumni
from the committee - I know my crew are all looking forward to returning for
the alumni lunch and race against this year.
“It’s fantastic to
see this
development of
the club
continuing since
then with the
introduction of
women,
expansion of
capital and
continued
commitment to
the alumni from
the committee”
Nick, 7-seat, leading his crew to blades in Summer
Eights 2015.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Friends of the Boat Club The St Benet’s Hall Boat Club survives entirely on donations. We take great pride
in being the only Oxford college boat club not to charge our members to row
with us, costing us valuable income but keeping our wonderful institution as
open and as inclusive as possible, well in keeping with the Benedictine ethos of
the Hall.
With the purchase of the new women’s boat, our costs have increased
substantially as we now must rack and insure two boats, and pay for twice as
many coaching sessions as before as we now have two racing crews. Costs are
saved wherever they can be, but now more than ever we rely on the generosity
of our alumni and our other kind donors.
Please email the President, William Frost, at [email protected] to
find out how you can help. On behalf of the whole Boat Club and St Benet’s Hall,
thank you.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Michaelmas Term 2016
Editor: William Frost
Upcoming events
Races
Torpids: Wednesday 1st March 2017 –
Saturday 4th March 2017. Rowing On
(qualifying) Friday 24th February 2017.
Summer Eights: Wednesday 24th May
2017 – Saturday 27th May 2017.
Come down and support our crews! We
may not yet be head of the river, but we
certainly have the greatest supporters!
Alumni events
Boat Club Alumni Lunch: Saturday 3rd June
2017.
Our annual alumni lunch, held this
academic year on Saturday 3rd June
2017, will be our largest ever. With up
to thirty active members of the Boat
Club, the fifty-five seats of the famous
Benet’s one common table will likely fill
up fast. Likely to be priced around £30
(which includes a small donation to the
Boat Club), spots can be reserved by
emailing [email protected]
as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you there!
Benet’s supporters in full swing!