Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club has today announced their Lightweight 8 to race against Oxford University Lightweight Women’s Rowing Club in the 2018 Henley Boat Races.
The crew will be led by Captain Ellie Thompson (Newnham) who learned to row at Wallingford Rowing Club and has had a very successful rowing career with Henley Rowing Club and Shiplake Vikings. Ellie won the Lightweight Women’s Boat Race in 2017.
The majority of the other members of the crew came through CUWBC’s Development Programme last Summer.
Victoria Walker (Gonville & Caius) learned to row at The King’s School Chester and then with Caius College Boat Club and is the third member of her family to represent Cambridge and Caius College in a Varsity Boat Race.
Naomi Pygott (Peterhouse), Olivia Hamilton (Magdalene) and Miriam Apsley (Christs’) all learned to row with their respective College Boat Clubs in Cambridge ahead of joining the CUWBC Development Squad. Having learned to row with Magdalene, Olivia went on to learn to scull and compete at Regattas with Trent Rowing Club whilst at home.
Rebecca Hartwell (Queens’), a PhD student in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment learned to row with Manchester University Boat Club who she raced with twice at Henley Women’s Regatta. Rebecca has also rowed with Wallingford Rowing Club.
Debs Oakley (Darwin) learned to row with the University of Lancaster Boat Club and then moved to Putney Town Rowing Club. She has come to Cambridge to study for an MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience.
Lucy Harris learned to row at Oxford where she studied at Undergraduate level. She has also rowed with Ardingly Rowing Club, and coxed for London Rowing Club, where her father is an active member.
The crew will be steered by Stephanie Payne who has extensive coxing experience including racing with Homerton College, Thames Rowing Club and Cantabrigian Rowing Club.
The Lightweight Women’s Boat Race is scheduled for 15:30. The full crew selected is as below:
We are also very pleased to name our 5 spares who will race in a coxed four against Oxford at 14:30 on the same date.
Louise Brett (Fitzwilliam)
Jessica Godden (Emmanuel)
Jamie Fox (Clare)
Aurelia Dixon (Trinity)
Cox: Tara Slade (Gonville & Caius)