Pembroke President Leads Blues Women to Victory on Tideway

11th April 2015 saw the Oxford University women's blue boat race Cambridge on the traditionally male tideway course on the Thames in London for the first time; winning by 19 seconds.

The President of the Oxford Club in this historic year was Anastasia Chitty, a Pembroke undergraduate, and she was joined by fellow Pembroke student Jennifer Ehr (cox) and alumna Caryn Davies (now at Balliol College) on race day.  Current Pembroke Boat Club President Millie O'Driscoll rowed in the Osiris reserve crew, also victorious over Cambridge opposition.

Anastasia writes:

On Saturday I had the great honour of leading a remarkable crew of women as we raced into the history books through winning the first women’s Boat Race to be held on the tideway. I feel enormously blessed to have been brought into this world at such an exciting time for women’s sport and indeed for having the opportunity to both race and be president in this exciting year.

This season has been challenging, the pressure that came with the occasion and with my role was not insignificant, but with the challenge came an opportunity to learn and subsequently the reward of shared success. What sets the boat race experience apart, is the chance that young aspiring rowers, such as myself, have to train and race with Olympic champions. The opportunity is gives for us all to learn from one another is unique. It has also been fantastic to race alongside Pembroke fresher, Jen Ehr, who did a phenomenal job driving the crew down the Championship Course, in the coxing seat.

When I crossed the line, my first thoughts were genuinely of excitement to be able to do it all again, next year as I enter my fourth year reading medicine. Making history was a privilege, but normalising the sight of women competing in elite sport is an even greater opportunity.

I am very grateful for the support I have and continue to receive from the college as I pursue my rowing ambitions alongside my medical degree.