A Successful Term for Pembroke College Boat Club

Michaelmas term has been a very productive and successful time for the Pembroke College Boat Club (PCBC), who have invested lots of energy to support their novices and build up winter kilometres in the senior squad. Now they find themselves in a good position to move forward in the New Year.

Highlights from Michaelmas Term

The women’s squad reported a number of successes among its novice rowers. Their commitment to practice sessions resulted in both novice crews earning a victory at the Christ Church Regatta.

The Vice-Captains of the women’s team said that they are ‘extremely proud’ of their performance and dedication this term, and they are looking forward to integrating them into the senior squad for Torpids (7th Week, Hilary Term).

The senior women’s squad gave a good performance in the Isis Winter League (IWL), placing second in the IWL A and third in the IWL B.

The men’s squad have put in solid ground work for Torpids this term: M1 won IM2 (intermediate class), came 2nd in IM1 at Upper Thames Head, and had a strong position in Fours Head.

Notable performances from senior men include David Dearlove and Eddie Rolls, who had good results in the Isis Winter League (IWL) single sculls in IWL A and B (respectively). Furthermore, the men’s second coxed four were the fastest in their category at the IWL A.

In the Christ Church Regatta, the men’s B boat came away with a win. In the final external regatta of the term, fresher Alex Oldroyd achieved 93rd place (which was in the top 20%) in the single for IM3 Lightweight– achieving 4th in his category.

PCBC Development Officer, Alex Swift (History and English, 2014) reflected on this term’s successes:

‘It has been great to re-join PCBC this term after spending last year with the Lightweights. I’m gradually regaining a sense of familiarity with the Isis and the boat club family! Michaelmas is all about the recruitment and integration of the novices, and our Vice-Captains have done a fantastic job shaping PCBC's novices into race-ready crews.

After a hugely enjoyable week of racing at Christ Church Regatta and celebratory meal, I'm looking forward to seeing how the novices settle into rowing with the seniors and keep on improving. The relative success of the women's conglomerate crew that raced in the Isis Winter League, placing third, suggests that next term has the potential to push all our athletes to move forwards and develop together. Watch this space!’

Coming up in Hilary Term

Next term, aside from working towards Torpids, the PCBC are taking part in the ‘Pembroke to Pembroke’ Charity Ergathon on 21st January 2017 – the challenge will be to erg (row on an indoor rowing machine) the distance between the colleges to raise money for the Rape Crisis Centre in Oxford. More information about getting involved will follow over the Christmas period on their social media channels.

If you would like to stay in touch with the PCBC and find out more about upcoming events, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you are interested in joining an independent PCBC mailing list you can sign up here.

Supporting the PCBC

The PCBC would be delighted to hear from alumni who would like to make a donation or sponsor the club. Please contact Alex Swift (PCBC Development Officer) alexandra.swift@pmb.ox.ac.uk for more information.