cambridgeindependent.co.uk/sport March 14-March 20, 2018 SPORT 125 ROWING Eights make impression Victoria gets on Tideway Cambridge University were the fastest University crew for the fourth consecutive year in the the Caius to a Women’s Eights Head of the River Race last Saturday. As they step up their preparations for the Cancer Research UK Boat Races on Saturday, March 24, the Walker legacy Light Blues sent three crews to contest the annual event. The first crew clocked 18min 50.2sec Mark Taylor would get a Blue in lacrosse!” to finish second overall, behind [email protected] But the bug had bitten and Emma Leander A, and won their category. became Caius’ women’s rowing Thea Zabell, who was in the No 4 captain in 2012-13, trialling with the seat, said: “Our performance was a Caius Boat Club, rowing for Light Blues in 2013-14, only to be the good reflection of our strengths and Cambridge University and the Walker spare that year. But she came back also gives us an idea of what focuses family, you would struggle to get a with a vengeance to get into the we should take into the last couple cigarette paper between the three. lightweights’ boat in 2015 as they of weeks in the lead up to the Boat The three are intrinsically linked, beat Oxford by three feet at Henley. Race.” and Victoria Walker will seal the So now it is the time for Victoria Reserve crew Blondie were eighth family dynasty when she rows in the to carry on the Walker legacy. overall, the highest second-placed Cambridge University Women’s Youngest sibling Victoria, who is crew from any club, and Pippa Dakin Boat Club lightweights’ crew at the said: “We produced a great Henley Boat Races this Sunday. performance coming eighth overall It all started in 2007 when Peter I had never really and first second VIII, giving us Walker arrived to study natural expected to be in the confidence that we are racing well sciences at Gonville & Caius. A for two weeks’ time.” keen and successful rower from Boat Race and never A third eight featuring openweight King’s School, Chester, he made an thought I would – I spares and student rowers who are aim to represent Cambridge thought I would get a part of the CUWBC development University Boat Club. Blue in lacrosse! squad were 42nd out of the 319 crews. It was when studying a PhD in Cambridge 99 Rowing Club Emma Walker material sciences that Peter finally finished well inside the top 150. CUWBC lightweight in 2015 fulfilled his objective, rowing for The first crew of Abbey Child, reserve crew Goldie against Isis on Chrysa Litina, Sara Bastiani, Josie Boat Race day in 2014. Harries, Agnes Bolinska, Klaske van Peter, 29, who is a metallurgist in in her third year studying medicine Marrum, Guinevere Woolstenhulme, Germany, said: “When I was rowing at Caius, learnt to row at King’s Linda Kitching and cox Sebastian at school, rowing in the Boat Race School, Chester and was the college’s The Walker siblings, from left, Peter, Victoria and Emma at Caius Boat Club, Hathaway completed the 6.8km was a dream. When you do it, it women’s captain last year. And in who they all competed for at university Picture: Keith Heppell course in 22min 4.9sec to place 116th. suddenly all comes true.” her first year trialling with CUWBC, The second boat were 185th, In the meantime, Emma Walker has made the lightweight crew. be a proud moment for their parents, we were brought up in an finishing the race in 22.58.2 matriculated in 2010 at Gonville & “I spent most of last year trying to who have become rowing fans. encouraging environment.” In the Head of the River Race on Caius to study medicine. be big enough to be a lightweight,” “I had been rowing for so long Peter also played a role in plans Sunday, Cambridge 99’s crew of Karel She was coerced into taking up the said Victoria, who like her sister, before mum and dad came and for the the new Caius Boat Club – Kabelik, Rob Sargent, Alex Shaw, Will sport by her brother, who by this was a ballet dancer at school. watched – even the stuff at school, which opened last year – a place that Young, Rhidian Maltby, Friso van point was overall men’s captain at “There wasn’t really any outward Henley and the Coupe de la the three hold in high regard. Gan, Nick Thorn, Nick Richardson the college. pressure; I put a lot of pressure on Jeunesse,” said Peter. “Being part of Caius Boat Club is and cox Sammi Tarling were 77th out “I learnt to row here when Peter myself though. “They have had three kids at so very important to us all and we of more than 300 boats, in 19.31.6. The was captain as they needed more “I always knew it was something I Cambridge so they now talk about it, have all been captains there at some men’s second crew finished in 20.28.5 girls,” said 26-year-old Emma, who is could do, it was achievable I just had ask about it and understand it a lot point across the past decade and and the third boat were 21.12.6. a junior doctor. “I had never really to put in the effort to do it.” more. I think they felt relieved when been rowing for the first VIII in Club captain Josie Harries said: expected to be in the Boat Race and All the family will be at Henley on Victoria got in the boat. every May Bumps that we could,” “It is fantastic to see the hard work never thought I would – I thought I Sunday to watch Victoria, and it will “There isn’t so much pressure as said Emma. that the squads have put into winter training paying off in these races and I am proud of our achievements SQUASH HANDBALL as a club. “I am really looking forward to seeing continuing success for Nines Thain and Smith lay winning foundations Angels flying over the summer regatta season.” CUWBC have named their Melbourn moved closer to the same score as Melbourn Sampson as he opened up a Cambridge’s difficult season in the lightweight crew to take on Oxford retaining their Cambs Ladies finished 17-3 victors. two-game lead against a former Women’s Premier Handball League at the Henley Boat Races this County Championship with Melbourn first team are in individual county champion, but continued as they were beaten 16-15 Sunday (March 18) at 3.30pm. victory over a weakened danger of relegation in Mixed fatigue set in as he lost 3-2. by London Angels. Newnham College’s Ellie Comberton II side. Division One after an 18-5 defeat Victories for Gareth Jones, They are struggling just one place Thompson will stroke a crew which As Comberton only had four to Peterborough. Mike Easton and Nev Rimes and five points off the bottom of the features Naomi Pygott (Peterhouse), players, Melbourn started a They only had four players, helped Melbourn II to defeat St table, while London Angels are only Olivia Hamilton (Magdalene), string ahead, and the victory was and the writing was on the wall Ivo II in Division Four, and four points off second place. Rebecca Hartwell (Queens’), Miriam confirmed with 3-0 wins for after 3-0 defeats for Mark Oppen skipper Roger Woodfield said: In a low-scoring game, they lost Apsley (Christ’s), Lucy Harris Frances Smith and Debbie Thain. and Jan Brynjolffssen. “This was another solid their 10th match of the season. Grete (Queens’), Debs Oakley (Darwin), The bonus points were in the Vinod Duraikan picked up performance from the team, we Morkvenaite top-scored with five Victoria Walker (Gonville & Caius) bag, and Sam Pluck won 3-0, but three points with a 3-1 win, and played well and deserved to win goals and Nikoletta Rau and Agi and cox Stephanie Payne (Trinity Helen Tipping was defeated by it looked encouraging for Matt this match.” Foglein got four apiece. Hall). We know which shower head really revitalises. New showroom now open at Nuffield Road I 01223 466000 126 SPORT March 14-March 20, 2018 cambridgeindependent.co.uk/sport ROWING The team behind the team that is MARK TAYLOR goes Wrobel seeks to behind the scenes at Goldie Boathouse to Davis gets in the bring power gains talk to the support staff at CUWBC. rowing mindset Injury free, strong and powerful rather than full-time coaches, it are the three goals that must be is a case of designing o stone is left unturned to ringing in the ears of Milosz programmes to tackle the gain the edge in the Wrobel at the start of each trends. modern sporting world. academic year. Developing future elite athletes Nutrition, strength and As the strength and condition- is one of the primary goals of the Nconditioning, data analysis, they ing coach at Cambridge club, so making sure the strength have all become much more University Women’s Boat Club, and conditioning programme prominent tools to try to uncover it is Wrobel’s role to deliver a helps athletes progress is vital. those extra fractions to beat an programme that gets the oars- “In terms of the workload for opponent. women in peak condition for the me, and the intensity at which I Perhaps the biggest difference in following spring.