2025 Fixture Series: Five Cambridge crews in action against Thames Rowing Club
On Sunday 2 February, our women and men, openweights and lightweights, faced Thames Rowing Club in their first fixtures of the 2025 Boat Race campaign. With 10 weeks to go until The Boat Race, these races provided a vital opportunity to race opposition side by side on The Championship Course. Our thanks to Thames for great racing.
Cambridge Women ‘Blue Boat’ vs Thames Rowing Club ‘A’
Result: 1st piece to Thames by a margin of 6 inches, 2nd piece to Cambridge by 1/3 length.
Cox: Kate Crowley (Sidney Sussex)
Stroke: Claire Collins (Peterhouse)
7: Carys Earl (Caius)
6: Annie Wertheimer (St. Edmund’s)
5: Sophia Hahn (Hughes Hall)
4: Gemma King (St. John’s)
3: Molly Foxell (Pembroke)
2: Samantha Morton (Hughes Hall)
Bow: Natasha Morrice (Jesus)
The 2025 women’s fixture season kicked off on a clear, sunny day, with the Cambridge Women’s ‘Blue Boat’ throwing back a double shot of espresso and lining up to race two pieces against Thames ‘A’.
Racing from the start to Chiswick steps, Cambridge had an incredibly strong start, shooting out to a ¾ length lead heading into the Surrey bend. Thames ‘A’ then moved stealthily, inching back through Hammersmith to a half length lead. With 1500m to go, inspired by Carys Earl’s increase of 50 watts, Cambridge drove through the Thames ‘A’ lead. With a poppy sprint to the line, Cambridge finished just 6 inches behind Thames ‘A’ in the first piece.
After regrouping, eating some Haribo Tangfastics, and cheering for ‘Blondie,’ Cambridge began the second piece which ran from a start at Chiswick steps to the Finish. Unfortunately, the sugar didn’t hit at the beginning, as Thames ‘A’ shot out to a ¾ length lead off the start. But Cambridge stuck together and stroke by stroke moved up on Thames ‘A’ to a half length lead around the final bend out of Barnes Bridge. Coxswain Kate Crowley called “hands in the fire” and the crew held on to win the second piece by 1/3 of a length.
Thank you to Thames Rowing Club for hosting a great fixture and to Sarah Langslow for umpiring.
Race report: Claire Collins
Cambridge Men ‘Goldie’ vs Thames Rowing Club ‘A’
Result: 1st piece to Cambridge by 1 length, 2nd piece to Cambridge by clear water
Cox: James Trotman (Sidney Sussex)
Stroke: Matt Edge (St. Catharine’s)
7: Luke Beever (Emmanuel)
6: Simon Nunayon (Emmanuel)
5: Matt Morgan (Pembroke)
4: Noam Mouelle (Hughes Hall)
3: Tom Macky (St. Edmund’s)
2: Brett Taylor (Queens’)
Bow: Connor Attridge (Hughes Hall)
In cold but sunny conditions, the Cambridge Men’s ‘Goldie’ crew raced an experienced Thames ‘A’ over two half-course pieces.
Winning the toss and choosing the Surrey station, Cambridge got off to a bright start and led Thames by half a length by the Black Buoy. After a significant clash at Fulham Football Club, for which Thames were repeatedly warned, CUBC extended their lead to one length. The lead for the Cambridge men continued as they settled into their base rhythm past Harrods, after which the crews traded blows around the long Surrey bend. Sprinting to the finish at Chiswick Steps, Cambridge retained their lead and finished one length up.
CUBC got off to an even sharper start in the second piece, quickly drawing out to a length and a half lead by Chiswick Pier. Moving into Thames’ water, CUBC were warned at the Bandstand but remained in front. Using their Middlesex advantage, Thames began to draw closer and used the slack water to draw back towards CUBC. Unable to recover the distance, CUBC finished with clear water.
Our thanks to Thames Rowing Club for a great set of races.
Race report: James Trotman
Cambridge Women ‘Blondie’ vs Thames Rowing Club ‘B’
Result: 1st piece to Cambridge by a margin of 3 lengths, 2nd piece to Cambridge by 4 lengths
Cox: Louis De Neve (Robinson)
Stroke: Carina Graf (Emmanuel)
7: Ellie Sillar (Emmanuel)
6: Caroline Rijkse (Magdalene)
5: Katy Hempson (Christ’s)
4: Beanie Spain (Queens’)
3: Polly Shorrock (Trinity)
2: Mia Freischem (Darwin)
Bow: Eloise Etherington (Caius)
In two half-course pieces, ‘Blondie’ lined up against a selection of Thames athletes including three recent CUBC alumni: Alex Riddell-Webster (Blondie ’20, 21, 22, Blue ’23), Millie Hopkins (Blondie ’22) and 2020 women’s lightweight cox Emily Insanally.
After a powerful start from Thames on the Surrey station, which saw them take an almost full length lead by the black buoy, the CUBC women pushed onto a steadfast race rhythm. Supported by strategic calls from their cox Louis De Neve, CUBC were able to inch back around the initial Middlesex bend. Unphased, they continued to row past their opposition around the outside of the Surrey bend, and by the end of the Eyot, CUBC led by 3 lengths, to take the win in the 1st piece of this Fixture Season.
The 2nd piece, with CUBC now on the outside Surrey station, saw a gritty start from the Light Blues, moving their stern past the bow ball of the Thames crew by the Bandstand. Both coxes remained composed, pushing their crews on their respective stations past Barnes Bridge. Determined to expand upon the previous margin, CUBC put down a sprint to the finish line, finishing 4 lengths ahead of their sparring partners. Shortly after both crews crossed the finish line, umpire Caroline Lytton raised the white flag, confirming a clean and fair race from both crews.
We thank everyone who was involved in making this day possible, especially our hosts and opponents-for-the-day Thames Rowing Club.
Race report: Carina Graf
Cambridge Lightweight Women vs Thames Rowing Club ‘D’
Result: 1st piece to Thames by a margin of one and a half lengths, 2nd piece to Thames by half a length.
Cox: Molly Wilson (Clare) / Jack Nicholas (Pembroke)
Stroke: Madeline Jackson (St. Edmund’s)
7: Arden Berlinger (Pembroke)
6: Grace Forward (Jesus)
5: Gigi Pezier (Queens’)
4: Jessica Van De Grint (St. Catharine’s)
3: Eugenie Dodds (Christ’s)
2: Freya Clarkson (Emmanuel)
Bow: Helena Olandi (Hughes Hall)
The Cambridge Women’s Lightweight VIII+ faced Thames ‘D’ in the first race of the fixture series, with a number of CUBC alumni featured in the Thames crew. Cambridge, stroked by Madeline Jackson and coxed by Molly Wilson (piece one) and Jack Nicholas (piece two), won the coin toss and chose to start on Middlesex station.
The first piece was approximately 3.5k from the start at Putney Bridge to St. Paul’s School. Thames had a strong start, gaining a length advantage by the Black Bouy. Cambridge maintained contact through the piece with a strong base pace rhythm. However, Thames managed to pull away as the crews approached Hammersmith Bridge and their Surrey bend advantage began. Thames won the first piece by one and a half lengths.
The second piece was contested from Chiswick Steps to the Finish, with Thames starting half a length ahead. With a strong start, Thames gained a one length advantage, before Cambridge started to close the gap throughout the piece, settling into a long rhythm. Approaching the finish, Cambridge’s sprint finish closed the margin back to half a length.
Both crews showed great determination and grit across the course. Our thanks to Thames for this experience on the Tideway.
Race report: Arden Berlinger
Cambridge Lightweight Men vs Thames Rowing Club ‘D’
Result: 1st piece to Thames by one and a half lengths, 2nd piece to Thames by one length
Cox: Isabella Fiske-Harrison (Trinity)
Stroke: James Richard (Girton)
7: Theo Hatcher (Robinson)
6: Janik Schüttler (St. John’s)
5: Ben Isherwood (Emmanuel)
4: Josh Moore (Queens’)
3: Chris Hughes (Churchill)
2: Gianluca Maffi (Downing)
Bow: Alex Tocher (Christ’s)
The Cambridge Lightweight Men won the toss and cox Bella Fiske Harrison chose the Surrey station.
In the first piece, the Thames crew, containing recent CUBC oarsmen Orlando Morley (Lwt ’22, Goldie ’23, 24) and Reef Boericke (Goldie ’21, 22, 23), took an early lead down the Crabtree Reach. CUBC pushed round the outside of the Fulham bend maintaining 1/4 length of overlap with Thames. Thames increased their lead to clear water past the mile marker, prompting CUBC to make a move and inch back with the aid of the Surrey bend. Thames received a warning under Hammersmith Bridge as CUBC edged towards overlap. Both crews received warnings past St Paul’s before Thames sprinted along the Eyot to win the first piece by one and a half lengths.
The crews spun back to the start of the Eyot and swapped stations for the second piece. Both crews were evenly matched in the first minute. Thames, now on Surrey, gradually edged out to 3/4 length lead by the crossing.
Approaching Barnes Bridge, Cambridge increased their rate attempting to capitalise on the start of their bend, but couldn’t reduce the 3/4 length deficit through the bridge. Out of the bridge, Thames increased their lead to just over a length and moved in, seeking the advantage of Cambridge’s bend, prompting warnings from umpire Clare Harvey. In a final push, Cambridge sprinted back, prompting further warnings and closing the deficit to 1 length at the finish.
Race report: Gianluca Maffi