Cantabs welcomes many student rowers and coxes who are based in Cambridge during the university vacations to temporarily join our squads.
We have opportunities for people to join in various ways, including both training regularly and rowing in the majority of available sessions every week (up to seven per week, depending on the squad), or acting as a regular sub, just doing sessions here and there when it suits them.
We give temporary members the opportunity to train in boat types they are already familiar with, or to try something new like sculling or learning to steer coxless boats, and the chance to take part in races. During the summer vacation we typically send crews to the following events:
- Sudbury 'International' Regatta - first Saturday of August
- Peterborough Summer Regatta - second weekend of August
- Oxford City Royal Regatta - third weekend of August
- Cambridge Autumn Regatta - second Sunday in September
Whether you chose to race or not, there is excellent coaching available from coaches who have experience coaching crews at levels from beginner to Henley-winner and everything in between. For those training with our senior crews there is likely to be an opportunity to receive feedback from rowing in boats with telemetry, plus advice on nutrition and strength training, providing excellent preparation for anyone considering trailing for their university's top crews. A number of our members have rowed and coxed in Oxford and Cambridge blue boats and are happy to share their experience.
Coxes will get input from our coaches and rowers and also have the chance to join in more formal learning opportunities, including shadowing our experienced coxes, with potential for mentoring sessions. Coxes who are with us in July may be able to get experience of coxing in the CRA "town" Bumps, although sadly rowers who have raced for other clubs in the current year aren't eligible to row, unless they participated in town bumps before going to their current place of study.
Our vacation athletes often return to row with us through the year, and many of those who live in Cambridge join the club on a long-term basis after they finish their degree or as an alternative to rowing with college/university crews.
You can read some testimonials from a few of our athletes here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17883399368868138/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/CqP0JEoN0eC/
In terms of membership fees, you can either pay for monthly for the subsidised student membership to cover the period you will be rowing or make a single payment to cover all the vacations over the next 12 months.
To learn more, please look at the squad pages for Men or Women and then contact the relevant Captain to get started.