“Rowing is a sport for dreamers. As long as you put in the work, you can own the dream, when the work stops, the dream disappears” – James Dietz

Indeed, the university rowing is built on the premise of dreams. No other sport at Queen’s allows you to show up at try-outs with no previous experience and become a potential part of an Olympic racing team! The Queen’s team training is intensive. During the cold winter months a Queen’s rower is expected to rise six out of seven mornings to perform cardio-vascular activities; alternatively, if they are not to be found pumping away in the PEC, they are pushing their bodies to unknown boundaries on the water. Other students sometimes find it a personal achievement to rise before eleven and make it to class on time.

BY ORLA MACKLE

“Rowing isn’t just a sport it’s a lifestyle,” Queen’s PhD Psychology student and senior coax for the girls team claims. Aisling has been training with the Queen’s team for two years now and relays how the sport requires a high degree of determination and commitment.

But why does Aisling endure the early morning slogs and let’s be honest, ban on the lazy hung-over student way of life? “Well for a start it looks good on your CV, it shows off your time management skills and team building and it’s a great way for Freshers to build up a strong network of friends…It teaches you the essence of the word “team” because there are no individual medals in Rowing.”

Aisling also points out the opportunities that are available to travel with team as the Queen’s team is constantly competing in Ireland, England and Greater Europe. The notoriously spirited Queens v Trinity Race of which Queen’s currently holds the title is infamous. Just this past summer, the men’s senior crew, due to their excellent performance in the British University Championships were asked by the coach of Great Britain to represent the nation at the European University Championships in Poland.

This success of course spills over into the impressive women’s crew who were crowned second in the women’s Irish intermediate championships and also came second in the British championships.  Ex-Cambridge coach Mark Fangan-Hall’s moto “Train hard to race easy” has obviously infiltrated its way through the rowing ranks. At the time of publishing the men’s crew are also in the middle of trials for the upcoming squad to represent Ireland in the London Olympics.

It would appear that all the early morning starts are not in vain and the Queen’s team continue to sort out the weak form the chafe and sift out the most dedicated and inspiring student athletes QUB has to offer.