Leicester Uni’s Ultimate Sport 2: Rowing

Rowers often boast they take part in the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment. The Tab looks in to whether Leicester’s rowers live up to the hype.

Formed in 1948, the University of Leicester Boat Club (ULBC) has over 80 members. On the small side but impressive nonetheless, the Club battles in a sport dominated by the wealthy, while still managing results. They’re known more for extremely early mornings than being thrown out of Late Lounge at 6am, but that’s not to say they don’t have any drunken fun. Anyone who’s seen the infamous post-varsity rowing all-in-one social wouldn’t question their ability to drink!

DMU rower attempts to join ULBC in shame at own club.

Crews bring in results where it matters. Chalking up an impressive 8-1 victory at Varsity, leaving DMU captain Demi Johnson to claim that “they seem to make a habit of rowing like monkeys but still winning.”  De Montfort’s bitterness aside, the Boat Club has now triumphed at varsity 4 years in a row (geddit?).

A triumphant Novice men’s 8 practice being gracious in victory.

What makes these people get up at 5am to train on a glorified stream and be done before most sane students have even considered getting out of bed? “I’ve been coxing for 7 years and although I’ve never rowed, we put so much hard work into winning that it makes it so much better when we do” 2013-14 Club President, Kathryn Hanna argues. “As I am a cox, I always get asked what I say in the boat. ‘do you just say row, row, row?’… Morons!”

The mixed boat celebrates the 8th win of the day.

Surely there’s a sport they think wouldn’t quite make it as Leicester’s Ultimate Sport? “Ultimate Frisbee – has anyone ever watched it on TV? Does anyone other than its avid lovers know the rules? No!”

ULBC Smurfs with excited drunk photo bomber.

Dubbed globally as THE university sport, does ULBC live up to its history as one of the oldest sports clubs at Leicester? “It is a massive team sport that requires lots of training but when we do go out there is no holding back. Leicester may be a small club with limited resources, but that just makes us train harder”

Socials: 3/5 – Less frequent than other sports, but quality over quantity. The bravery of these guys to go topless as Smurfs in December deserves credit.

Results: 2/5 – Destroying at Varsity but performing less impressively at BUCS events, ULBC Senior men performed well at Henley in 2012 and hope to do even better this year.

Reputation: 4/5 – It’s likely very few people can claim to have gotten up at 5am, while your friend rolls in from Shabang trying to stuff bits of a Food Factory hot dog in your mouth because you “need the energy”. Only then to wonder if you’re ever going to feel your hands again as you wipe the snow off your freezing cold face and think, only an hour to go. Dedication has a home, and it is ULBC.