The Rowers Sarah Harbour

Representing Cambridge at the Boat Race was one of the most exciting experiences I have had.

The whole season and build up was geared towards being a part of something much greater than the team, something huge and rooted in history. The Boat Race is different to any championship; it has its own incredible atmosphere because of the immense popularity (never does rowing get so much media attention) and of course there is the whole aspect of tradition – the first race took place back in 1829. It's an honour to be a blue and we really appreciated the support on the day.

It will be hard to forget sitting in our boat at the start line. There were people everywhere, noise, helicopters, but most important were my teammates in front of me and my Light blue blade in hand, ready to go for the race we had trained for. Simply huge.

Balancing work and training is not easy, to put it mildly. We train 12 times a week. Our day begins with a 5:55am train to Ely, we then sprint back to 9am lectures, and get through the day with a big bag of kit and food before we head off to the second session starting at 4pm or 5:30pm depending on classes. At around 7pm I return to my room, have dinner, prepare snacks for the next morning, sort out kit, and although I really should be working, often end up going to sleep relatively early compared to the average student. And then we start again, up at 5am…

In Action Chris Down

The key to managing such a rigorous schedule is really about using any spare bit of time efficiently. Although, to be honest, I did not get the balance right very often in Michaelmas. Having learnt that everybody needs sleep, I try to be even more efficient in everything I do, whether that be limiting walking back and forth and just staying somewhere to work, planning meticulously in advance or setting priorities. Although it is an intense life during some weeks, it is definitely worth it.

One of the best aspects of rowing for Cambridge is the squad. Being part of a team of amazingly strong and determined women, all training so hard for the same goal, and living together through the whole experience is fantastic. This year's result was disappointing, yes, but it gives us an even greater drive to train harder and crush Oxford next year.

I am proud of the progress we made this year, the fabulous friends I have and the chance to have been part of the Boat Race.

The crowd cheers the Light Blues onRichard Heathcote