Meet the Boat Race Men's Lightweight President
With only a few days until the Oxford and Cambridge crews clash on the Thames for the 2024 Boat Race, Magdalene is proud to have students as Presidents of both Women's and Men's Lightweight squads.
Last week we spoke with Lauren Britten (2019), President of the Women's Lightweight Crew, today we caught up with Ben Jones (2021), President of the Men's Lightweight Crew to ask a few questions about rowing, Magdalene, studying at Cambridge, and how he fits it all in.
How do you feel to be the Lightweight Men’s President this year?
It has been a privilege to be able to lead the Lightweight Men’s squad towards the 2024 Lightweight Boat Race. This year will be the 50th Men’s Lightweight Boat Race, marking a significant milestone for Cambridge lightweight rowing. As President, I have worked alongside some incredibly ambitious and dedicated coaches and athletes. Within the Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC), everyone is constantly driving standards higher and working to push each other towards our chief aim of beating Oxford in the Boat Races. This has been an immensely unique and formative environment to be a part of and contribute towards.
Where did your passion for rowing start? Tell us a bit about your rowing history.
In my youth, I was avid swimmer and had competed at a national level for many years. However, upon coming up to Cambridge, I wanted to take on a new challenge. Rowing provided just that, whilst also acting as a great way of meeting new people as a fresher. After my first few sessions at Magdalene Boat Club, I was hooked and quickly had ambitions to represent the University.
As President and an experienced member of the squad. What insights or lessons do you bring to the team?
Trialling as part of the squad with CUBC is a very unique experience, as the Boat Race is unlike any other sporting competition. Having been involved in performance sport for many years and having gone through the trialling process once before, I have been well-placed to welcome and integrate new athletes into the Cambridge program and into a high-level sporting environment. This is always important as the transition from school or College rowing can be difficult, especially when balancing demanding training alongside rigorous academics.
What would be your advice for students who are interested in rowing but don’t think it’s for them or don’t have any previous experience?
Give it a go! Rowing is a fantastic sport that comprises physiological, technical and psychological aspects. More importantly, rowing is incredibly accessible in Cambridge and so it is an opportunity that you can’t afford to miss out on.
What are you studying at Magdalene and how do you balance your academic and rowing commitments?
I am in my third-year reading Law as an undergraduate at Magdalene. In order to successfully balance my academic and sporting commitments, I have found that organisation is key. Planning the week ahead has always ensured that I remain on-top of my academic and training schedule, whilst I have also found that having a demanding training schedule has made sure that my time spent studying is focussed and productive.
How do you find time to fit everything in?
A demanding training schedule gives your day structure, but it is vital that you spend your time productively and that it is organised optimally in order to fit all of the various commitments of a busy Cambridge student in. A typical day involves arriving at Goldie Boathouse at 5.45am to hop on the minibus and drive out to Ely for a morning row, hitting the water just before 7am. A rather early start allows us to make it back in time for 9am classes. The second session of the day will then either be on the ergo or in the weights room. This session is done in your own time, so it can helpfully be scheduled around academic commitments throughout the day.
What else has rowing taught you, apart from simply how to row?
Rowing has taught me the value of dedication, relentless focus, and teamwork. With an important focus on developing your physiology on the ergo and in the weights room, there is an individual element within rowing that teaches the importance of staying internally motivated. However, teamwork and effective communication is crucial and I will certainly take many lessons from the sport into later life.
What do you love most about being part of the rowing scene at Magdalene and the community at MBC?
Having joined MBC as a fresher, I have found being involved with the rowing scene at Magdalene to be a fantastic way to make friends from across the College. MBC is an incredibly welcoming community and so I would always urge everyone and anyone to get involved!
The College is incredibly proud of all its athletes and wishes good luck to Lauren, Alice, Ben and Freddie at this year's Boat Races, we will be cheering you and the rest of the light blues squads on from Magdalene.
Watching this year's Boat Race
The Lightweight Boat Race
Friday 29 March
The Lightweight Boat Race is on Friday 29 March with the Women's race starting at 2:13pm (Lauren in the 7 seat and Alice stroking the spares 4+) and the Men's race starts at 3:13pm (Ben in seat 5 and Freddie in seat 6).
The Boat Races
Saturday 30 March
Magdalene Members are invited to join the Mallory Club and Friends of MBC to support the Oxford Cambridge Boat Races this year. MBC will be meeting at The Eight Bells pub by Putney Bridge at 13:30pm, before moving to the river to watch the races.
Check out the Spectator Information on the Boar Race website for everything you need to know about watching The Gemini Boat Race 2024, or watch live online on The Boat Race Youtube.