Date of birth: 29/06/1992

Height: 6’ 2”

Weight: 83 kg

Eyes: Blue                   

Hair colour: Brown

Rowing stats and personal bests
2k: 6:31
5k: 17:28
30min R20: 1:48.6 (8287m rowed in 30mins at rate 20)

Do you have a nickname?
Dabble or Dabs

What’s your star sign?
Cancer

And your home town?
Bath, which is famous for its bath.

What are you studying at Warwick University?
BSc Accounting & Finance, MSc Computer Science

What made you choose rowing?
I went to a taster session where one of the senior women complimented me on my strength and said I would make a great rower. Turns out they said that to everyone as part of their recruitment strategy!

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?
The best is the glorious moment when the boat is going so well it feels like you’re flying. Worst is the time it consumes chasing that feeling.

How many Warwick Calendars have you appeared in?
The 2015 calendar was my third.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?
The reaction from our supporters, and how much it means to them. It’s surprising the level of support, and it’s scary because what we’ve done shouldn’t be that special – more people should be doing it.

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing?
I don’t watch that much sport but I used to play rugby, and support Bath rugby. In the recent international England V Wales, Bath players scored 21 out of 21 points!

Favourite food?
You can’t beat a good British curry. Chicken Saag or Madras.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?
David Starkey and Mehdi Hassan (Political editor of huffington post).

When you’re not in a boat, what would be your dream mode of transport?
Teleportation.

Where would you most like to go in the world?
If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be bottom of the Pacific Ocean, there has to be something down there..

What’s your pet hate?
People confusing tea towels with dishcloths.

Do you have a secret ambition?
To write a fantasy or sci-fi novel, inspired by my aforementioned visit to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?
Work in London as a software developer.

And, please don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter – we want you to be part of the story!

The University of Warwick Boat Club (UWBC), basically takes part in two types of races; regattas and head racing. In regattas, teams row side by side over a short distance of 2 km, whereas head races are time trials over 4 to 7 km. During February 2015, the club took part in the Worcester, Peterborough and Henley head races. Various club members have written up reports from these events for the Club’s official site http://warwickrowing.org and we thought you’d like to hear about how the money you help us raise for our sport is helping us improve our ranking in university rowing. We’ve tried to keep these as jargon-free as possible, but if you’re puzzled by any of the terms, send us a comment and we’ll get a rower to answer you. So, here’s the first report from James and Megan. The Boys

Worcester – Head of the Severn – a Novice Man’s Perspective

On 1st February at 7am, 20 novice men accompanied by three coxes departed to participate in their first ever race. When dawn finally rose and the winter dew had evaporated, we arrived at Worcester rowing club. We pulled into a deserted car park, where we were met by a bitter wind. Nevertheless, we got on with rigging our boats armed with only a few tools between the five novice boats. The Resi (Resolute is a boat used by the novice men) was up to its old tricks with the ‘big boy’ No. 7 seat missing the lower foot stretcher strip and the No. 4 seat’s sliders had been decimated.

A race against the clock started as 10:45am came round and we hadn’t been checked over yet. Regardless of this fact, we shouldered our trusty boat and headed off to the landing stage.

When we got there, we were met by an unstoppable torrent of brown water! We saw the novice IV had already braved the stream, but had made very little progress.

The two VIIIs set off briskly, after being informed by a marshall that we needed to head up river as soon as possible because we were late for the race. Paddling upstream was a struggle, but once we got there we felt we’d achieved something because at the resi training camps only five weeks beforehand, we probably couldn’t have managed it. When we got there, we removed our warm layers and prepared to smash the race.

Pushing off proved a huge problem, so we lost time on our run up to the start line. Unfazed by this, we pushed hard and got the boat speed up for the whistle. A minor hiccup occurred when No. 4’s footplate came loose and we had to row as Sixes while it was fixed. The rest of the race was good and although we could have used a bit more power, we were impressed with our technique and speed of the race overall.

The results of the time trial supported what we thought. Warwick’s novice first VIII came a heroic second to the Birmingham University team. .

The second VIII destroyed the course to win fifth place, ahead of Birmingham’s second VIII by a cool 0.052 seconds, which some say was down to the No. 7 man’s huge calves.

Worcester – Head of the Severn – The Women’s View 

On 1st February the novice rowing squad discovered two things: the fun of head racing and how pathetic radio is on Sunday mornings. We also discovered just how cold it can be when you’re involved in an outdoor sport, because when we arrived at Worcester we had to rig the boats in the freezing wind that was also creating chaos on the water.

We enjoyed their first experience of marshalling, which is where you get all the boats on the water in the right number order, starting with Number 1. After a few tweaks and scrabbling around for a hatch cap, which is important safety device, the Warwick novices were allowed on the water.

The second VIII mad it onto the water without a hitch and elegantly paddled up the river to the start point. The first VIII were not as successful and after a small shower in the river, a run in with the bank and expert avoidance of the Novice Men’s IV, they were off up the river: until a footplate came loose. Fifteen minutes later we were all OK to go thanks to the help of a safety boat. Luckily, we made it to the start in time and successfully found some of the bank to hold on to. The joy of being the last crew up meant we didn’t have to wait as long to get started.

Meanwhile, the second VIII discovered that the hanging around part can be a bit hazardous at times, but our coxes ensured we all made it to the start. This was a major achievement given that a men’s ‘four’ decided it would rather crash and chat up members of the women’s boat than actually take part in the race.

But first we cheered on our men’s teams. Then we were up. Our race felt like it was over in no time, partly because the strong stream helped us. The second VIII also finished with a good time, despite a few pesky crabs a hundred metres from the line.

All girls got off the water extremely excited to have completed their first race and had to be strongly encouraged to get the boats off the water instead of just chatting about it for the next hour. As a squad we discovered that food and warmth are both good motivators for de-rigging, and we achieved what must be our quickest de-rig to date. Bring on Peterborough!!

This a collective report by Nathan, Gabriel and Josie. It starts on yet another bitterly cold day – you’ll probably have gathered from our first report from Worcester that a lot of rowing takes place in adverse weather conditions until the British summer arrives. But we still love it! Thanks to the rowers who have written these accounts – we have a record of these days to look back on in the future. The Boys

The Triumphant Seniors

The day started at a very bleak and cold 5am and when we arrived at Peterborough, it was still very grey. With just the flatlands stretching for miles and a couple of concrete bridges to pass under, we certainly weren’t there for the scenery but to smash out some results and build on the positive start of our second term.

Our coxed four of Nat, Cyril, Christian, Nathan and Ryan won the 2.5km race despite Nathan being ill for the last week or so and on serious medication. In fact, they were only a few seconds away from winning the whole division. After Cyril and Christian had wolfed down packed lunches made with “extra love and including an inspirational note,” the two of them jumped into a boat and took off at speed to win the men’s pair, and then Scotty B won third place in the singles.

Then the senior eight turned up: that’s Paddy, Chris, Gus, Shanly, Adam, Reimund Scott and Ryan plus cox Emily. Ryan stepped in to help semi-crippled Ollie, and Scott replaced Tristan who was unavoidably unable to be there . They guys consistently gave it their all over the 4.7km course and came in a very respectable second. All in all, it was a good day for the senior guys!

Some of our winning Senior men’s rowers are in our calendars and films if you’d like to take a look!

Here’s a photo of some winning rowers! Thanks Warwick Rowing Club for the photo: 

 The Novice Men Hit a Rocky Spot

The 5am start was a bit of a shock, but the party pop anthems playing on the minibus helped mellow us out a bit. The lake was frozen over in Peterborough when we arrived, just to give you an idea of how cold it was, so we went about trying to make sure we looked hot enough for some new photos for our Facebook profiles.

Jack, James, Tiago, Gabriel, Lucas, Tom, Zach and Stan made up the novice men’s first eight, and our cox is Ralph. We got off to a pretty fast and aggressive start, and managed to keep a consistent, balanced rhythm that surprised everyone. However, because we are novices, this suave start didn’t last too long, and we hit a rocky spot that produced some motivational swearing and a bit of wobbling. But, wobble over, we went on to win second place! The second eight and the third IV also had good results on the day. To sum or efforts up in one word – progress. A special mention must go to Zach’s parents who brought a truckload of donuts to the boathouse for our post-race celebration.

The Novice Women Borrow a Boat

The girls piled into the minibus, a little bewildered by the time of morning, but excellent DJing on the bus by Sophie and Olivia made the trip pass quickly, even if Catherine, the driver, doesn’t agree. We didn’t get the boats rigged as smoothly as we’d like, especially as we had to scavenge around for some bolts to hold the boat together. Because of this ‘issue’ we had to use the Senior’s Hudson 8 boat, rather than our Eton. They weren’t too happy and went ‘parental’ over the boat, while we were buzzing with excitement about being allowed to row in such a quality craft. We paddled up to the start of the race without any mishaps and were careful not to let anything else within a mile of the Senior men’s beloved boat.

Then we were off and things were going well. Sophie was an excellent cox on the day and we finished in style. We rowed back and landed the boat like pros, which was just as well because the Senior men were all watching us. We got the boat off the water, with the help of the Senior men, and returned it to their safekeeping. We don’t think we’ve ever had so much attention from the Senior men, and we doubt it will happen again – unless we take their boat. But, it was a great day – we can’t wait for more!

Adam has written an account of the Senior men’s recent outing to Henley. This is a special place for British rowing and we always look forward to the Henley Regatta in summer when all the rowing clubs turn up wearing their club blazers, and non-rowers arrive to enjoy wandering up and down the riverbanks in this beautiful part of England – and to drink Pimms! When summer comes, we’ll take you to Henley with us- virtually at least. Here’s a photo from 2014 that will give you an idea of what Henley is like! The Boys

Fresh from a week of strenuous training, and some pretty good results at Peterborough (see Nene report) we arrived at picturesque Henley, England’s ‘must visit’ spot for serious rowing. The race was on Valentine’s Day, but anyone who was spoken for had to put their relationships on the back burner for the day.

We arrived at 9am—a pretty late start for us—and our hopes were high, by contrast with the low February temperatures. However, calamity struck when Jack and Paddy with the trailer carrying the boats got stuck in a 40+ car pile up and were stuck on the M40 for over an hour. The ‘4’ team were in a quandary as it became clear their boat wasn’t going to arrive in time.

However, as somebody once said –and a lot of people repeated it—“cometh the hour, cometh the man”: the Senior men’s coach OJ turned to the revered and historic Leander Club, which gallantly lent us a boat and oars. Cyril, Christian, Nathan and Ryan, plus cox Nat, were unfazed by this change in rowing apparatus, and with the help of the Leander Club’s pink blades they won the Senior category in the fastest time for a ‘4’ crew on the day. To top it off, they won another race and beat some very competitive crews.

However, it wasn’t all sunshine for the Warwick guys. The ‘8’ crew only managed to finish seventh, although to be fair they were competing in a higher division than usual and were up against the tough crews from Oxford Brookes and Nephthys. But, we learnt a lot and we’re looking forward to upcoming challenges.

Some of our winning Senior men’s rowers are in our calendars and films if you’d like to take a look!

Calendar boy Tristan—who claims the front seat by the door because he’s got the “biggest leg press” in the Warwick Club squad –takes you on a ride with us in our trusty minibus. We wouldn’t get anywhere without it, and it plays almost as big a role in our lives as our boats and The Boathouse. It also plays a major role in rousing our team spirit; early morning banter helps compensate for the fact most other students are still lying in bed! The music we listen to on the bus is also a big part of our minibus experience, so Tristan has added a guide to our Top 10 tunes and why we love them. Join in and listen along with us! The Boys

It’s too early to stay awake all the way to the Boathouse!

When the University of Warwick boat club was established in 1967, founding member Godfrey Bishop looked far and wide for a stretch of river to accommodate a rowing club. Unfortunately for him, and many UWBC members since, the closest appropriate stretch of water was a 20-minute drive from campus. However, over the years the time spent in the minibus going to and from both training and racing has become a big part of the spirit of UWBC. The Warwick Rower’s minibus is a sacred vehicle and a rower’s best friend; it provides warmth in the winter and shade in the summer. Moreover, a phenomenon known only as “minibus adrenaline” is a lifesaver on early morning outings, as the melting pot of banter provides all the morning pick-up needed to get us going. However, there are certain minibus rules that must be maintained:

• Postgrads up top: This is a rule religiously enforced by Paddy, who claims that only postgrad students have earned the right to sit in the front seats of the minibus (aka ‘the cock-pit’). These coveted seats have additional leg room, surround sound and control over the tunes. The younger members of the club allow this rule as we’re conscious of the back problems suffered by the postgrads in their old age, and realise that the stiff back seats will only aggravate this further.
• Biggest leg press gets the front single seat by the door- Of all seats in the ‘peasant’ section of the minibus (i.e. any seats that aren’t in the cockpit), this is the best. It has plentiful legroom, and you don’t have to sit next to anyone, which is great in a bus full of sweaty rowers. In order to earn this seat you need to have the biggest leg-press, as you will need to be strong enough to close the forever jamming side door. I have held this seat for the past two years and am in no rush to let it go.
• If the banter is bad sit at the back- There are some days- generally post lash – (“going out on the lash” is a popular English term for drinking somewhat excessively) – when the banter is poor due to fatigue or hangovers. The protocol for days like this is to sit away from the chat and listen to your iPod.
• Don’t let Ryan hold CD cases- Ryan’s spontaneity is a trait that is both incredibly amusing and frustrating. The latter was more applicable when he decided to throw the CD case to Justin Timberlake’s album “Justified” (our favourite CD of all time), out of the minibus window whilst cruising down the M40 (this is a well known English motorway). We’ve still not forgiven him; I doubt we ever will…
• Coxes on the window seats- As a squad with an average height of 6’2’’, leg room is a huge problem. Hence it is an unspoken rule that the (shorter) coxes sit near the window, leaving room for rowers to have their legs drift into the aisle.

Now we’re awake and looking livelier!

Obviously no bus journey is complete without a bangin’ playlist. Here’s our top 10 driving tunes:

1. Anything by Sean Paul- Our obsession with Sean Paul is so extreme that we’ve nicknamed one of our boats Sean D’ Paul. (It’s actually named after someone else called Paul, but their surname has since come off and so we like to assume the link to the Jamaican legend).
2. Shania Twain- That don’t impress me much – This was our team song last year for reasons that are too complex to explain in words.
3. You and Me (Flume remix) – Disclosure- The perfect psych up song before an erg test or race.
4. Theme from ‘Bad Boys’- A previous senior men’s captain drove around a field on training camp for hours on end until everyone in the bus had individually sung the whole of this song. Discipline is essential in rowing.
5. Row, Row, Row your boat (trad.)- We don’t actually listen to this, I just like encouraging stereotypes.
6. UB40, Tom Jones, or Santana- These are specifically for Cyril. Growing up in Switzerland, Cyril has been sheltered from modern culture, with Tchaikovsky winning ‘best upcoming artist’ at this year’s Swiss music awards. For this reason UB40, Tom Jones and Santana are- as Cyril would say- ‘Funky fresh’ in Switzerland. Unfortunately as he’s captain we can’t do anything about this.
7. Justin Timberlake- Justified– This is the modern day “Sgt.Pepper” or “The Dark Side of the Moon”, a truly ground-breaking piece of artistry. We know all the words, all the squeals, all the dance moves, and one of our rowers even styles himself like Justin….but then why wouldn’t you?
8. Roxanne- The Police- As Sting is a Warwick alumni it felt fitting to include a Police track on this list.
9. Ellie Golding- ‘Goodness gracious (chain smokers remix) – On a long a boring drive home from Henley, we listened to this song 26 times in a row, analysing the deeper, hidden meaning of the song. We fascinatingly worked out that it is in fact an anti-war song, about an arms dealer called Itov, who she can’t stop calling to buy guns. (Listen to the song and see if you can work it out…on the 26^th listen of a song you get a bit crazy).
10. Tim Westwood’s Hip-Hop Bangers– There’s a poster of Westwood in our changing room in which he’s seen angrily throwing a car at a motorway. Just because.

Yes, the Warwick Rowers are cool – or we’re hiding our bleary eyes!

Cyril, Paddy, Ryan and Tristan all feature in our calendar, cards and film downloads here. If you were on a minibus journey with them, what tracks would you play?

Name: Lee

Nickname: Big Deal, Señor Watts, Swolebraham Lincoln, Fidel Lashtro

Date of Birth: 20/03/93

Height: 194cm

Weight: 91.7kgs

Eye colour: Brown     

Hair colour: Light Brown

Rowing stats – personal bests:

2km: 6 minutes 4 seconds

5km: 16 minutes 20 Seconds

30 min: 1.42.3 = 8800m in 30 minutes at 20 strokes per minute

Star sign: Pisces

Home town: Fleet, Hampshire

Studied: Economics and achieved First Class honours

What made you choose rowing?
The then Senior Men’s Captain, who is now one of my best friends, recruited me on my first day of university. I had all the necessary physiological characteristics and the mental attributes necessary to succeed in the sport – plus the constant competition excited me.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?
The crew – the crew is everything in rowing and without them you’re nothing. You train, eat, sleep, study, party, and anything else you can think of, with the guys in your boat. They’re the ones that get you through the dark days, and believe me there are plenty of those.

The worst/hardest thing about rowing is getting the balance right and switching off. As a student on a high performance training plan, it’s important that once you step out of the boat and hit the books you’re fully focused on your studies.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?
I’ve been in the last three calendars – 2013, 2014 and 2015 – plus I was the centrefold for the 2013 Calendar.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?
The most surprising and flattering things have been the fantastic reception we have received worldwide. Our story is touching people from every corner of the globe, so it is nice to know we are really making a difference.

The scariest thing is knowing how many people are affected by homophobia in sport. But that’s why we’re here: to stamp that out once and for all!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing?
I enjoy playing almost any sport to be honest. I’m a very active and high functioning person so I’d take running around over sitting on the couch any day! In the past, I was school football and basketball captain and I’m a Manchester United supporter.

Favourite food?
I love fish of all sorts. It’s so light, tasty, delicate and full of nutrients.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?
There are two people I’d love to have dinner with and I really cannot choose between. Steven Hawking: the man who has defied all odds and probably knows more about the world we live in than anybody else. The second would be Sir David Attenborough. I love his documentaries and if I could have any job in the world it would be his.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?
I’m always in the boat. A droptop Rolls wouldn’t go amiss though!

Where would you most like to go in the world?
I would love to travel to the most beautiful rivers in the world and row my single scull up and down them on a lovely, sunny day. You could be completely at peace with yourself and the world.  

What’s your pet hate?
Selfish people who only ever put themselves first. They’re weak and don’t step out of their comfort zone. You can never rely on them and they are the first ones to stop trying when the going gets tough.

Do you have a secret ambition?
I do, but it’s a bit too cheeky to write on here

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?
As I graduated in Summer 2014, I am currently pursuing rowing full time at Molesey Boat Club (on the Surrey side of the river Thames). This year I have trialled for the GB squad and climbed the ranks at Molesey to produce the top scores in the club on the rowing machine, and I made ‘top boat’ for the Head of The River Race. My aim for the rest of this year is to win Henley. Next year, I hope to do a Masters at Oxford and row in the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. After that I want to attempt to break into the GB squad with a view to going to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Lee is a former Warwick Rower – he graduated with a first class honours degree and is rowing full time this year before he goes to Oxford for postgrad studies. Lee has been in three of our calendars and is a steadfast supporter of the Club, the Calendar and the Sport Allies cause.

He’s doing some pretty exciting things in rowing, so we were delighted when he suggested sharing his story here. Warwick University has already produced one Olympic rower in Tom  Solesbury and it’s especially exciting for us to think that our team mate Lee might be the second – and you saw him first in the calendar and films! The Boys

Hi,

I’m Lee and I was the Senior Men’s Captain at Warwick last year. I’ve now graduated from Warwick and I’m pursuing my rowing career as a full time athlete at Molesey Boat Club, with the aim of representing Great Britain at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. This is some of my rowing story:

I signed up for rowing, along with a whole host of other clubs and societies, on my first day at university in October 2011. The Senior Men’s Captain recruited me and I was attracted by the nature of the sport, so I thought that I would give it a try. Unfortunately, I broke my wrist during some slightly intoxicated shenanigans during freshers fortnight (classic student behaviour!) so couldn’t start training properly until after Christmas.

Training delayed by student shenanigans!

When I started full time training in January 2012, the Novice Men’s Captain warned me that he thought I was too far behind in training and wouldn’t be able to catch up. Seven weeks later I was pulling some of the biggest erg scores in the whole club and had been promoted to the senior squad – – so two fingers to him! That’s kind of my nature: if you tell me something cannot be done, take a ticket and stand in line while I prove you wrong.

The Big Lad rowing!

I progressed through the rowing ranks in Warwick after that in much the usual way until my third and final year of university, when I was elected Senior Men’s Captain. This is where I feel I made my biggest contribution to the club: first, we were the fastest crew that Warwick has ever had, breaking all the club records on the water. Second, the attitude in the men’s squad, and in the club as a whole, shifted towards a High Performance approach: as a result Warwick started delivering impressive results and wins.

Lee at Marlow Regatta 2014

Taking part in the calendar was also a fundamental part of my experience of rowing at Warwick, and it is something that you won’t get anywhere else. Making the centrefold in my first year was pretty cool too. Especially, as it was the first time that they’d done a centrefold! However, all jokes aside, without the calendar and the money it raises for the University of Warwick Boat Club, I don’t feel that our results would have improved so quickly. Unfortunately, rowing is an immensely expensive sport, so without the funds for the equipment to put you on a level playing field with your competitors, you simply don’t stand a chance.

Lee – the 2013 centrefold!

Since graduation, I have become a full time athlete at Molesey Boat Club, which is a Heavyweight Men’s High Performance Centre. (This refers to rowers who achieve specific weight, height and speed stats.) I train 2-3 times per day. 6-7 days per week and race all over the country and abroad. I am also in the trials process for the GB U23 Squad for the Summer World Championships. I have applied to Oxford – and Cambridge – to start a Masters next year with the view to rowing in the Boat Race. My ultimate goal is to break into the GB squad after the Rio 2016 Olympics and row for my country at Tokyo 2020.

Trying to break into the Team GB rowing squad for Tokyo 2020

To wrap this show up, I would just like to leave you with the message that Jurgen Grobler (GB Head Coach) gave to the GB trialists after our 2k erg test at the November 2014 trials: “You are never too old … and never too young. If you want anything enough, you can achieve your dreams.” Rowing has given me a dream in life, something that I want to achieve above all else; maybe it can do the same for you.

Thanks for reading.

Love Lee x

Novices Clym and Frankie review the rowing action at Reading University’s Head of the River competition. There were some boat troubles, but the weather was sunny for a change. The boys had an advantage today – the girls had rigged their boat for them before they arrived and they were able to lounge around on the riverbank for a while. The Boys

A beautiful day in Berkshire!

The Novice Women

With a 4.30am morning start, the novice women’s first and second eight set off to race at Reading University’s Head of the River competition. Everything looked like it should be perfect: the weather was good, the boat was in great shape and hopefully the rowing would be as well!

Alas, luck was not on the novice women’s side that day. We had technical difficulties with the Resi, so we had to race in the Simms, which is a big boat known as “the oil tanker.” It didn’t help that we were unfamiliar with it.

Things didn’t get much better once we’d boated: the cox’s race plan flew out of her hands and was lost to the unknown depths of the river below. However, this didn’t deter the girls, and they powered through the warm up and reached the head of the river in no time. They then had to wait a very long 90 minutes before starting the 4.6km race.

Then the cox’s box (the gadget that allows the cox to give the team instructions) broke and one girl’s rigger came loose, which was a nightmare for the team. Still, they didn’t give up and raced their hardest, despite not being able to hear the cox.

The first eight came 3rd overall in the competition, which was a pleasant surprise after having such bad luck all day. The second women’s eight came 7^th, a great result and only a minute behind the first team.

The girls celebrated with chocolate cake and ice cream before cheering on the novice men. All in all it was a fabulous day and the busy vibrant atmosphere surrounding the boat club also helped to make it an astonishing success!

The girls rowing their hearts out!

The Novice Men

Saturday morning was a relatively leisurely affair, with the coach trundling off in the direction of Reading at just before 10 o’clock, packed full with enough rowers to fill two VIII boats.

The sun was shining when we arrived and our day was further sweetened when we discovered that the girls had arrived ages before us and had completed the rigging of our boats before we arrived.

This left the boys with little more to do than lie on the lush grass of the Thames riverbank, don our shades and munch on some malt loaf.

Once we finally boated, we quite enjoyed a lengthy 5km paddle to the start line of the race, where we joined the mass of other boats bobbing about in a chaotic attempt to form an orderly British queue.

Both novice crews were approximately the right place and we waited for the 2pm start time. Then 2pm passed and we waited another two hours for the actual start time. During this wait we fended off accidental collisions with other crews and exchanged some hearty banter with our opponents.

Then we were off and the adrenaline began pumping. We were in the game!

The first VIII pounded their way downstream, passing crews (older rowers, admittedly) and even found time to pose for photos.

With the added support of the girls screaming from the riverbank, the boys finished in a respectable 8th place, given that we had a lot of competition.

The second VIII were close behind for at least the first kilometer, but unfortunately the crew struggled to keep up the rhythm and momentum they are capable of. At one point the crew was down to six rowing, as Will struggled to recover his blade from behind his back. Despite these problems, they put in a heroic effort and finished 16^th. Thanks are also due to our coxes for the day–Ralph and Emily –who steered some great lines and supported us all through the competition.

The boys make an heroic effort!

Please have a browse in our shop. You support helps us take part in these competitions as well as challenge homophobia in sport.

Are you one of the many women who seem to be happy to put us on the wall in a calendar, but less sure about sitting down to watch us naked on screen? We think you could be missing out! Here are two articles by two different women of different ages and experiences with two things in common – they’ve watched our films, and they love them! The Boys

All our films are in full colour. Sometimes we even add a little extra colour, just for fun.

We received a really warm, appreciative message from Jenna in Finland whose boyfriend had bought her our 2015 film “Some Like It Hotter.” So, we asked her if she’d share her thoughts about the film with us and our other supporters.

Hi, tell us about yourself

I’m a young woman from Finland with a passion for literature, music and men. I’m also into psychology and biology.

How did you discover the Warwick Rowers?  What was your first thought when you saw pictures?

I noticed a headline on a news website about how some rowers had made a naked calendar. Of course, at first I assumed it was a calendar made by a women’s sports team, but then I noticed the image and realised it was naked men. Even then, I was sceptical, since most naked male calendars are ‘humorous’ and not at all sexy. But, when I saw these images I was instantly blown away by the fact that they were young, handsome boys. So, I watched the film trailer and I probably didn’t blink once throughout…

Your boyfriend bought you the film as a gift? Do you think this is unusual? Do you watch it together? 

My boyfriend purchased the film as a surprise gift after I had sent him a link to the original article. This is what he has to say about it:

“My girlfriend is very sexual, and throughout our relationship, it’s become apparent to me how there’s an enormous lack in both quantity and quality regarding erotica depicting men. An average porn clip is hardly something that’s aimed at women. Gifting my girlfriend with the Warwick Rowers film didn’t require any second thought, as it’s high quality material. Her excitement makes me excited, and as such, we both certainly got excited thanks to the film.”

We are an extremely committed couple with no secrets, and he personally has no need to watch others, so my “guy watching” has become a rather special kink of ours. The Warwick Rowers film was definitely influential in developing this side of our relationship.

You say you are a straight woman who likes to look at naked men.  Do you think that is unusual?

I am as straight as they come, and I’ve always had a great fascination for male nudity and sexuality, but with some of my female friends, expressing an open interest in naked men is surprisingly taboo. People think you’re unfeminine, or even downright crazy. 

I’ve also heard a lot of women putting down the male nude, which I think has to do with the way the media treats men’s bodies. It’s often portrayed as humorous, hairy and ugly – and a man’s body is gorgeous if he looks after it.

This media attitude causes young boys and men to feel unappreciated and unattractive; they don’t see that they can be just as much a figure of desire as a woman. Also, there’s very little material showing men in a an erotic way for women to look at and I think that’s part of the reason women think it’s “taboo.”

Did you see the film after you saw the calendar, and were you surprised by the difference?

I only saw a couple of black and white pictures in the article, plus the film trailer, and had no idea there would be full-frontal nudity in the film. I was definitely happily (read: horny) surprised at getting actual nudity with close-ups and nice, body-worshipping angles.

You described the film as mind-blowing.  Why? 

Not only does it have gorgeous, naturally muscular university boys, but it also has beautiful English countryside (my second favourite thing) and an excellent music soundtrack that fits it perfectly.

You mention that it’s hard to for a straight girl to find something to look at.  What do you think the barriers are?  For example, are they that nobody creates material for women?  Or is it that women pretend they don’t want to look?

It is very hard for a heterosexual female to find material to look at that is equivalent to the erotica or porn aimed at men. Some women don’t watch (or admit to watching) this heterosexual material because it’s clearly aimed at men, and the woman–and her body–is the center of the focus.. There is definitely a lack of material, as well as women bold enough to ask for it.

Our calendar sales are 50/50 to men and women, but our film sales are mostly to men. Why do you think that is?

I think calendars don’t have full nudity so they’re seen as “slightly naughty and fun”, which is why they’re probably a popular item with women. It’s more accepted for men to watch the film.

What else have you found to look at?  How do you think the rowers film is different or unique? In particular, what do you like about the rowers film as distinct from porn?

Finding some nice male nudity to look at has always proved quite difficult. Basically, it is either gay erotica (nothing wrong with that per se) or amateur material, which sadly does not reach the rower’s film quality.

The Rowers’ film is distinct from porn is that that the material is extremely exciting without being pornographic. It fulfils the function of porn without using its style. It’s the beauty of the bodies that is erotic.

Have you shared the film with your girlfriends?  What did they think?

Regrettably, I have to say I probably don’t have female friends who would show such open interest towards men! You know that whole idea of a woman never being guided by physical, primitive emotions. I really don’t want to watch a film like “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which is what the media thinks women are into. I prefer the Warwick Rowers, and yes, women like butts too.

If you were directing our next film, what would you do differently?  

First of all, if I were directing the film, I would fail terribly because I would be way too distracted. However, I would definitely continue along the same lines. I would have plenty of close-ups and frontal nudity, since there can never be too much of that, (says someone who likes to pause the film at times to get a better look…I’d also like to see more of the interaction and chats between the boys (while naked, please) since they all seem lovely and very smart.

Our wonderful make-up artist Sadaf is the only woman who has been present throughout a Warwick Rowers calendar shoot. Now you can join her!

You can download the 2015 film “Some Like It Hotter” and our three other films in the Films and Downloads section of our shop.

When the Warwick Rowers say they’re going to make a naked documentary, they really mean it!

Elle is another of our supporters who got together with a group of other women to watch a Warwick Rowers film for the first time. Here she tells us about her experience and her reflections as an older women on how times have changed.

Boys on Film

A few weeks ago I was invited to join a group of women for a screening of one of the Warwick Rowers calendar documentary films. These films, I now know, follow the rowers as they shoot their annual calendars, explain the mission behind the calendar and tell us about themselves. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to tell you right now that all of the women in the group adored the one we saw.

The films have mainly found an audience with men, but women are starting to catch on, which is how I came to be sitting in front of a big flat screen TV with several other women and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot.

Our ages ranged from late twenties to early sixties and, as we settled down to watch gorgeous, charming and totally naked young men horsing around in the English countryside, I got to thinking about how much things have changed.

Back in 1981, when Duran Duran were topping the charts with Girls on Film and I was a young graduate starting a career in advertising, the idea that the male body might interest anyone let alone sell a product would have been laughed out of the London ad agency where I worked. Boys on film? No thank you!

The Levi’s “Launderette” Revolution

Then, in 1985, something remarkable happened: a Levi’s ad in the UK showed the rather gorgeous Nick Kamen stripping down to his boxers in a public laundromat and chucking his jeans in the washing machine.

The ad inspired instant lust among countless women and gay men, and changed the fortunes of Levi’s jeans overnight. It also changed the attitudes of advertising agencies and their corporate clients. Now they could see the marketing potential of the male.

Calvin Klein And Marky Mark

In the early 1990s, Calvin Klein took things a step further when he put a Herb Ritts photo of Marky Mark clutching his crotch through his tight white Calvins on a sixty foot billboard in New York’s Times Square. It marked a sea change in how our culture looks at men.

Now men were in the spotlight, they quickly took a more serious approach to making themselves and their bodies more appealing to women. It’s a trend that has continued, and you can see the outcome in the super buff bods on display in the latest Warwick Rowers film.

Follow the rowers wherever they go, including this Spanish beach with a view of the Moroccan coast in the background.

Twenty-five years after Marky Mark, the Warwick Rowers film is a sign of just how much things have changed. And it’s not just that the men are better looking. Now women can look at men just as men have always looked at women. I’m not saying we look at them in the same way, because that’s a thorny question; let’s just say there’s a lot of cultural baggage… But the point is that we now have the option, and it’s not one we had before.  

The Dreaded Cougars

One thing is for sure about men looking at images of women. Whatever age they start looking, the men only get older while the women miraculously seem to stay the same age. That doesn’t seem to bother men, but should it bother us? Several women in my group were over 40, and I wondered: should we care if we’re drooling over beautiful men less than half our age?

We agreed to go with Madonna on this one. The boys are beautiful, they’re a pleasure to look at, and they have that fantastic optimism, idealism and vitality of the young. What’s not to love? We’d happily have watched the film again, and agreed we would definitely be happy giving it as a present to friends of all ages.

The Art or Porn Dilemma

And it’s quite a present to give! As someone in our group highlighted, looking at men in this way is not something we really get enough opportunity to do.

Porn is the easiest place to see naked men, but hetero porn is dull as ditchwater, and it’s no wonder there’s a growing trend in women watching gay pornography; after all, you get two men for the price of one.

I think the Warwick Rowers films will fit the bill for a lot of women. We get to meet them and to find out that they’re not just pretty faces or buff bodies; they’re three-dimensional humans with full lives, evident intelligence and an admirable commitment to their club and their cause. They are young men with whom you could enjoy an entertaining conversation over dinner. And the films allow you to see what else you might get to enjoy later…

The films have a narrative dimension that fulfills my need for a story. Compared to so-called pornography for women, the rowers’ films offer something that deserves a lot more female attention than they’ve had to date. Maybe it’s heart, maybe it’s intimacy or perhaps it’s the unprecedented backstage pass to the locker room world of male athletes. The films offer all three.

Join in all the fun we have doing the calendar…

Beautiful Boys

The Warwick Rowers’ films – and there are four now at their warwickrowers.org website – would surely have the approval of that Grande Dame of Feminism, Germaine Greer. Greer’s book “The Beautiful Boy” is her study of the “youthful male face and form” in art from antiquity to the present day. Greer’s goal was to “advance women’s reclamation of their capacity for and right to visual pleasure.”.

The Warwick Rowers have appeared at an opportune time for women, and particularly the mature woman. Older women dating younger men is trending and there’s a sense that more radical change in our social sexual milieu is imminent. Girls on film have finally been joined by boys on film, and the Warwick Rowers are at the heart of that change – watch their films and enjoy your right to look, ladies!

… and feel free to pause on your favourite moments!

You can download the 2015 film “Some Like It Hotter” and our three other films in the Films and Downloads section of our shop

Thank you for your support

As you may know, initiating and funding Sport Allies has been the Warwick Rowers’ way of saying thank you to the LGBT+ community for your fantastic support over the last few years.   Your support has enabled us to become a more competitive club at every level, for both male and female rowers, and we plan to honour that support and that commitment by continuing to make Sport Allies the sole recipient of all our charitable giving. 

It takes time to build an organization and create the tools to achieve its aims.  Sport Allies was just an idea only 18 months ago, and there is still a long way to go but, thanks to the support of everyone who has bought a calendar, a film, a t-shirt or simply promoted us on Twitter, those of us working on the Sport Allies project are making significant progress.  So thank you. We couldn’t have done it without your help.

We hope that the Sport Allies initiative will make it possible for our LGBT+ supporters, and the young people who will follow them, to one day enjoy sport free from fear of homophobia.

So, with thanks to those working at the coalface on the project, here’s an update on what Sport Allies has been working on over the last few months.

Formalising the organisation with a strong team

After a period of research, organisational development and board recruitment, the initial group of Sport Allies Board members met formally for the first time in November 2014.

The board members include Warwick University students, education experts, youth charity leaders, finance professionals and senior media figures. We will publish a list of board members with biographies once the full board has been finalised.

Research: The foundation stone of an effective response

One of the key tasks completed during our development period and prior to the first formal Board meeting was a research exercise leading to a report on homophobia in sport. This review of the literature focused on looking at evidence-based research into incidences of homophobia in sport, and how it differed between different sports and genders.

This initial review produced some very exciting results. The most surprising finding was that homophobic behaviour in the sporting arena may be based more on the notion of “difference” rather than on the sexuality of the person being bullied or excluded.  We wondered about this but, as several LGBT+ members of the Sport Allies Board as well as some of our supporters were able to confirm, they were being bullied in sport long before adolescence – it was their “otherness” that marked them out, and specifically their variation from the perceived ideals of masculinity and femininity.

It follows that it is not just the LGBT+ community that is affected by homophobia: it is anyone who doesn’t conform to a hetero-normative ideal of how genders should behave. Even those who are apparently best-adapted to survival in a hetero-normative culture may be shutting down a key part of themselves to preserve their status. It is a “boys shouldn’t be ballet dancers and girls shouldn’t play rugby” culture, and it limits us all.  Two of the rowers touched on this in a conversation in our 2015 documentary film.

We also know from the research that participation in team sports is far less likely among LGBT+ people, which is why the majority of known gay sport stars are typically found in sports like running, swimming and equestrianism.

Sport Allies motivation and aims

“Sport is really where you make a lot of your friends and learn a lot about yourself and develop a lot of you social skills as well. And for anyone to be excluded from that because of who they are is just plain wrong.” Laurence Hulse, Rower

Sport Allies is important because when people have a good experience of sport, it enhances their lives beyond simply being fit. As many of us have said, being part of a sports club and working as a team has given us life skills and brought us friendships that have given us a fantastic start to our adult lives.

Unfortunately, sport has not kept up with the rest of society, where ‘difference’ is more widely accepted. There is an innate conservatism attached to sport as entertainment and this reinforces hetero normative values in sport and among its audience.

After a thorough review of the evidence, the board has decided that Sport Allies will focus its attention on team sports because this is where “gender policing” is most rampant and where homophobia causes the most damage to LGBT+ people.

The meeting noted that: “the fact that team sports are often felt to be ‘off limits’to LGBT+ people results in them being excluded from one of the key cohesive team experiences. It is not acceptable that anyone is openly excluded from what is a “major shared cultural arena” as well as a key pathway to personal growth.”

This fundamental block to the life chances of young LGBT+ people is what Sport Allies wants to tackle.

Next Steps

A group of Board members have recently met to consider Sport Allies’ draft mission and vision statements, and to set out key strategic objectives for achieving these goals. We look forward to bringing you a further update once the strategy has been agreed by the Board.

Name: Lucas

Do you have a nickname?

Lash Lucas (I am in charge of all ‘lash’ (party) related events for the club)           

Date of Birth?

7 January 1996

Height: 188cm                                   

Weight: 83kg

Eye colour: Green                       

Hair colour: Dark blonde

Rowing stats – personal bests?

It takes me 6:30 to do a 2K and then be sick three times all over the toilets

Star sign:

Capricorn

Home town:

Chambéry (it’s a town in the French Alps)

Studying what?

International Business

What made you choose rowing?

For pretty much my whole life, I have been a swimmer. I stopped swimming for various reasons in my final year of school and as I moved to England for uni, I wanted a change. I also wanted to find something that would give me an experience of something that was very much part of British culture.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

I think the best thing about rowing is that you can wear ridiculous outfit (wellies, kit, leggings, onesies etc.) everywhere and justify it by saying you’re a rower!
The worst thing is having to go out on the river on a freezing winter morning.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

The 2016 calendar is my first one.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

The most surprising thing about doing the calendar for me was how comfortable I felt being naked with my friends. Another thing that is also very surprising and flattering is the number of people our message reaches and the support we get from them.

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I’m not a big fan of watching sport on TV; for me it’s time wasted you could spend going out with your friends!

Favourite food?

I love all kinds of food but it would probably be a Steak Tartare with a salad and some French fries. (of course!)

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

Winston Churchill: I consider him to be one of the greatest men in history and I would love to have a conversation with him over dinner.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

A self-driving car!

Where would you most like to go in the world?

That’s a hard one, there are so many places I would like to go to… But right now, I would probably love to go back to Australia

What’s your pet hate?

People who leave their belongings at the library for hours to save their spot but are not actually studying there.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

I want to take some time off and travel the world.

If you’d like to see more of Lucas then pop into our shop where you’ll find him in our 2016 calendar and in the 2016 films made in England and Spain!

Name: Harry

Nickname?

Wolf (It’s catching on!)           

Date of Birth?

19^th February 1994

Height:  6’2’’                                   

Weight: 80kg

Eye colour:  Brownish green           

Hair colour: Blonde

Rowing stats – personal bests?

I’m only in my first year of rowing, so nothing I’d shout about yet!

Star sign:

Pisces

Home town:

Guildford, Surrey

Studying what?

Film and Literature

What made you choose rowing?

I enjoyed myself a bit too much last year and felt a bit soft, so I felt that I needed some sport. I accidentally chose the most intense sport you can do at uni!

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

The high you get after a race or hard session and the pain you feel in the minute before that race or session finishes.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

This is my first.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

I was surprised how relaxed I was with the whole experience, although the jumping in the river part was pretty nippy!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

My favourite sport before rowing was probably skiing, but I also really appreciate rugby and I’m a big follower of Harlequins and England.

Favourite food?

Nachos with all the works.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

Steven Spielberg or Scarlett Johansson.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

The Batmobile, or a Harley Davidson.

Where would you most like to go in the world?

The Maldives, or the west coast of Canada. I haven’t been to either, but they both look damn good on Google images!

What’s your pet hate?

Arrogance and maths.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

Get involved in the film industry with the dream of being a feature film director and working in both live action and animation.

Want to see more of Harry? Head over to our shop where you’ll find him in the 2016 calendar, films, books and other goodies!!

Name: Zach

Nickname?

None! I’m just Zach!

Date of Birth?

7 February 1992

Height:

6’3”

Weight:

85kg

Eye colour:

Blue

Hair colour:

Strawberry blonde

Rowing stats – personal bests?

2k: 1:43 split

5k: 1:48 split

30r20: 1:53 split

Star sign:

Aquarius

Home town:

King’s Lynn

Studying what?

Electronic Engineering

What made you choose rowing?

I always wanted to try it and it’s so far been the only sport I’ve been any good at. Plus, I wanted to get really fit!

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

Being really fit and feeling like any challenge is possible.

The worst thing is getting up really early.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

This is my first one.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

It was really fun to make. I thought it would be a bit weird, but it was just having a good laugh really!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

No!

Favourite food?

Roast dinner (made by mum of course).

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

A Eurofighter Typhoon and/or a Lamborghini Aventador!

Where would you most like to go in the world?

I’d like to go on a Grand American Tour.

What’s your pet hate?

Marmalade the ginger cat.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

I plan to build a Caterham 7 (it’s a kit car), have an engineering based job that pays enough to go skiing once a year and somewhere hot every year as well.

Want to discover more of Zac? Visit the shop and buy the 2016 products! You won’t be disappointed! 

Name: Mark

Nickname:

The “Old Guy” or Captain Canada                        

Date of Birth?

6 September 1982

Height: 

186cm                                   

Weight:

88kg

Eye colour: 

Blue/green (it changes!)           

Hair colour: 

Dirty blonde/brown

Rowing stats – personal bests?

I did pretty well on a five Km test once; I finished in 19:14.1 (19 minutes, 14 seconds), with an average split rate of 1:47 (1 minute and 47 seconds for each 500 meters crossed).

Star sign:

Virgo

Home town:

Montreal, Quebec (Canada). Yes, I speak French… and English, Polish, and Spanish. I also speak R and Matlab (those are programming languages, for the non-geeks).

Studying what?

Master of Science in Behavioural and Economic Science.

What made you choose rowing?

When I showed up in the UK, the first thing I did was connect with some old friends of mine whom I know through my time serving in the Canadian Army.

My friends told me that (despite the national affinity with football) the two core sports in the UK were Rugby and Rowing. If I wanted the “full British experience” I should explore joining either of these teams at Warwick.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

My favourite thing – rowing presented me with the opportunity to constantly compete with others who were better than me.

My least favourite thing – Waiting for a time trial to start, when it’s raining, or otherwise bone-chillingly cold… especially in January – May.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

Just the WR16 one.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

I think the entire concept is brilliant and the calendar provided an opportunity for me to challenge myself in the company of my team mates.

I was definitely surprised by how responsive the calendar’s fans are, and how widely they are spread geographically. I suppose that I shouldn’t have been surprised… it’s a fantastic initiative.

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I actually abhor watching other people play sports.

I enjoy playing most sports (though my skill level varies dramatically), but I can’t stand the idea of sitting still whilst someone else has fun pushing their limits right in front of me. I have enjoyed going to see games live, mostly because of the atmosphere.

Favourite food?

Chicken wings. I know, this is not something you would expect an athlete to eat. I also enjoy eating raw carrots (the bigger, the better). This snack is more in line with healthy eating. I enjoy the taste, the sound, and the image.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

Mark Zuckerberg. I think that talking to him about his own adventures with Facebook could lend some fantastic focus to whatever I decide to do next. I would also like to have dinner with Meagan Fox — simply because she’s hot.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

I’ve developed a mild addiction to skydiving. I am working towards having enough jumps to buy (and safely use) a wingsuit

Where would you most like to go in the world?

I would like to do a bike tour across Asia. I’ve travelled a lot in my life. I’ve worked in a myriad of countries across Central Asia, and Central America, but I’d like to set aside some time one day to cycle, or walk from Japan to Ireland. I’d also like to explore Thailand and India, and then, figure out a way to safely navigate across the entire African continent.

What’s your pet hate?

I despise bullies.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

Conquer the world. That said, the first thing I’ll likely do is return to Toronto where I will look for work as a management consultant.

Name: Will                 

Nickname?

Johnson        

Date of Birth?

29 January 1996        

Height:

6’4                                   

Weight:

89kg

Eye colour:

Brown                                    

Hair colour:

Brown

Rowing stats – personal bests?

2k at 6:29 

Star sign:

Aquarius

Home town:

Somewhere in Surrey

Studying what?

Chemistry BSc

What made you choose rowing?

I wanted to do a new sport at university and I chose rowing in particular because of the balance between the team and individual nature of the sport.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

For the worst I could name a few things, but its got to be the 4am starts for races in London. Open blisters come a close second! The best is the team camaraderie – we’re a tight knit bunch of guys and everyone is a good laugh to hang out with.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

I’ve just finished my first year at uni and this is my first calendar. So far it’s been a fantastic project to be a part of, so it certainly wont be my last

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

Most surprising has been how comfortable I’ve become at being naked now!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I played many sports competitively over my school years including rugby, football, golf, cricket and tennis. Being half Northern Irish, I follow both Irish and English rugby religiously.

Favourite food?

My grandad’s lasagne.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

President Obama – he’s the epitome of cool.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

A jet pack would be pretty cool. It would definitely make the journey from Leamington to campus a lot easier.

Where would you most like to go in the world?

I’ve always wanted to visit the Arctic and see the aurora borealis.

What’s your pet hate?

Loud chewers! I can’t stand it!

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

As with the majority of Warwick grads I think I’ll probably end up in a desk job in the City of London. Something that pays well, hopefully!

Name: Gabriel

Nickname?

Gabs/ Gabes           

Date of Birth?

23 December 1995

Height:           

6ft 5 inches                    

Weight:

90kg

Eye colour:

Brown                                                

Hair colour:

Dark brown

Rowing stats – personal bests?

6:24 for 2k

Star sign:

Capricorn

Home town:

Torquay

Studying what?

Economics and Industrial Organisation

What made you choose rowing?

I wanted to try something new, which still had the tough, competitive training regime that I was used to when I played water polo. The thought of doing a massive erg session with 10 other shirtless guys naturally appealed to me.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

The best thing is definitely the huge gains you can consume after a race, closely followed by the banter of course.

The worst thing about rowing are the blisters you get on your hands… ouch.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

This is my first.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

The most surprising thing I believe was how natural and liberating it felt to get naked with all my mates. The scariest thing I guess was having all the other lads get a good look at you in the flesh, it is hard to live up to the likes of Lucas and Tom!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I used to play water polo for Great Britain, so I’ve always been into swimming and anything to do with the water. I’m also a keen rugby player and support my local team Exeter Chiefs.

Favourite food?

Lasagne

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

It is a 50/50 call between Emma Watson and David Cameron

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

My pickup truck!

Where would you most like to go in the world?

The USA!

What’s your pet hate?

Flatmates who leave their dirty dishes all around the kitchen.

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

Corporate Law, consultancy, banking maybe even politics… I’m still not sure. As long as I enjoy it and can make a difference, I’ll have a crack at it.

If you’d like to see more of the ‘Angel’ Gabriel then you’ll find him in the WR16 calendar and films in our store. 

Name: Tristan

Nickname?

T-dawg to friends, Trissy Wissy to my Mum           

Date of Birth?

10 January 1995

Height:           

192cm (fluctuates based on temperature!)           

Weight:

85kg

Eye colour:

Brown and Blue           

Hair colour:

Light brown

Rowing stats – personal bests?

My most recent erg was a 1:25.0 500m for a challenge in my local gym. I assume that this means I can get a 5:40.0 2k….

Star sign:

The only star I follow is Beyoncé

Home town:

Truro

Studying what?

Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics. I’ve specialised in Economics and Business for my final year.

What made you choose rowing?

The idea of sitting down whilst doing sport is something that was incredibly appealing to me. Unfortunately about a month in I realised that it wasn’t quite that simple and that I had to put in some hard work.

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

The best thing about rowing is being able to wear lycra and wellies in the library and not feel embarrassed. It’s a look I’m incredibly proud of and hope to see on the catwalks of London and Milan very soon. The worst thing about rowing is the assumption that it’s an ‘arm sport’. Believe it or not, aesthetically rowing isn’t the most gratifying sport when you consider the amount of time we put into it. Our arms and chests are left untrained and relatively weak when compared to our hips and legs. I long for the day that I walk down the street to hear cries of: ‘WOW look at that man’s hips!’

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

This is my second calendar. After the first one I had the unbelievable experience of travelling to the USA on a calendar ‘tour’ and I got to visit Marbella this time round.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

The diversity and scale of our audience never fails to amaze me. I love talking to supporters and hearing their stories and it’s always humbling to hear how open they are about what Sport Allies and the calendar means to them.

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I’m a fan of all sports. I think as a sportsman you need to be able to appreciate the time and commitment that goes into preparing for high level sport. Being terrible at nearly all sports, this is something that I think I can understand more than most.

Favourite food?

I’m such a big fan of beef that this year I’ve set myself the challenge: ‘Around the Year in 80 Steaks’, in which I attempt to eat 80 steaks in one year (in case you couldn’t work that out from the title!).

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

I’d like a mixture of people, if possible, it’s more fun that way. I think a dinner party consisting of Prince, Sir David Attenborough, Steve Coogan (attending as Alan Partridge), and the Dalai Lama would be a lot of fun. I think they’d all have a lot to contribute, and I’m sure they’d get along due to sharing a love of nature, a deep spiritual outlook and an undeniable sex appeal.

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

Lucas arrived at an outing once in a helicopter – that would be pretty cool. During the recent London tube strikes I saw someone roller skating into work. Not rollerblading – Roller Skating! It was as if he was late for a roller disco, and I can’t really think of a more funky way to travel. Strap a couple of dogs to the front and you’d be pretty quick too!

Where would you most like to go in the world?

I always love going home. Cornwall is a beautiful part of the world and it’s where my family is, so it’s hard to beat. Since watching Lord of the Rings ,New Zealand seems quite appealing, but it’s a bit far mind.

What’s your pet hate?

Wasted opportunity!

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

Get a job. If anyone wants my CV please leave a comment below. Just to give you a brief overview: Tristan, aged 20. Fluent in English. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to grasp ideas easily. Hip. New. Exciting. Will work for food.

There are a lot of new faces in the calendar this year (along with Tristan and Paddy, a couple of old-timers who couldn’t stay away). So we thought you might like to hear what it was like for us to do the calendar shoots.

We decided that we would each write a diary about our feelings before the shoot, and our adventures during it. We hope our diaries will give you an insight into our passion about rowing and Sport Allies, as well as the fun we have on the shoots.

First up is Harry, who loved the unexpected chance to play naked croquet. There’s one off the bucket list!

Harry looks on nonchalantly like a seasoned croquet player!

Harry’s Diary (aka Wolf)

Before the Shoot

How are you feeling? Are you nervous, or excited?

Bit of both; more excited though. I think it will be a good laugh and it’s for a great cause.

Is this your first shoot?

Yes!

What are your concerns about taking part?

I’m not fully sure what to expect, probably only worry is when taking the group shots it’ll be difficult to get us all looking our best – I don’t want to be the only in the shot blinking, with my tongue hanging out!

Have you talked to friends/family/other Club members about taking part? What reactions have you had?

I only mentioned it to a few people. My family think it’ll be a character-building experience and that it endorses a really important message for sport and wider society. The people I’ve mentioned it to have been supportive, although there has been the occasional giggling and raised eyebrows of surprise at the idea of it, which was only to be expected, I suppose.

Have you spent time in the gym toning up for this? How long have you spent roughly preparing? What else have you done to your image? Hair cut? Face shave? Anything else?

I tidied my hair up a week or two before the shoot. Other than that I have just been following our training plan in preparation for our races this term. Having said that, maybe I have been watching what I eat, too!

What are your main reasons for agreeing to take part in the calendar shoot?

I think the message behind Sport Allies is hugely important. Sport’s an integral part of my life and it has also got me through some really hard times, especially this year. It’s terrible to think something as backward as discrimination based on sexuality could prevent someone from gaining the massive benefits one can get from team sport. People need to know team sport is a safe environment for people from all backgrounds. I also thought it would be a good fun team building experience for us all, and just a great– potentially once in a lifetime experience–making a naked calendar.

Day 1 First day of the shoot

What happened at the beginning of the day?

At the start of the day we were neatened up with a bit of makeup and introduced to our first group naked moment. It definitely took me and everyone else by surprise when Angus asked us, “Why not start now?”

The makeup artist gives us the ‘once over’!

Was it easier/harder to get naked than you thought? What helped break the ice? Taking us by surprise and making it really sudden definitely bypassed any awkwardness that might have been there. After that I didn’t have any problem getting repeatedly naked through the day.

What was the most surprising thing about the first day?

I thought it would be a good laugh, but I was really surprised by just how free we were to have fun. The photos rarely took too much planning; everything is mostly pretty natural and left up to us. That makes you feel very relaxed and I almost forgot everyone was naked.

All for One and One for All!

Any funny incidents?

Oh yes, there was one group photo where we had to work a bit hard to cover everything up in clever ways: we were lying on the ground looking up and my head was covering Zach’s modesty! As I have pretty long hair, Zach couldn’t help but comment on how pleasant the well-conditioned hair at the back of my head felt on the intimate place where it was falling. That’s a compliment I never expected to get!!

“Harry’s hair is silky soft,” says Zach.

Day 2 Second Day of Shoot

Was it easier to get started today?

I missed the start of the second day. It must have been because we were out all the previous day, but I had the worst possible hayfever reaction on the second morning and my eyes started the day red raw. Luckily, I was mostly recovered by the afternoon.

What do you do between shots?

There’s nothing like a bit of naked croquet in between shots! Although I still have no clue about how to play it properly!

Harry gets his ball through the hoop!

Who is the joker who makes everyone laugh?

Tristan is a great laugh and Lucas can be hilarious, although usually accidentally on his part, plus I always find Will’s childish giggle very funny.

There will be more Warwick Rower diaries coming soon!

Find out more about ‘Wolf’ at Harry’s personal profile and discover him in the 2016 products in our shop!

Name: Tom

Nickname?

T Money, T Honey (my more sensitive side)           

Date of Birth?

29 March 1996

Height:           

187cm                                    

Weight:

84kg

Eye colour:

Brown                        

Hair colour:

Blonde

Rowing stats – personal bests?

2K: 6:30

5K: 17:39

Star sign:

Aries

Home town:

Winchester

Studying what?

Biochemistry

What made you choose rowing?

I had done a lot of rugby and tennis at school and originally planned to do those at Uni, but rowing was so friendly and after a few sessions I was hooked. So I ended up choosing rowing over those two!

What’s the best thing/worst thing about rowing?

The best thing is the summer regattas and going out with the other rowers. The worst thing is the inevitable early morning training session the next day – although it is the perfect hangover cure.

How many Warwick Rowers calendars have you appeared in?

This is my first, but definitely not my last.

What has been the most surprising/scariest/flattering thing about the calendar?

The most flattering thing is definitely the social media attention we get. There isn’t anything that scary, apart from maybe Johnson!

What other sport do you like watching and/or playing? Do you support any football/rugby teams?

I played rugby and tennis all my life before I started rowing so I still like to play those. My feet are a long way from my brain so I was never good at football and so never really got into it!

Favourite food?

Anything that I haven’t cooked (I’m terrible at cooking). Cheesecake is a personal favourite though.

Person you would most like to have dinner with?

Richard Branson-I bet he has a few good stories to tell!

When you’re not in a boat what would be your dream mode of transport?

A F14 fighter jet– like in Top Gun. I loved that film and I always wanted to be a fighter pilot. Failing that, an Aston Martin will do, I suppose

Where would you most like to go in the world?

I’d like to take a road trip from New York to LA in a convertible muscle car.

What’s your pet hate?

People criticising my singing/musical talent. Don’t hate –appreciate!

What do you plan to do when you leave Warwick University?

I have no idea! Maybe something involving sports or cars, but who knows!

You can watch Tom enjoying all sorts of fun activities in the England and Spain films! Pop over to our shop and take a look!

Here’s another in our series of shoot diaries and this time it’s our “Blonde Bombshell” Tom. If you’ve read his Rower Profile then you’ll know he likes fast cars and cheesecake!

Tom’s Diary

How are you feeling? Are you nervous, or excited?

I’m feeling quite excited as all the guys that have done it before have told me it’s a lot of fun. so I’m looking forward to it. Just not looking forward to a week of getting up really early, even if it’s what rowers are famous for, it doesn’t make it any easier!

Is this your first shoot?

Yes, this is my first shoot, and also my first year of rowing and first year at the university!

What are your concerns?

My biggest concern is probably that I’ll get sunburnt on the exposed parts of my body that don’t normally see sunlight. It could be pretty painful…and embarrassing!

By the time we got to Spain our bodies were used to exposure!

Have you talked to friends/family/other Club members about taking part? What reactions have you had?

Yes, all my family and friends have been really supportive (I’ve had plenty of requests for copies of the calendar!) and I hadn’t realised just how big and far reaching our calendar project is! Everyone I’ve spoken to has told me how lucky I am to be involved in such a great project and, personally, I feel both proud and honoured to be part of it!

Have you spent time in the gym toning up for this? How long have you spent roughly preparing? What else have you done to your image? Hair cut? Face shave? Anything else?

We have a pretty intense training plan, especially during the summer when it is Regatta Season, so I didn’t really need to do anything extra over what I was already doing, although I’ll admit I did sneak in a few bicep curls at the end of weights sessions!

Those extra bicep curls improved my ‘haka’ look!

What are your main reasons for agreeing to take part in the calendar shoot?

Sport Allies is a really great cause and one that I’ve wanted to be a part of since finding out about it when I first started the university. I hadn’t rowed before I came to Warwick, but I’m absolutely addicted now, and as the project also supports our boat club, I really could see no reason not to do it!

Day 1 First day of the shoot

What happened at the beginning of the day?

We all arrived pretty early after doing our early morning training, which happened to be weights that day. On arrival we spent a bit of time chatting to Angus and Damien, introducing ourselves and messing around at the boathouse before we were lined up for the more formal introduction to the shoot and told to get naked!

Some people don’t need to be told to “Get naked!”

Was it easier/harder to get naked than you thought? What helped break the ice?

It was actually really easy to get naked to be honest, much easier than I thought. It happened really quickly and we’ve spent so much time with each other that it really doesn’t feel that weird! We didn’t really need anything to break the ice; it wasn’t really awkward to begin with.

What was the most surprising thing about the first day?

The most surprising thing about the first day is how relaxed and fun it was. I knew it would be a long day, but it passed really quickly as we had so much fun! It was soon time to go home and get some well earned rest.

Any funny incidents?

I really enjoyed the water fight scene – that was my favourite part of the day, maybe the whole shoot. It was really fun and I think you’ll see in the England film that we really did enjoy it-we all got very carried away.

A naked’ waiter’ with a refreshing jug of Pimm’s was just what we needed!

Day 2 Second Day of Shoot

Was it easier to get started today?

It still wasn’t easy to get up, but now I knew what I was looking forward to it was a lot easier. Once again we had training before the shoot, but today was our first day at Sherbourne Park, which as you’ll see in the calendar and the film is really beautiful. My hayfever was pretty bad as it was the height of the British summer, so that made it a bit harder!

What do you do between shots?

At lunchtime we’d often have outings on the river at Barford in preparation for our Henley qualifiers. The rest of the time we would just relax in the warm sunshine, or we’d often end up playing with the water pistols props!

Are you having fun? Who is the joker who makes everyone laugh?

We’re all having a good laugh and the banter is pretty well spread around. However one person is probably the biggest joker of all and provides us with plenty of banter…that’s Johnson.

Four Rowers and a Little Lady!

Day 3 Third day of shoot

How do you feel as the shoot is coming to an end?

I actually feel sad as it’s been a really fun week, although I’m very tired and the number of digestive biscuits I’ve eaten would ruin my calendar body pretty quickly if I continued to consume them at this pace. However, I’m going out to Spain with some of the other guys during the summer to do more shots, so I can’t wait for that.

Would you take part in it again?

I will definitely take part again – it’s just been really fun to spend time with my mates and all for a really great and worthwhile cause. What’s not to love!

We’re enjoying the view – are you?

There will be more Rowers’ diaries coming soon, and if you’d like to see more of Tom and the boys just take a look at all the lovely WR16 products in our shop.