St Catharine's Student Helps Lead CUWBC to Boat Race Victory

It's been quite the racing season on the water for Cambridge. After winning both of the Lightweight Rowing races a week earlier, the Light Blues went on to dominate the Boat Race this weekend, winning all four events.

But it was watching the Women's Blue Boat for Cambridge that was most exciting for St Catharine's, as it was coxed by our student Sophie Shapter. Sophie joined the College in this academic year, and she has strong ties to rowing, having grown up in Putney and  educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith. After coxing for her school she moved to Thames Rowing Club where, aged 16, she coxed senior men’s crews. 

Speaking about being the Blue Boat Cox just before the race Sophie said “It is really cool, first off. One thing I really like, and you can often feel it in a really good crew, is when they pick it up together, you can feel the whole boat lift. You’re kind of like oh yeah, now we’re flying! I also love the sounds of racing, whether it’s the crew yelping or shouting down the boat or the people on the bank you think, yeah, this is pretty awesome”.

Congratulations to Sophie and the rest of the Light Blue teams!

Photo courtesy of The Boat Races