“Remember these six minutes for the rest of your lives. Listen to the crowd and take it all in. This is the stuff of dreams.” – Steve Redgrave
Competitive rowing can be traced back to the early 18th century between professional watermen on the River Thames, and began to cement itself firmly in the fabric of university sporting life about half a century afterwards. Here at Lancaster, the boat club is as healthy as it’s ever been – with an active membership of around 100 and earning the University significant points at Roses. Contrary to popular belief, rowing at Lancaster is not just the reserve of un-coordinated tall people with limited social skills looking for an excuse to don lycra all-in-ones – it is a thriving club, open to members with limited, or extensive sporting credentials. Here’s a little bit about us.
LUBC is a student-run club that operates from the old Halton railway station. LUBC has used these premises since 1964, when the club was founded by benefactor Sir Harold Parkinson. We aim to promote rowing both at Lancaster University and within the local community as well as competing at a national level. We work closely with other local clubs (Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Lancaster John O’ Gaunt), evidenced by members of our club teaching learn-to-row courses on the Lune. This effort has been recognised by RBS Enterprising Student Society Award who presented us with the 2014 Silver Award for Society Impact. Since its inception in 1964, the club has gone from strength to strength – allowing us to grow from a relatively small society to one that, last year, attracted three-hundred new recruits at freshers’ fair. This growth caught the attention of Lancaster University Students’ Union who awarded us with the coveted title of LUSU Club of the Year.
Our growth as a club has allowed us, for the first time in recent history, to appoint a Head Coach and a Novice Coach. We were able to appoint ex-Italian Lightweight rower, Ciro Prisco, as Head Coach. Ciro has rowed at three World Championships for Italy; won the Italian Lightweight Championships 8+ division; and in 2004 was responsible for coaching elite Italian athletes under the supervision of Antonia Lapadula – head coach of the Italian lightweight team.
Under Ciro’s guidance, LUBC has had some substantial recent successes. Examples from the senior squad include: 181st at 4HoRR as well as top five finishes at Rutherford Head and White Rose Head. The novice squad, too, have done fantastically well – smashing York, Manchester and Sheffield University to win their category at White Rose Head.
Looking forward to the coming academic year, we aim to compete at the highest level in the club’s history. Races we will attend include Head of the River Race in London, Henley Royal Regatta, BUCS regatta and, naturally, Roses.
