About Pembroke College Boat Club...

About The Club The club has prided itself on an unparalleled level of college participation and the development of new talent. In recent years we have we have consistently fielded the highest number of novice boats in Oxford and it is not unheard of that a talented novice be developed to 1st VIII standard within a year. Its not all hard work though as the club also takes pride in its social events: our termly rowing dinners, Boat Club bops and huge Summer Eights party show that Pembroke also knows how to have fun.

Our Ethos

The club has prided itself on an unparalleled level of college participation and the development of new talent. In recent years we have we have consistently fielded the highest number of novice boats in Oxford and it is not unheard of that a talented novice be developed to 1st VIII standard within a year. Its not all hard work though as the club also takes pride in its social events: our termly rowing dinners, Boat Club bops and huge Summer Eights party show that Pembroke also knows how to have fun.

Pembroke’s Results

In the past decade Pembroke Boat Club has developed a tradition of success, achieving a number of notable firsts in Oxford rowing. In 2003 Pembroke set a new benchmark as the first college to hold both the Men’s and Women’s Eights Headship titles simultaneously - a historic achievement that won the club national acclaim. This built on a succession of previous achievements: In 2000 we became the first mixed undergraduate college to achieve the Women’s Eights Headship and have successfully defended it since, and in 2001 we were the first college to have representatives in all seven University boats. We continue to grow as a club, and hope to maintain our position.

College Rowing

Men: The Men’s 1st Eight are 3rd on the River and looking to regain their title. The Men’s 1st Torpid currently sit at an historically low 4th place after a disastrous rudder failure and crash in 203 which saw them drop from 2nd to 12th. The Men’s boats completed an outstanding year in 2005 finishing with the highest 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th VIII’s in the University.

Women: The Summer Eight are 3rd the River while the 1st Torpid are 11th and on their way up. The Second Eight are again improving their position every year.

University Rowing

Pembroke has over the last ten years had 47 people rowing or coxing for men's and women's University crews, more than any other college in Oxford. We have the highest number of Coxes, Men's rowers, Lightweight Blues (Men and Women), Women's Blues, and coxes of any college.

* In 2002 we fielded two members of the Men’s Blue Boat (including OUBC President Ben Burch) who won an epic Boat Race.
* In 2003 we again had one representative in the Blue Boat and two in Isis.
* In 2001 Pembroke was represented in every single crew which raced against Cambridge - no fewer than 10 oarsmen and women. This is an outstanding achievement - the first time that any college has ever been represented in every University crew.

Facilities

You will not find better training facilities at any other oxford club. We have a fully equipped gym with both free weights and static weights and over 8 Concept C indoor rowing machines, all for use by anyone in the club.

We have two Men's Empacher 8+ shells (1994 and 2003), as well as 2 Janousek 8+ shells (1991 and 2000) and a Simms. The Women have got a 2005 Stamfli, an Eton Phoenix (1998) and 1 Janousek and one Aylings (Early 1990's). There are also 2 4+ Janousek shells (2003), a 2- and a single scull.

Coaching

Coaching at Pembroke is of the highest standard. In 2005/2006 coaching was provided by ex Leander HORR and GB athlete Ben Lewis on the mens side whilst the Women have recently enjoyed coaching by the lightweight blue boat coach and an ex Cambridge Blue. In 2003 the coaching team included a former lightweight international and a member of the 2001 Cambridge Blue Boat.

The top boats regularly contain several people who learned to row in previous years at Pembroke. Currently 3 men who learned to row at Pembroke are in the OU Development squad, whilst in 2001 Louisa Rowbotham, Anna Jowett and Vanessa Harding all won their blues (OUWBC) having learnt to row at Pembroke, following Catherine Heyes who gained a blue the previous year again having never rowed before joining Pembroke.

Constitution

The club constitution can be found in PDF format here

Committee

The current committee can be found here