CUBC at BUCS Regatta 2025

Over three days at BUCS Regatta, CUBC crews faced the best University competition in the country, winning three medals. It was also the first outing for our 2025 Development Squads.

As part of the wider British rowing community, the Club wishes to express our sincere condolences to everyone at Bath Spa Rowing Club, and their families, following the tragic incident that took place over the weekend.

Medals

• Lightweight Women’s Championship 4- (Madeline Jackson, Gigi Pezier, Freya Clarkson, Arden Berlinger)
• Lightweight Women’s Intermediate 4- (Madeline Jackson, Freya Clarkson, Claire Cooper, Arden Berlinger)
• Women’s Beginner’s 4+ (Anna Linda Elvre, Charlotte Kersey, Hattie Harvey, Shea Rathbun, (Cox) Nicola Mathew)

Race Report – Women: Lucy Havard

CUBC recorded strong performances in almost too many categories to list. The CUBC women’s side had an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend at BUCS Rowing Regatta which took place at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham. Given how late in the season the 2025 Boat Race took place, after a week off training, the women had just two weeks to get ready for some 2k racing! The conditions were exceptionally windy and much cooler than expected, which made for some challenging time trials and finals, especially on Monday. The lightweight women did exceptionally well, achieving silver medals in the lightweight quad and championship lightweight coxless 4. They also made A-Final in the lightweight pair and the championship lightweight single. The openweight women unfortunately did not medal, but came very close with 4th place finishes in the A-Final of the championship coxed 4 and championship 8+, with a 5th place in the A-Final of the intermediate coxed 4 and 6th place in the A-Final of the championship pair. We would like to thank the organisers for all their hard work organising such a large regatta, and our supporters who helped carry blades, ferry boats, and cheer loudly for our crews. Congratulations to all the other universities that took part!

Said Chief Women’s Coach Patrick Ryan, “With BUCS being so close to the Boat Race, it was great to see the ownership and enjoyment the students took over the event.”

Race Report – Intermediate Open 1x: Sean Hayes

Coming back from injury, Hayes had an aggressive time trial in the intermediate openweight 1x, not settling below 36, which narrowly earned him a berth in the A-Final. Seeded in one of the outermost lanes, Hayes got off to a competitive start in the final, staying level with all of the other crews through 500m. Hayes’s minimal prep began to show in the second 500m as the field stretched out in front of him. Coming through 1000m Hayes was in sixth but still within a length of 4th. Hayes held margin with the crews in 4th and 5th through 500m, sprinting through the line to earn 5th place. Despite finishing in the bottom half of the final Hayes thought the result was a solid start to the Summer racing season, particularly given he had only a handful of sessions in the 1x before BUCS.