ROW WITH US
St Antony's Boat Club is for everyone!
For the competitive-minded -- those novice or senior rowers keen to train and push past their limits -- we have top-tier level coaching and support, and the chance to compete at a high level in university and external competitions.
For those interested in rowing for leisure, we have more relaxed rowing sessions, and optional training sessions.
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Off the water, we usually have a calendar full of social events, from formals to BBQs and relaxed pot lucks!
Our boat club is a truly inclusive and supportive community, and we are keen to welcome new members at any time of the year. SABC takes pride in training a large proportion of our rowers as novices every year. Rowing is a wonderful combination of deep mental focus and ergonomic physical skill, and if you fall in love with rowing you'll find it a fulfilling sport at any age -- so whether you're already an experienced competitive rower or begin learning the skill from a fun-loving and committed set of Antonians, you'll be glad you joined us.
Anyone can get involved, regardless of fitness level!
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WHICH COSTS ARE INVOLVED?
You don't need any special equipment to row with us, just regular sports/gym clothes (see below).
As the college is subsidizing costs and there is a yearly membership fee. This covers our costs for renting our boat space in our boat house down by the river, our coaching sessions and our rowing boat equipment.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
What clothes do I need for rowing?
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No specific clothes are needed for rowing. All you need to have are sports or gym clothes that you will be able to work out in.
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During winter, it can get quite cold during outings, so it's important that you have something to wear on your head. The most important thing is a warm (if possible, wind and water-resistant) training jacket. Gloves are not worn while rowing.
Shoes are not worn in the boat - you will only wear them to get to the boat house. Most people tend to wear trainers but any type of shoe can be worn.
Does SABC have any exclusive, branded sports kit?
Yes, we do! All members of the club are able to buy our Rowing Club Unisuits, which are worn during competitions.
We also have a range of SABC-exclusive kit, such as hoodies, windbreaker jackets, leggings and much, much more!
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TRAINING
How often does SABC usually train? [in past years]
This entirely depends on what you'd like to get out of your experience. Our senior crews have a competitive racing mindset and row in the mornings and train in the gym several days a week.
We also have lots of opportunities for members who can't or don't want to row in a crew but still enjoy participating in races, training, and social events.
There are different types of trainings:
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River outings, where you go down to the boathouses and row on the river Isis.
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Erg sessions, where rowing crews get together in the college gym and do a 20-30 min session.
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Land trainings, usually once a week for all boats, where we train cardio, core stability and general fitness.
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Tank sessions, held in Iffley gym, where crew members perform the rowing movements in tanks, in order to perfect balance and other techniques (see left image)
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Where do we train?
Land trainings and erg sessions are organised around college, so if you live in college accommodation, your daily portion of fitness is only 2 mins away. The boats are on the river Isis, in the south of Oxford's city centre. See the location on Google maps here.