A new boat and fresh challenges for the Boat Club

Proudly sporting our colours of white and blue, the 65kg Stampfli 8+ is equipped with a new set of Concept 2 Skinny blades, as well as special edition Rio Olympics Nike shoes, ensuring that our W1 crew will be among the best kitted-out on the river.

The boat will be racing for the first time on 1-4 March at Torpids, Oxford’s annual inter-collegiate regatta. A week later, on 11 March, it will be in action at the internationally renowned event, the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race (WEHORR) on the Tideway of the Thames in London, between Mortlake and Putney. This is the largest women’s rowing race in the world.

The crew of the Women’s 1st Torpid was decided a few weeks ago, and training is now very much underway, as we look to bring the new boat her first ‘bump’. St John’s Women are currently placed 10th on the river in Division 1, and would appreciate all the support they can get, along with the Women’s 2nd Torpid, and Men’s 1st and 2nd Torpids.

Our wonderful new boat as yet has no name. St John’s alumni are warmly invited to bid for the chance to choose a name for her. Bidding is open to alumni until 4 March, and starts at £250. If you would like to take part, please email the Alumni Office with your bid and your chosen name. Subject to Boat Club approval of the name, all funds raised through the auction will go directly to the Boat Club Society; recent grants from the Society have funded entry to the Wallingford Head in December 2016 and the purchase of equipment vital to our training and performance in races.

Watch a video of the new Women’s Boat being launched on the River Thames and put through her paces: