How good are these guys compared to top club rowers?

They are all ringers these days so much better dont they use olympians and the like rather than just normal uni club rowing bods?

Not that many olympians this year, but majority row for at least national U23 if not national senior crews at some stage…

20+ hours a week training for six months gets them quite fit…

How good are these guys compared to top club rowers?

More or less what Junkyard said…they’re all ringers.

But, they are also some of the top rowers in the world. There will be a few clubs with very good rowers – Leander (Henley Regatta is Leander’s regatta) has the best ones. Any Olympians either row with Leander or train exclusively with the GB squad.

There are a few decent rowers here who will testify that:

20+ hours a week training for six months gets them quite fit…

is an understatement. The regime is gruelling to say the least.

How good? As good as anyone would be that trains as much as they do, from Sept to now.
Boat race trivia:
Cambridge train not for from here (Ely). Used to see them going around Tesco between weekend training sessions, stocking up with food. Very tall blokes looking a bit out of place amongst the pensioners and east European farm workers

took part in some of the oxford crew evaluation, some time ago now, seemed a most unpleasant experience trying get into the boat. Blood sweat and tears, quite literally, tubes in orifices and an east german thug right in your face giving abuse. A lot of american accents knocking around with a few game short arse brit no hopers. It’s quite an experience to watch an Olympic athlete push themselves over the limit on an ergo, they turn and incredible colour and they do really give everything.

I love the Boat Race. For me it epitomises what sport should actually be.
It’s 2 crews, a year of training distilled down to 20 minutes of unbelievable physical pain, incredible teamwork and skill which is capped with either massive elation or crushing disappointment.

No in-between, no consolation prize, no huge salaries spanked up the wall on flash cars and prostitutes, no stories about their WAGS in the gutter press every day. Can’t wait for it!

Can’t wait for it!

Me neever 🙂