Are you new to Oxford? Or just new to Wolfson or St. Cross? Or maybe you’re considering being new to rowing or coxing? Whatever the case, Wolfson College Boat Club wants you to come by some of our freshers’ events and see whether a bit of boatie life is just what you’ve been looking for!
Read on for the details, but if you just need a reminder of the times and dates:
- St. Cross Freshers’ Fair – Wednesday 8th October, 11:00 – 14:30, at St. Cross College
- Rowing Taster Day #1 – Wednesday 8th October, 15:00 – 17:00 down by the river
- Rowing Taster Day #2 – Friday 10th October, 15:00 – 17:00 down by the river
- Wolfson Freshers’ Fair – Friday 10th October, 19:00 at the Wolfson College Haldane Room (next to hall)
- Rowing Taster Day #3 – Saturday 11th October, 10:00 – 13:00 down by the river
- Swim Test #1 – Sunday 12th October, 16:00 – 16:30 at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
- Tank Session – Wednesday 15th October, 19:00 – 21:00 at the Iffley Sports Complex rowing tank
- Swim Test #2 – Wednesday 15th October, 19:00 – 19:30 at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
- Swim Test #3 – TBA at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
Freshers’ Fairs
These are the events where clubs and societies show themselves off, and will generally take your e-mail address if you’re interested in getting more information. The University has a large fair that you’ll get more information about through your college, but the Wolfson College Boat Club will be at the Wolfson and St. Cross Freshers’ Fairs. These college-specific events showcase intra-college societies, and are a great place to chat with current members about the joys of training, thrills of racing, and craziness of celebrating!
St. Cross Freshers’ Fair – Wednesday 8th October, 11:00 – 14:30, at St. Cross College
Wolfson Freshers’ Fair – Friday 10th October, 19:00 at the Wolfson College Haldane Room (next to hall)
Rowing Taster Days
This is the real deal! You’ll go down to the river, get in a boat, and paddle away into the distance. We’ll show you the moves on an erg (indoor rower) first, and put you in a boat with an experienced cox and a few senior rowers as stabilisers. Come on down and we’ll get you in a boat!
Rowing Taster Day #1 – Wednesday 8th October, 15:00 – 17:00 down by the river
Rowing Taster Day #2 – Friday 10th October, 15:00 – 17:00 down by the river
Rowing Taster Day #3 – Saturday 11th October, 10:00 – 13:00 down by the river
Tank Sessions
A good way to learn the basics of the stroke, the rowing tank is a big concrete boat permanently installed in a swimming pool. At the tank sessions, our experienced captains, coaches, and coxes will teach you how to row where there’s no possibility of falling in! We will have signups for particular time periods that will be arranged over e-mail. But if you miss the signup somehow, just come on down and we’ll get you in the tank!
Tank Session – Wednesday 15th October, 19:00 – 21:00 at the Iffley Sports Complex rowing tank
Swim Tests
If you decide that rowing is for you, you’ll have to demonstrate that you’re able to swim. Rowing requires that, in light exercise kit (ie shorts and t-shirt or rowing suit, without goggles), you’re able to swim 50 meters (using any stroke, at any speed), tread water for two minutes (keeping your head out of the water, not floating), and swim completely submerged for 5 meters. This is evaluated at aptly named “swim tests.”
Once you take one, you’re done with that hurdle and good to row at Oxford for life! We’ll arrange some kind of signup for the swim tests. You only have to go once, and it takes about 5 minutes once you’re there, but it’s difficult (and costs money) to arrange to “make it up” later. So if you missed the signup, just come along and we’ll get you tested. Bring your Bod Card (ie Oxford University card) and a set of dry clothes.
Swim Test #1 – Sunday 12th October, 16:00 – 16:30 at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
Swim Test #2 – Wednesday 15th October, 19:00 – 19:30 at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
Swim Test #3 – TBA at the Iffley Sports Complex swimming pool
N.B. It is notoriously difficult to “get out of” a swim test based on other qualifications, particularly because a swim test must be performed in regular exercise kit (ie not in a swimsuit), without goggles, and specifically involves an underwater swim. However, if you have had something that qualifies within the past couple of years (usually another rowing swim test somewhere), alert your captain and we’ll see if we can get it to count.