About Caroline:

What course are you studying and what level?

MPhil English Literature

Why did you chose that course?

I’m passionately interested in literature and in the development of modern literary criticism. Many of the aspects of rowing I find interesting – discovering and nurturing our awareness of our own body and how it moves and operates aligns strongly with my research interests in modernist and medieval literature. I am principally interested in how, within and across these periods, in their fascination with how language could be developed to explore physical sensations and intense experiences.

When, where and why did you start rowing? And what do you love about the sport?

I started rowing in September 2016 at Latymer Upper School, as I was looking for a sport I could transition to from competitive swimming. I thought the requirements of the sport were quite similar and I enjoyed the challenge and ambitious atmosphere.

I love that rowing pushes me beyond the limits I thought possible for myself, by challenging me not just week-to-week but across the framework of a full rowing season, where the racing schedule is constantly changing in demands and by the end of the season I could be an almost unrecognisable athlete to the previous year. By improving in benchmark tests I am assured that tangible change in my life is possible, and it’s a philosophy I try to apply to the rest of my life. I find the feeling of good aerobic fitness completely addictive, and being able to scull long distances and feeling my lungs and legs work together is just as fun as it is challenging.

What was your first rowing club and coach?

Latymer Upper School – my coaches there included Tom Cannon, Chris Clark, Bethan Thomas and Nick Barry Parker. I also spent a brief time at Tideway Scullers as a junior, coached by Rhona MacCallum. TSS is now my ‘home’ club.

What or who was the earliest sporting inspiration you remember as a child?

Rebecca Adlington and the All Blacks

How has rowing and being part of the Boat Race squad impacted your life?

Rowing more broadly has challenged me to be equally ambitious in my academic life, providing structure (though plenty of fatigue) and balance to my studies.
Rowing at Cambridge has given me the incredible opportunity to travel for my sport, but also inducted me into an incredibly special community. The historic significance of the event cannot, obviously, be understated, and every session at Goldie or Ely is steeped in that power. I feel a strong sense of belonging to the squad already, particularly within the women’s squad – we are so much more than our common goal, all being ambitious, organised, and energetic young women with our own directions. They make everyday life fun and exciting.

If you weren’t a rower, what sport do you think you’d excel at?

Long distance speed skating

What is your favourite non-academic book?

The Waves by Virginia Woolf

Find out more about Caroline from:

• Instagram