Rowing at Oxford is more than simply a sport; it is decorated in tradition and deeply woven into the history of the University. For some, Oxford rowing represents the pinnacle of athletic achievement, with a lineage of athletes contributing to an enduring culture that continues to inspire. It is known for its rigorous training schedule and for the annual Boat Race against Cambridge. The roots of the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry date back to the early 19th century with the first Boat Race taking place in 1829. Initiated by a friendly challenge between two old school friends from the universities, this inaugural event set the stage for a competitive sporting tradition that continues to grow year by year. The Boat Race quickly became the most iconic event in the university rivalry. It symbolises not only athletic prowess, but also the academic and social distinctions between the two institutions. For students who row at Oxford, it is an opportunity to uphold a legacy of excellence and teamwork. Rowers, in some aspects, epitomise the University’s values of hard work, both in sport and academics. The Oxford Blue spoke to Lenny Jenkins on his experience as an Oxford rower with the Men’s Blue Boat in 2023-24.
Lenny’s story is one of outstanding achievement and resilience that can only be admired. Having grown up in Whakatane (New Zealand), Lenny was introduced to the sport by Graham Watt at the rowing club. He quickly went on to succeed, winning several National Titles and rowing for New Zealand at international competitions, competing in the Junior Men’s Quad which placed 4th at the 2015 Rio Junior Worlds. Lenny then continued rowing at Yale, where he completed his undergraduate, and after graduating he spent 3 years with the British Rowing Project Paris Team. However, he “always had aspirations to compete in the Boat race” and in 2023, he matriculated at the University of Oxford for a MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise, and the Environment at Mansfield College. He “was looking for a highlight to end [his] rowing career on….to get closure and finish on a high note.” Although Cambridge won the Boat Race in 2024, Lenny “felt that [he’d] given every ounce [he]had left to rowing and now feel grateful just to have had the opportunity to be a part of such a unique event.”
Describe an overview of your experience rowing at Oxford.
“Rowing at Oxford is a strangely short experience. Most rowing programs have at least 9 months to get their team ready for a race – at Oxford it’s only around 6 and a half. We started off with a pretty amazing trip out to Cardiff for team building. We trained with the 3rd Welsh Battalion, and went on an epic run in the Brecon Beacons with an OUBC Alum who was also the former Commanding Officer of the SAS. We then had a few months of rowing in mixed crews ahead of Christmas, and Trial 8s where the Blue Boat and the Isis Boat hadn’t yet been selected. It was a fun experience going toe to toe with so many guys from different backgrounds – we had guys who had come from 8 years in the National Team and guys who had worked their way up from college rowing only a few years before. It was a big melting pot which I enjoyed.”
What does a typical training day/week look like for you?
“Something that made Oxford particularly challenging was balancing the academic load with the training load. In my undergraduate, your coaches weren’t allowed to set training during class hours, and you always got a day off. At Oxford, you’d typically be expected to attend training from 1:30pm onward at least 3 days of the week, with a morning training before class too. This was fine for guys with self-led coursework, but for me with class from 9am until 4:30pm it meant I constantly had a tension between rowing (which I love) and class (which was the main reason I had come to Oxford).”
“My worst days were during the Michaelmas electives when I’d have training 6:30-8:30am, class 9am until 1pm, a short lunch break from 1pm until 2pm, and then class again until 4:30pm. When class would end, I’d jump on my bike to head to Iffley Road Sports Centre where we’d usually have a gruelling 1-hour test on the bike or the erg. By 7pm I would be absolutely exhausted and heading home for dinner to try to get myself ready for the 6:30am start to do it all again the next morning. We’d typically train once on a Monday afternoon and then twice a day every other day, with either a morning cardio or weights session and then a water or cardio session in the afternoons. Weekends were probably the best days because they were just 2 water sessions, typically covering 30-40km total.”
Tell me about your favourite race.
“We had one fixture against my old club, Leander, that was absolute carnage. A former Blue Boat coxswain, Jack Tottem, was steering the Leander crew, and our cox, Will Denegri, was keen to signal to the Cambridge Crew we knew would be watching that he wasn’t about to roll over if they tried anything aggressive. Jack, on the other hand, wasn’t about to get pushed around on a course he had won on by Will, the up and coming cox previously from Oxford Brookes (Leander’s main rival). This combined with the fact that the crews were pretty evenly matched to create a perfect storm – neither cox would yield and there were probably more blade on blade clashes in that one race than I’ve had total in my 14 year rowing career. There was something exquisitely violent about it with people in each boat screaming bloody murder across the gunwales, and both crews doing their best to smash the oar out of the others’ hands. It was chaotic and so much fun.”
“I especially loved that after the race we all shook hands and greeted our mates from Leander on the Putney Embankment – tensions were left (for the most part) on the water. Most of us had known our opposite men for years – I was actually racing against my close friend Miles who I co-founded a company with – so it was cool to see the sportsmanship prevail. Who knows who won the race though, honestly.”
Lenny’s story encaptures the legacy of countless rowers in the pursuit of excellence. Rowing at Oxford is a test of character. It stretches your resilience and is a lesson in perseverance. However, although there are challenges along the way, it also fosters a profound sense of belonging. Lenny told The Oxford Blue that he “definitely plan[s] to volunteer as a coach one day” to give back to the sport that “gave [him] so much.” His success is a reminder of the power of determination and will certainly inspire many current and future Oxford students. I myself was inspired by the rowing culture at the University, and in Trinity term of 2024 decided to take up rowing at my college, just in time to compete in Summer VIIIs. I have found it’s a sport that defines itself far beyond the boat; it embodies the tradition as well as the evolution of the University itself. What sets rowing apart is the accessibility of the sport to anyone who wants to give it a go. Where usually rowing is only available to those who can afford the high expenses of equipment and races, Lenny shared with The Oxford Blue that “rowing at Oxford is different – there are so many amazing clubs for each college, all with so many athletes with different abilities and backgrounds – it’s really the best place in the world to give the sport a go…because the average student understands rowing in a way most people don’t.”