University of Birmingham Boat Club
Encyclopedia
The University of Birmingham Boat Club (UBBC) is the rowing
club of the University of Birmingham
in the UK
. It currently has more than 100 members.
The club aims to cater for all rowers, with or without previous rowing experience. This is achieved by splitting the club into two main sections, which are the Senior Squad and the Development Squad. The Senior Squad comprises athletes with previous rowing (or sculling) experience. This may have come from rowing at school, rowing for a home club, or from progression through the University's boat club. The Development Squad consists of rowers who have had very little, or no, rowing experience prior to University. Each section has both men and women members, and also their own dedicated coaching staff. The Senior Squad have a paid full time coach, whereas the Development Squad rely on unpaid volunteers, usually former members of the Senior Squad. The club's coxswains can work with any crew, however, it is usual practice for coxes to be assigned to a certain section of the club, for example the Senior Women, or the Development Squad Men. This helps to build a stronger relationship between cox and crew. The club also have access to a wide range of UB Sport nutritionists, strength and conditioning programs, psychologists and physiotherapists.
The club also has strong links with the World Class Start program, a program aimed at earmarking rowers with the potential to become members of the Great Britain squad. 8 members of the boat club have been part of this program over the last 8 years, with the mens beginner 4A having recently had great success at a 2011 trial.
Racing is at the heart of the squad and the boat club competes at a number of races across the country each season, with races and results the in 2010-11 season including:
In addition the club also sends its entire squad to the Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championships, which it also helps to staff alongside Warwick University Boat Club. Results this year included Gold in the Lightweight Student Men and Bronze in the Womens Student Openweight.
between the University of Birmingham
and the University of Warwick
is looking to be reinstated for the 2011-2012 season on the River Severn
in Worcester
As well as a serious sporting side, the club has a vibrant social side. The club is always in attendance at the "Sports Night" events held on Wednesday evenings at the Guild of Students (Student Union). These evenings provide an opportunity for all the sports clubs of the University of Birmingham to socialise together. Often these nights are themed to provide an extra added twist to the night's fun, and are held fortnightly.
In addition to these events, the boat club has 3 formal events each year.
and Worcester
. Edgbaston Reservoir is a 900m stretch of water located close to campus and is used mainly for the Development Squad in the first semester. The boat house at Worcester provides the club with access to a 6km stretch of the River Severn
. This is an invaluable resource for crews training for the head season. The Worcester facilities are used by the Senior Squad in the first semester, and by the whole club after Christmas. The boat house is due to under-go a £75,000 overhaul in the coming months.
In addition to this, the club has its own ergo room at Selly Oak campus. This room contains 8 ergs
, which allows a whole crew to train at the same time, as well as a dyno machine, 4 spinner bikes, gym balls, and free weights.
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
club of the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It currently has more than 100 members.
The club aims to cater for all rowers, with or without previous rowing experience. This is achieved by splitting the club into two main sections, which are the Senior Squad and the Development Squad. The Senior Squad comprises athletes with previous rowing (or sculling) experience. This may have come from rowing at school, rowing for a home club, or from progression through the University's boat club. The Development Squad consists of rowers who have had very little, or no, rowing experience prior to University. Each section has both men and women members, and also their own dedicated coaching staff. The Senior Squad have a paid full time coach, whereas the Development Squad rely on unpaid volunteers, usually former members of the Senior Squad. The club's coxswains can work with any crew, however, it is usual practice for coxes to be assigned to a certain section of the club, for example the Senior Women, or the Development Squad Men. This helps to build a stronger relationship between cox and crew. The club also have access to a wide range of UB Sport nutritionists, strength and conditioning programs, psychologists and physiotherapists.
The club also has strong links with the World Class Start program, a program aimed at earmarking rowers with the potential to become members of the Great Britain squad. 8 members of the boat club have been part of this program over the last 8 years, with the mens beginner 4A having recently had great success at a 2011 trial.
Racing
- Bristol Head Race - Gold Womens Beginner 4A Silver Mens Beginner 4A
- Worcester Head Race - Gold Mens Beginner 4B ('Kings of the SevernKings of the SevernThe Kings of the Severn is a prestigious award given to the winners of the Worcester Head of the Severn Boat Race [1]. This race is held every year in Worcester, England in January and it brings together the best University Rowing Clubs from around the country....
') - BUCS Small Boats Head - Bronze Mens Lightweight 2X
- BUCS Head
- Hammersmith HeadHammersmith HeadHammersmith Head is a rowing head held by Auriol Kensington Rowing Club on the River Thames. The race starts at Chiswick Bridge and finishes at Hammersmith Bridge . It is held under Amateur Rowing Association Rules of Racing....
- Womens Head of the River Race - 2nd Womens Intermediate 3 8A
- Head of the River RaceHead of the River RaceThe Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
- BUCS Regatta - Gold Mens Intermediate 1X
- Metropolitan RegattaMetropolitan RegattaThe Metropolitan Regatta is an international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...
- Peterborough Regatta
- Marlow RegattaMarlow RegattaThe Marlow Regatta is Marlow's international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...
- Reading Regatta Gold "IM3 8+'s"
- Henley Women's RegattaHenley Women's RegattaHenley Women's Regatta is a rowing regatta held at Henley-on-Thames, England. It was formed as a result of the lack of women's events at Henley Royal Regatta and first held in 1988...
- Henley Royal RegattaHenley Royal RegattaHenley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
Qualified to Wednesday of Temple Challenge Cup
In addition the club also sends its entire squad to the Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championships, which it also helps to staff alongside Warwick University Boat Club. Results this year included Gold in the Lightweight Student Men and Bronze in the Womens Student Openweight.
Varsity Race
In addition, the annual Varsity Boat RaceVarsity Boat Race
The Varsity Boat Race is an annual event between the University of Birmingham Boat Club and the University of Warwick Boat Club. The event is staged on the River Severn in Worcester. 2006 saw the inaugural Varsity Boat Race between these rival West Midlands Universities...
between the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
and the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
is looking to be reinstated for the 2011-2012 season on the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
Training Camps
In addition to the daily training program, the entire squad also relocates to a training camp during each Easter Holiday (usually at the end of April). This allows an intensive daily training program consisting of three water sessions a day, land sessions, video analysis and ergo work in the build up to the regatta season. Recent training camps have been located at purpose built rowing centres such as Centre du Omnisport at Temple sur Lot, France, which also hosted the Oxford crew in the build up to the 2011 Boat Race.Social events
In addition to these events, the boat club has 3 formal events each year.
- The Christmas Ball takes place at the end of the first semester. It is usually held at a city centre restaurant, and provides members with a final chance to say their good-byes to the rest of the squad before the Christmas holiday before heading on to Broad StreetBroad StreetBroad Street may refer to:In the United Kingdom:*Broad Street , in London*Broad Street, Birmingham*Broad Street, Bristol*Broad Street, Oxford*Broad Street, Reading*Broad Street, Suffolk, hamlet near Groton...
for final farewells - The Spring Ball occurs towards the end of the second semester. For the past few years the event has been staged at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, home to Warwickshire County Cricket ClubWarwickshire County Cricket ClubWarwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
and a short walk from the University. A number of alumni also attend the event, as well as a guest speaker. The most notable guest speaker of recent times has been Peter Haining MBE, assistant coach at Oxford Brookes University Boat ClubOxford Brookes UniversityOxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
, the most successful university boat club in the UK. Board members from our club's sponsors are also invited to the Spring Ball, as is the Vice-Chancellor of the University. - The Pimm's Party is the boat club's summer event. This event takes place during June, and is the most popular of the 3 formal events. The day begins with a coach drive to WorcesterWorcesterThe City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
in the afternoon, followed by Pimm'sPimm'sPimm's is a brand of fruit cups, but may also be considered a liqueur. It was first produced in 1823 by James Pimm and owned by Diageo since 2006. Its most popular product is Pimm's No. 1 Cup.-History:...
, strawberries and cream, and lots of socialising. This is followed by an evenings cruising up and down the River SevernRiver SevernThe River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
on a boat.
Club facilities
The club has two main bases, Edgbaston ReservoirEdgbaston Reservoir
Edgbaston Reservoir, originally known as Rotton Park Reservoir and referred to in some early maps as Rock Pool Reservoir, is a canal feeder reservoir in the Ladywood district of Birmingham, England...
and Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. Edgbaston Reservoir is a 900m stretch of water located close to campus and is used mainly for the Development Squad in the first semester. The boat house at Worcester provides the club with access to a 6km stretch of the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
. This is an invaluable resource for crews training for the head season. The Worcester facilities are used by the Senior Squad in the first semester, and by the whole club after Christmas. The boat house is due to under-go a £75,000 overhaul in the coming months.
In addition to this, the club has its own ergo room at Selly Oak campus. This room contains 8 ergs
Indoor rower
An indoor rower, or rowing machine, is a machine used to simulate the action of watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing. Indoor rowing has become established as a sport in its own right...
, which allows a whole crew to train at the same time, as well as a dyno machine, 4 spinner bikes, gym balls, and free weights.
Club blades