Crewroom was responsible for a "lucky dip" when the Trial Eights got underway in London this month – and nobody got wet by falling in the River Thames.
The Trial Eights traditionally mark the moment when Cambridge and Oxford launch their campaigns for next year’s BNY Mellon Boat Races season – and this time, Crewroom played a central role.
Apart from having been named official technical kit supplier for the races, Crewroom was also proud to offer up its Putney Embankment Hub HQ as a base for the rowers during the trials.
Around 70 men and women rowers took part over two days on the river and we were there to help play host for the occasion.
“Crewroom is all about caring for the athlete, and so when we heard the Women’s and Men’s Boat Clubs were due to descend on us, we thought we’d roll out the red carpet for them.
“We prepared a load of presents from Santa for the crews, who helped themselves to a gift using our "lucky dip". We also made sure the rowers were kept nice and warm and dry when they came off the water,” said Crewroom Founder Kate Giles, a former national rower herself.
Trial 8s Cambridge Trial Eights are a key step in each club’s preparations for racing in April, as it is the only opportunity the athletes have to race the full championship course side-by-side before race day.
As a full dress-rehearsal, each squad split into two evenly matched crews as the athletes pitted themselves against their teammates. The coaches looked for as close a race as possible to see their athletes tested fully, and also looked to see which combinations worked well under racing pressure.
The BNY Mellon Boat Races will take place 11 April next year. The BNY Mellon Boat Race will begin at 5:50pm, with the Newton Women's Boat Race beginning at 4:50pm.