Stronger Strokes

For the fourteen rowers who headed to Sabaudia over the Easter holidays, it was, by all accounts, the trip of a lifetime. Long days on the water, early starts, and plenty of memorable moments made it one of their highlights of the year.

Set around one to two hours from Rome, Sabaudia offers ideal rowing conditions, with calm, sheltered water and a course similar to those used in international racing. The trip gave students the chance to train somewhere new while building confidence and independence in their boats, and was led by Ms Iona Riley, Head of Rowing, alongside rowing coaches Ollie and Sean, whose support and boundless energy helped set the tone for the week. 

Across four full days and a final morning session, the group completed an impressive 22 hours of rowing which equated to around five hours a day. Mornings began at 6.20am with a warm-up mobility session before a two-hour water session at 7.30am. After breakfast at 9.30am, there was time to rest or study before heading back out for a longer afternoon row. Evening activities included watching video analysis of their rowing, stretching/warm-downs, a nutrition workshop, and a Q&A with three-time Olympian Gillian Lindsay, alongside more relaxed time together. Other highlights included eating lots of delicious Italian food, including pizza by the lake, and beach downtime.

For many, the camp was full of firsts. Ali (14s/ Year 10) reflected on the experience, particularly the challenge of single sculling. "Sabaudia was my first ever sports trip and one of the funnest weeks of my life. Rowing in a slim single for the first time was nerve-wracking… safe to say I won the bet and got bragging rights as the only boy who didn’t capsize.” He also highlighted what he learnt from the week, saying, “This was a great trip as it helped me get the basics for racing (singles) on the water for this upcoming season.”

For others, the camp was just as rewarding. Heloise, from the 15s, described both the training and the atmosphere. “The rowing training camp in Sabaudia was the best school trip at Harrodian I’ve ever been on. It gave me the opportunity to expand my skills in a single boat and to row on a beautiful lake surrounded by Italian hills and forest.”

She also reflected on how the week balanced training and academics, adding, “The coaches made sure I was able to balance my studies for GCSEs and my training time whilst still managing to have lots of fun.” And looking ahead, she loved it so much that she hopes that rowing training camps continue to be offered as a regular annual trip.

There were plenty of impromptu fun moments too, including an Easter egg hunt. “Miss Riley tricked me into rowing all the way across the lake on a wild goose chase to find eggs…,” Heloise recalls, “but we had a good laugh about it later.” There was also an entertaining game of piggy in the middle, where Ali was particularly amused by rowing coach Sean’s "immense" efforts to intercept the ball.

The whole experience helped bring the group closer together, with friendships strengthened both on and off the water. This was one of the many benefits that Ms Riley reflected on, saying, “It was wonderful to see them deepening their love for the sport and everything it has to offer, including the friendships, the memories, and the shared experiences that make rowing so special.”

Not only did the trip leave her feeling proud, but she was also impressed by the way they embraced the challenge of single sculling, explaining,“They truly embraced it and kept stepping up throughout the week and one of the many highlights was seeing how much each of them grew in confidence.”

The trip has laid a strong foundation for the term ahead. With so much time spent on the water and a clear sense of progress, the group returns motivated and ready for the summer rowing season.