Amelia Standing – Oxford Women’s Blue Boat Race 2019

Amelia Standing was quoted as being inspired to row by the sport at the Olympic games in 2012. That year, three OKS Olympic finalists returned to King’s and inspired the next generation of rowers, one of which was Tom James, a Cambridge blue. The visit had the desired effect and Amelia Standing won a gold medal at the National Schools’ Regatta with her teammates in the octuple sculls in 2014, at the end of her first year of competitive rowing. In 2017, Amelia represented Team GB at the Coupe de Jeunesse, winning gold on both days of the regatta. After an accomplished junior career, Amelia set her sights on the next challenge and after achieving a space at Oxford University, Amelia joined the Oxford University Women’s Boat Club with her goal of achieving a blue boat seat in her first undergraduate year. Jump forward seven months after arriving at Oxford, with miles upon miles of rowing on the water and ergo and Amelia found herself on the startline of the University Boat Race, with hundreds of thousands of spectators on the banks of the Thames and millions of viewers around the globe watching on. Amelia’s achievement of wining the “stroke” seat in her first undergraduate year cannot be understated, to achieve such a goal at the age of 19 is a monumental achievement to Amelia’s resilience, endeavour and skill as an athlete.

The result of the race was not what Amelia would have hoped for and in the scenario of a two boat race, winning is everything and the pain of coming second will no doubt drive Amelia onto further rowing success in the future. Amelia led the Oxford University Women’s’ Blue boat with pride and maturity above her years and has already played a major part in inspiring not only the next generation of King’s rowers, but all rowers who dare to believe that they can win a blue in their first year of study at either Oxford or Cambridge.

You can read more about the race here.

Well done Amelia, your achievements will most certainly continue to inspire the next generation of King’s rowers.