Mutual and Federal University SA Boat Race in Port Alfred is where Rhodes University’s rowing team will compete with other universities in September. Preparations for this event are gruelling. The team recently returned from a three-week camp in Port Alfred which rower Rosanne Thornycroft described as “the camp of death”.
Mutual and Federal University SA Boat Race in Port Alfred is where Rhodes University’s rowing team will compete with other universities in September. Preparations for this event are gruelling. The team recently returned from a three-week camp in Port Alfred which rower Rosanne Thornycroft described as “the camp of death”.
Perhaps the gruelling schedule of the camp was part of the strategy of new coach, Daniel Safdari, a student and rowing coach from the UK.
Safdari is in Grahamstown to train the Rhodes University Rowing Club’s A crew for September’s race at the Kowie River.
The 23-year-old, whose passion for rowing started at school when he was 15 was advised to start rowing through a talent identification scheme which recognised him as an ideal rower based on his height, strength and endurance.
He is currently studying towards a Strength and Conditioning Science degree at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham, London, and coaches rowing at King’s College School in Wimbledon, as well as the Molesey Boat Club juniors.
He reportedly found out about Grahamstown through a friend who coached rowing at Rhodes three years ago.
Training
While at the training camp, Safdari describes a typical day as starting at 4.45am.
The rowers get to the water by 6.30am for an hour and a half session, before an hour-long break, after which they have another session.
Depending on the day, they either have a break or a third session in the afternoon.
When they are not rowing, they’re eating and sleeping, he says.
Now that the rowers are back at university, they train twice a day, six days a week.
Weekends are spent training in Port Alfred, and they rowers take Mondays off for a breather.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” says Safdari of his experience so far.
“It’s a nightmare trying to find equipment for boats, but it’s getting there.”
The Mutual and Federal University SA Boat Races start on Thursday 8 September and the finals will be held on Saturday 10 September.
The top university rowing teams from across South Africa take part in this prestigious annual event.
With less than a month to go, Safdari says that he is confident that Rhodes will produce two fast crews.
