Blisters, banter, and blade work: My summer at rowing camp in Lincoln

Elliot Skinner, age 16, talks about his experience at rowing camp for Lincoln Minster School and Lincoln Rowing Centre

If you’ve never spent 3 days at a school rowing camp, imagine this: early mornings, aching muscles, questionable tan lines, and more sandwiches than any human should consume. Now add laughter, teamwork, and the occasional very sore bottom – and you’ve got a pretty good idea of how I spent 3 days this summer.

We kicked off each day with bleary-eyed roll calls (to be honest, these weren’t exactly super early mornings, but for a teenager on their summer holiday…anything south of midday should be considered early) and motivational speeches that somehow made 10am feel like a reasonable time to be alive.

The river greeted us with mist and mystery, and our coaches and camp helpers greeted us with enthusiasm and positive slaps on the back.

The camp was a brilliant mix of technique drills, seat racing, and trying not to drop our blades in the water. There were moments of triumph – like finally nailing a single scull – and moments of chaos, like learning to row as a pair for the first time.

Off the water, we bonded over shared pain (erg tests and weight circuits), we reviewed videos of our sessions on the water and together critiqued ourselves and each other before putting back into practice these tweaked refinements. Oh, and we also debated the eternal question: is it ever acceptable to wear rowing Lycra in public?

By the end of the week, we were sunburnt, sleep-deprived, and slightly obsessed with split times. But we were also stronger, more connected, and ready to take on the season ahead together with grit and grins.

Rowing camp wasn’t just about perfecting our stroke, it was about building resilience, friendships, and a few inside jokes that will probably never make sense to anyone else.

So cheers to the splashy starts, the sandwiches, and the unbeatable feeling of flying down the water with your crew. Huge thanks go to Lynne, John, Lizzie, Ciaran and Gary from Lincoln Rowing Centre and Mr Tom Eves from Lincoln Minster School for giving us the space and the opportunity to grow, laugh, and learn how to have fun in a boat.

And yes, rowing isn’t an easy sport and it sure does hurt, but I can guarantee that it will provide you with unforgettable experiences and fill you with immense pride and happiness.

I urge any juniors or even adults in Lincoln to come down to Lincoln Rowing Centre and give it a go, because you will have an amazing time and make many friends for life!