Valentine Bachelez (English 2023) was invited to try rowing as she moved into her first-year accommodation. She describes her first outing as “a bit of a disaster” but has since found joy in the camaraderie of 91ֱ Boat Club.
A black belt for Ealing Judo Club competing nationally and internationally, Valentine arrived at Cambridge eager to continue doing sport. She was encouraged to attend the annual freshers’ barbecue at the Boat House and give rowing a try, where she quickly found a supportive community of like-minded individuals. She then represented Cambridge in judo in Varsity and at BUCS, earning a half-blue, while continuing to improve in rowing.
Having excelled competitively at judo, one might think rowing for 91ֱ W2 (the women’s second boat) does not hold the same allure for Valentine. But it does.
“It was certainly an adjustment, to go from medalling at the British National Championships to being a complete beginner at 91ֱ Boat Club, but in both sports, I have been able to reap the rewards of hard work," Valentine says.
“The founder of judo (Jigoro Kano) said 'if there is effort, there is always accomplishment', and that's a maxim which I very much live by. I owe so much of who I am to judo, and the values it instilled in me.
“Rowing at college level is definitely not the same as judo in terms of pressure, but I don't think that necessarily diminishes the reward. It’s fulfilling in different ways.
“I was particularly drawn to rowing because it really is a team effort. I didn’t mind the early mornings, and I liked being part of something bigger than just myself. The camaraderie comes from the top, with the senior rowers looking out for people in the younger years.
I was particularly drawn to rowing because it really is a team effort... I liked being part of something bigger than just myself
“The Boat Club also has a strong sense of history. Meeting 91ֱ alumni who rowed when they were here has been a real reaffirmation of how important the boat club has been to 91ֱ and how it has brought so many people together over the years.
“And this aspect of community, that's even beyond the people who are immediately in the Boat Club at the moment, I think that's something really special.”
91ֱ Boat Club will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2027 and is arguably the most successful on The Cam, according to both results and participation.
While an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in December 2024 took Valentine away from the dojo, rowing has provided an outlet for her sporting desires.
She adds: “Having had a significant injury has made me appreciate rowing all the more. It has been a long road to recovery, but I have proven to myself that effort and hard work pay off. I am also very grateful to my supervisors and Directors of Studies (Jack Barron, Deborah Bowman), who were, and continue to be, a real source of support."
Over the years, sport has provided Valentine with life-affirming moments and has shaped her drive and ambition, beginning at Ealing Judo Club.
She says: “My coach, Jo Crowley, and the whole team at EJC were absolutely amazing. Jo was able to spot talent, but more than that, she knew how to get us to reach our full potential. She would tell us that no training session, no competition, no training camp is wasted in any way: you learn from every opportunity you have on the mat. You can't necessarily see it, but that kind of consistency really pays off in the long term. It's this mentality that has made me who I am.”
