James Herbert – Rowing in Australia

James Herbert is on one of Sport Lived’s exciting six month playing programmes, where he is rowing in Melbourne.  He is part of one of the best clubs in Australia where he is rowing alongside national hopefuls and awed by the club’s ‘incredible strength in depth’.

James hails from a solid background on the water. He first picked up an oar in Year 9, finally making it a ‘full time’ commitment a year later. This led to four years of serious rowing for Bedford Modern School, one of England’s top ‘day’ schools for the sport. In these four years James was part of the BMS senior crew and raced at the National Schools and Henley Regattas and also attended GB trials with his brother. So he approached this new and unique challenge well equipped and full of experience.

Rowing on The Yarra

Rowing Australia has been a rewarding contrast to James’ previous experiences and he has noticed a more intensive strength and weights programme. Early morning sessions remain and the ethos of the sport is fairly universal – ‘you train long and hard.’ But replace English rain, wind and dingy mornings, with a touch of mist, a golden sunrise and calm, blue still water. The River Yarra runs through the heart of Melbourne where there is hardly a whisper of the wind. Gone are the thermal leggings. Conditions are so perfect, says James, that they ‘definitely take your concentration off the rowing.’ But great weather is no obstacle to the success of James’ club. Their bottomless strength was evident at the Head of the Yarra – an 8k processional race – where the men’s crews won three of the four levels of competition and the women’s crew were victorious in theirs.

The prospect of joining such a prestigious club and embarking on such a challenge may seem intimidating even in a domestic setting, let alone playing away in one of the world’s most successful sporting countries. But an undaunted James says ‘I was made to feel at home right from the start.’ Sport Lived has provided James with the perfect base for his Australian adventure: a comfortable, apartment in the heart of Melbourne, with some stunning views of the city. Living with a number of fellow Sport Lived players he has had an established social group from the moment of his arrival. His crew mates at the club were also immensely welcoming and their hospitality has of course created endless opportunities for James to socialise. At Christmas the club hosted a cocktail party and has hosted numerous events throughout his time there.

Club Boathouse in Melbourne

Living in the city meant James was able to cycle to his club’s boathouse in 10 minutes.  He was also close to Melbourne’s nightlife which he has said is as ‘large and varied as anywhere I’ve seen.’ Melbourne is a thriving metropolis, considered to be the sporting and cultural capital of Australia. Stunning Victorian architecture, beautiful parks and gardens and the meandering River Yarra make it a physically diverse city, reflected in the wealth of entertainment on offer. It is home to five major sporting arenas including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, home of cricket in Australia. It is also the live music capital of Australia and boasts a multitude of nightlife, from trendy bars, to clubs, to downbeat pubs; ‘a truly assorted bar scene.’ James has particularly enjoyed some of the idyllic beaches in the surrounding area, even taking the time to catch some rays on Christmas day.

Encouragingly, bar work has been easy to find when in need of money, meaning this has never been a worry. But some saving before he left the UK has allowed our man to concentrate on his rowing and enjoy the experience. When asked to sum up his time in Australia, James said quite simply: ‘Unbelievable! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.’