the steerer, the cheerer and the leader.
2018 - 2019 Chief Cox, Jamie in W1
Coxes sit in the ‘stern’ of the boat, facing forwards towards the crew, and have two main responsibilities: steering and giving commands to the crew.
As a cox you are in charge of your boat and the crew. You are the only person (other than your coach on the bank) who can see the other boats, fishermen, swans and even the odd rubber ring. Learning to successfully navigate your boat along the Cam is a great and often amusing challenge.
You will also learn how to motivate and train your crew and become great friends with them through the outings, races and socials you share.
Maggie (LMBC) welcomes experienced coxes and those who have never stepped into a boat!! See more details below but for any further questions and inquires please speak to the Captain of Coxes…Holly Cadman (hcsc4@cam.ac.uk)
NOVICE COXING: Recruiting now!
LMBC is always on the look out for the latest coxing talent to join our boat club. No experience necessary!
What to expect as a novice cox…
You’ll begin your coxing journey in a ‘tub’, a small and stable training boat, where you’ll learn how to steer and make basic calls to your crew. After a few outings, you will progress to a longer, more streamlined novice eight and start to explore more of the River Cam. During this time, you’ll learn how to tailor your calls and drills to improve your crew’s balance, rhythm, and timings.
Don’t worry, you won't be on your own. At least one novice coach will cycle alongside your boat during every outing. However, since they cannot steer for you, the safety of your crew is ultimately your responsibility.
Off the water, you will help your coaches lead crew erg sessions, giving you the chance to observe individual rowers’ technique, learn more about rowing mechanics, and try out more advanced drills and race pieces.
Holly Cadman, Chief Cox (2025-2026)
As the brains of the crew, coxes are as important as the rowers to the success of the boat - and can be the difference between winning and losing a race by a matter of inches!
Racing with LMBC (Novice)
As a novice cox, you may have the opportunity to race with your crew in late Michaelmas term. Races are fantastic bonding experiences, and while they might seem daunting at first, you’ll receive plenty of practice and guidance from your coaches and senior coxes to help you prepare.
In Lent term, once you have mastered the basics of coxing, you’ll take part in a wider range of races, including time trials, short side-by-side sprints, and the all-important Cambridge ‘Bumps’. Each format has its own rules, tactics, and challenges, offering a great way to develop your skills and confidence. Before races, you’ll also have the chance to meet regularly with other coxes to plan strategy and learn from more experienced members of the club.
Senior coxing
Kitty Henderson - Captain of Coxes (2023-2024)
Bicentenary Double Headship Winner (2025)
“My experience as a LMBC cox has been an invaluable part of my university experience. I came into the club as a total novice but thanks to the time and dedication from both fellow students and coaches, I am now a confident, experienced cox who loves the world of Cambridge rowing. I have coxed six sets of Bumps including a Lents and Mays Headship campaign. Other Bumps highlights include bumping twice in division 1 in May term in M2. I have also loved the opportunities for off the Cam racing including Head of the River and Metropolitan regatta. Being able to compete against some of the best crews in the country has provided a great challenge and some thrilling racing. Being able to give back to the club has also been incredibly rewarding. I was chief cox in my second year so helped coach the new novice coxes. In my third year I also ran Bumps briefings for new coxes to share tips and tricks to help deal with the excitement and stress around bumps! The coxes role in rowing has developed my understanding of teamwork like no other sport before. It has challenged me to be a better communicator to help the crew succeed by taking on feedback from teammates and doing cox recording analysis sessions. Most importantly, I have met wonderful people and made lifelong friends along the way and am so grateful to the club for all the fond memories!”
Kitty steering M1 to May Bumps Headship 2025 (Picture: Giorgio Divitini).
