Hélène Rémond Interviews Alec Dent At HRR

At HRR, HTBS's Hélène Rémond met Alec Dent, who was in the winning Oxford crew at The Boat Race this year. Hélène took the opportunity to ask him some questions:

What does Henley epitomize according to you ? (high performance, British tradition, etc.)
Peak of club rowing in England and for some of the best clubs that can afford to make the trip. Apart from the Olympics, it's the best diplay of the sport that there is. It's exciting because it's one on one, so there is a strong psychological aspect to it which does not exist in 6 lane racing.
It's also typically English in that tradition plays a huge part. For example, the course is a little longer than 2,000 metres. Where most rowing races are 2,000 metres you might have expected them to shorten the length to 2,000 but tradition playing such an important role they haven't!

What do you like best at the HRR? I've rarely participated and actually not done well when I have, so I don't have many good memories of racing. But winning would certainly be cool. Otherwise it's always fun to 'people watch' as there are some real characters that come and watch Henley. The typically English feel of the event is also something that is very unique and so worth coming for.

When did you first see the Henley course ? For what occasion?
When I first started rowing at school when I was about 11 our rowing coach took us down to watch the racing on the Wednesday of Henley. It was an amazing day, the rowers then seemed like huge giants and it seemed like I might never be able to compete. Even today some of the rowers look like giants, but at least I feel I might be able to get my foot in the door!

See also HTBS 25 March, 2011.

Tim Koch Interviews Alec Dent, OUBC

HTBS’s Tim Koch managed to get a brief interview with Alec Dent, OUBC, at Putney.

Tim Koch: Tell me about your French heritage.
Alec Dent: My Mother is French and my Father is British, I moved to Paris when I was one and lived there until I was ten. I have a large French family and go back there often for holidays.

TK: How did your rowing career start?
AD: When I was 10 I was at the Dragon School in Oxford where they had a sculling club. Later I went to Harrow School and they had a very small boat club but it was quite low level so really the only time I have rowed properly is at Oxford in the last three years.

TK: You are the elected President of Oxford University Boat Club. Can you explain what this means?
AD: On paper, the President can choose crews, coaches and so on but really he hands over power to the coach.... (because) while OUBC is still a student organization, it has got really big today......

TK: You resigned the Presidency for a time. Why was this?
AD: Because of an injury I had, I felt that I could not do a good job.....traditionally the President rows, he does not have to, but I do not think that you can be a particularly good President if you do not....

TK: Very noble. What qualities do you think you have that got you elected President by the various college boat clubs?
AD: (Embarrassed) I think I am seen as determined and always pushing myself (and sometimes that has been detrimental to my performance) .... but also I think I am pretty approachable and am the sort of guy who gets on with everyone in the club, so I feel that I can help bring people together.

Alec and his mother, Marie.

TK: I asked your mother what 'French qualities' and what 'English qualities' helped get you where you are today. What do you think they might be?
AD: I really am a mix of the two.... my French qualities, let me think......?

TK: Perhaps I am unfair, perhaps I should say the qualities that you get from your Father and the qualities you get from your Mother....she said that your sporty side was her and your stubbornness was from your father.
AD: Father would say 'anything is possible, just go for it', Mother's influence has helped me to get on and make really good friends with people in the club - which helps your performance, you enjoy it a lot more.... The first Frenchman to row in the race was Bastien Ripoll who stroked Oxford in 2006 but my French friends and cousins do not really ‘get it’, it’s a strange concept to them.... the idea of doing sport at school or university is not a priority for most people in France...... but now they will see the Boat Race on TV... they will still think I’m mad, but perhaps they will come to understand that it was worth it.

TK: Thank you for the interview.