Across the water Two rowing Olympians share their experiences

Gabrielle Smith

Andrew Taylor (BA Philosophy and Theology, 1978) hears from two rowers about training and competing on the international stage: his daughter Hattie Taylor and Gabrielle Smith (MSc Water Science, Policy and Management, 2021). At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Hattie represented Great Britain in the coxless four and Gabrielle represented Canada in the double sculls. More recently, Gabrielle rowed in the Women’s Blue Boat for Oxford at the 2022 Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race. Andrew competed in bumps as a student at Regent’s and has since volunteered as a coach. Before coming to Regent’s and Oxford for her MSc, Gabrielle studied at McGill University in Canada. Hattie attended Syracuse University in the U.S.

Andrew: How did you get into rowing?

Gabrielle: I got into rowing through a summer job. I was working as a beach lifeguard on Toronto Island, and we had these big old-school rowboats. Every day we’d go to our station, grab our rowboat and equipment, and then row off to our beach for the day. I really liked it, it was a fun workout, fun to be on the water. This was during the summer of the 2012 London Olympics. My Mum had been watching it on TV and had seen someone from Rowing Canada who said, “If you know anyone who is young, tall and strong, then give us a shout.” Unbeknownst to me, she called them and set up a testing date. I did the testing and was selected for the Row to Podium program, a talent selection program in Canada. I never actually rowed for McGill. I started through this program. It was a great experience overall, and pretty different from what I expect your experience was like at Syracuse, Hattie. I was almost exclusively in one very small team. It was just me and one or two other athletes working with our coach. It was a lot of one-on-one time, a lot of sculling, and a lot of time in the single.

Hattie: I started when I was in the first year of secondary school. Our school had just started a boat club a few years earlier. It was very small and they were looking for new students. There was an Easter break taster camp. Dad [Andrew] had done a bit of rowing at university, and I was fairly tall as an eleven-year-old. I just thought, “I’ll give this a go and see what happens.” I basically just started then and didn’t really stop. I rowed pretty much my whole way through school until I was eighteen, took a gap year, and then went to Melbourne and rowed some more. I did some coaching out there, and during that time I got into Syracuse. At that point, I hadn’t done any junior worlds or European junior racing. I went to Syracuse and did my four years there and a couple of U-23 summers. In my fourth year, I thought, “This is something I might be able to make into a career, I’ll give it a crack.” Rio had just taken place and I thought, “Okay, three years until Tokyo, let’s just see what happens.” I went back and joined the senior team, raced and did trials. I did well and got selected for Tokyo in the four.

Andrew: What was Covid like for you both?

Gabrielle: For the most part, I think that it wasn’t too bad here in Canada. Our training centre here is on an island that is fairly reclusive, so it’s not like being in a large urban area with lots of restrictions. We were off the water, probably, from March until July. But, in the meantime, we’re surrounded by mountains and beautiful cycling roads. And Rowing Canada gave us all spin bikes and weight equipment, so, from a training perspective, it was fine - maybe even a little enjoyable to be out of the boat for a break and train outside. But it was a bit lonely, not having your teammates with you.

Hattie: I had the total opposite experience of that. We got sent home around the end of March 2020, probably the same as you Gabrielle, and then the country was fully locked-down. We were only allowed to leave the house for essential shopping and one period of exercise per day. For me, in terms of training, we had weights and equipment—we could get the training done— but I realised that I get through because I have my teammates and I’m at the training centre. You pick up the adrenaline, and, on days when you’re really tired, the person next to you is doing it as well and you know that you need to do it together. So, I think I struggled a bit with not having my teammates. And we weren’t on the water from March until September, so a good chunk of the year. We couldn’t go to the training centre. We couldn’t do much at all.

Andrew: How did it feel when you knew that you were going to Tokyo?

Gabrielle: Excited, but it took a while to sink in. Sometimes it feels like it still hasn’t sunk in, that I went there and did it, and that I’m an Olympian now. It still feels quite surreal. But it felt like a huge weight off my shoulders when I was selected. You put in so much time, effort and energy. You have to take such a big chance, betting on yourself, that you’ll be able to do it. And along the way, you see your close friends and teammates fall by the wayside, which is heartbreaking. So, to make it and be one of the ones who gets selected is such a huge relief. Hattie: I agree with that. I think that “relief” is definitely the key word. You have to hold on until the selection is done, and then you can take a break. Of course, you are happy and elated. But relief is definitely the main feeling because there is so much uncertainty around the selection and the testing.

Andrew: Gabrielle, how did you find rowing at Oxford?

Gabrielle: I couldn’t recommend it enough! It’s a very different experience, training for a 7km race after only sculling in a double. I had to learn to sweep in an eight-boat. After the Olympics, my year at Oxford gave me an opportunity to learn a new skill, meet some new people, and train in a way in which I wasn’t under a microscope. I could still put in the kilometres and the same effort, but do it in a more fun way with different people and different scenery. To pick up a new skill in a safe environment was very enjoyable and allowed me to have some space away from national team training. It energised me to go back to a national team and keep rowing. It’s worked out well because now I’m sweeping rather than sculling. It was a really great time at Oxford and I would absolutely do it again. The boat race is such a cool event, and it is so historical. People in the UK really care about rowing. It was a great experience and everyone involved was so committed.

Andrew: What rowing ambitions do you still have?

Gabrielle: I’d say I have no rowing ambitions beyond the Paris Olympics in 2024. I feel a little like I’m on my last legs. But I’m doing a different skill in a different boat class, which is exciting. Beyond wanting to row at Paris, I don’t think I’ll be rowing very far. Hattie: I’ve just been getting back into rowing in the last few months. I’ve been at the training centre for the last two weeks and I’m really enjoying it. I have some trials to do, but if that goes well, then definitely Paris. I feel that there is more of me to give to the sport. I think I can get faster, stronger, and move the boat better. That’s what makes me want to go back and I feel like it would be a wasted opportunity to not do that. If I can do that for the Paris Olympics then I’d be happy.