Bill Lucas

One of the rising stars of GB Rowing is Bill Lucas, who, aged just 19, has already competed at senior world cup level and is a graduate of the ARA’s World Class Start Scheme, sponsored by Siemens.  At the last World Cup in Lucerne, Lucas raced in the men’s double scull, which made the B-Final – quite an achievement for someone who only took up rowing five years ago.

Lucas is in the rare position of having competed in a senior world cup before representing his country at under-23s: “Last year wasn’t very successful. I didn’t even make the under-23 team. This year has been better.”

Lucas does not seem fazed by his world cup debut this season.  Asked about his latest experience, Lucas is focussed simply on performance: “Lucerne was good, I guess, but we still need to work on things”.

Nor does his young age seems to stand in the way of his ferocious determination to succeed: “I don’t turn 20 until September”, he points out, before commenting that his ambition is to race in Beijing at the Olympic Games next year.

The secret to Lucas’ success this season seems to be simple: honest hard work.

“I’ve only taken three days off since September – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We don’t get many days off anyway, and camps take up a lot of time. The break before the under-23s was taken up by Lucerne.

“The only downside is that my parents would like me to come home more often. I’m in Reading most of the time. But they understand. They want me to do well.

“They come and visit me in Reading instead. Actually I have just moved into a house there with some friends. I moved just before Lucerne, but luckily it wasn’t too stressful.
I study there. I’ve just finished my first year in Politics and International Relations at Reading University.

And how is the work-rowing balance?

“It’s been easier to balance rowing with work this year. Last year I was trying to fit my schoolwork around training, but being a university student makes things more flexible. I can fit my studies around my rowing this year.

“I think I have improved hugely since I came to Reading. It’s been good, being in a squad, training with the right people in excellent facilities. Sam Townsend, who was also on World Class Start is also here, and obviously he made the GB senior squad this year. It’s great to be able to train with him.”

Being a normal teenager, however, is more difficult.

“We don’t get many days off. When I want to relax I just muck about with friends.

“I don’t really have any particular hobbies,” Lucas laughs, “that sounds a bit sad, doesn’t it?”

“With rowing you go through periods where it really is just studying and rowing, so when we get time off, it’s hard to know what to do with it”.

Lucas’ current success is undoubtedly related to his partnership with Charles Cousins, with whom he will race the double scull at the World Under-23 Championships.

“We’ve been in the double since April trials, but we trained a bit together during the winter. We do spend a lot of time together but we also try to give each other space. He’s in Cambridge so some time apart is necessary anyway.”

Both Cousins and Lucas are successful graduates of the ARA’s World Class Start scheme, sponsored by Siemens. Lucas was discovered when he was 15 and passed the stringent physiological tests to get onto the programme.

“I won a bronze at the Indoor National Championships at J16 level. It was only my fifth time on an ergo!” Lucas laughs -  “I guess they noticed me. After that I was invited to a J16 sculling camp.”

He credits his early mentor and coach, Will Hawkyard, with much of his success to date.

And so from the past to the future … What does Lucas think lies in store for him?

“In the short term I guess I just want to win at under-23s. I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ve been selected as the spare-man for the senior squad for Munich, too, but I think it would be wrong for me to hope I get called upon. Obviously in the long-term, my aim is the Beijing Olympics.”