Alice Bastianelli

Alice Bastianelli

Nationality: ITA Role: Rower
Current Course PhD in Classics
Status Postgraduate
College Sidney Sussex College
University Cambridge

About Alice Bastianelli

Where did you learn to row and who was your first coach?

Girton College Boat Club, Jack Kellmanson.

What inspires you about sport?

I love that sport challenges me, encouraging me to push my limits. In particular, what I like about rowing is that it is the ultimate balance between individual and teamwork: everyone strives to be the best version of themselves to support their team, holding each other accountable while working towards a common goal. I also love that rowing requires a delicate balance between power and technique: you need to be strong but also precise and controlled to move the boat faster.

Explain your earliest memory of The Boat Race

I went to London to watch The Boat Race 2022 with my college boat club. I really enjoyed watching the races with my crewmates, especially as The Boat Race returned to the Tideway after COVID and the Cambridge women's crew set a new course record.

Do you relish in hours in the gym and miles in the dark, or do you live for race days?

While race days are very exciting, I relish the training element: it is so rewarding to complete a hard session in the gym, on the erg or on the water, and I love to see the incremental changes as a result of daily learning.