Freddie Davidson eager to use Boat Race experience to lead Cambridge University Boat Club after being elected president

Freddie Davidson is excited about the challenge of leading Cambridge University Boat Club after being elected president for the 2019/20 academic year.

The 20-year-old Emmanuel College student has rowed for the Light Blues in the past three Boat Races, helping them to victory in 2018 and 2019.

The engineering student was a fresher in his first year in the Blue boat but, while still being one of the younger oarsman in the squad, the experience gained persuaded him to run for president.

“It’s obviously quite a lot of new responsibility to take on and there is quite a lot of organisational stuff to initially get right,” he said.

“It’s really exciting to have a bit more responsibility of the programme and the squad. Having been in it for three years now, I’m excited to take that on.

“I’m quite keen to try to change from just being one of the parts in the boat, to trying to be a bit more of a leader in the boat.

“As vice-president this year, I saw what was involved in being president and it really appealed to me. I think I can give a lot to the job.”

Davidson takes over from Dara Alizadeh, who as president led Cambridge to their first back-to-back wins in the Boat Race for 20 years.

“Dara did a really good job,” he said. “Getting back-to-back victories for the first time since before 2000 was really impressive, especially with a new coach.

“With the Boat Races, switching a coach can often have quite a detrimental effect on the programme for a couple of years, but I think Dara did a really good job in steering that and making sure we stayed on track.

“He was really good to work with, very fair, very calm under pressure and a really good all-round leader for the squad.”

Davidson has appointed Gerard Kuenning as his vice-president.

The 25-year-old American is studying a PhD in land economy at Queens’, having previously rowed at Yale, and has been in the victorious Goldie crew for the past two years.

“I really wanted someone who would fill the gaps in my personality, and I think Gerard does that quite well,” said Davidson. “I wanted someone who would be a bit more calm than me, a bit more level-headed at times.

“I’ve got a fair amount of Boat Race experience, but I think Gerard offers a few more years of rowing experience having been in a programme before coming to Cambridge.

“I also wanted someone who had been involved with the Goldie group a bit more this year. To me, it was quite important that the vice-president be someone who could represent those guys as well, as most of them are coming back next year so will form the core of the squad.

“I think Gerard is a really good representative for them. Lastly, I wanted someone who would call me out when needed.”

Gerard Kuenning honoured to be selected as Light Blues vice-president

Gerard Kuenning is relishing the prospect of giving back to Cambridge University Boat Club.

The 25-year-old Queens’ College student was selected by Freddie Davidson to be vice-president for next year’s Boat Race campaign.

“It sounds cliched but there is no way around it, it really is an honour to be entrusted by Freddie to feel as if I’m somebody that can help him through this process and I’m somebody that can help lead the team through this campaign,” said Kuenning.

“The boat club means so much to me, to be entrusted with this year’s run against Oxford is really quite something.

“I’m certainly not going to take it for granted. I will pour my heart and soul into it as best I can.

“Any chance you can get to invest in the boat club, see how things work and feel like you’re influencing the processes is pretty spectacular.”

Kuenning cannot wait to work with Davidson and develop their partnership to help build the squad for the 2020 Boat Race.

“The thing I’m looking forward to the most is it’s palpable how passionate Freddie is about the boat club,” said the PhD student.

“He lives and breathes it, and truly, deeply cares about CUBC so to be able to work with somebody who is that invested in the process and the outcome, is going to be really something unique.”