Cambridge University Women’s rowers refuse to attend regatta in Croatia

The Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club have refused to attend a rowing event because they would be staying in a hostel, while the male team were treated to a luxury hotel.

The female team were also told they would have to pay for their own flights to the Sveti Duje regatta in Split, Croatia, despite organisers arranging the men’s travel for them. 

This is the third year in a row that the team have had to stay in a nearby hostel or even student accommodation during their trip.

This year their male equivalents were put up in the £150 a night Le Méridien Lav, which boasts a private beach, marina, tennis courts and a variety of bars and restaurants, reports the Sunday Times.

The Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club (pictured) have blasted a rowing event in Croatia as ‘sexist’

This year their male equivalents were put up in the £150 a night Le Méridien Lav (pictured)

This year their male equivalents were put up in the £150 a night Le Méridien Lav (pictured)

The prestigious regatta sells itself as a chance for teams from across the globe to challenge the esteemed Cambridge and Oxford rowing teams.

It is annually held on the first weekend in May and is one of the first big events of the season for teams to compete in.

Daphne Martschenko, who is president of the club, told the Sunday Times: ‘It’s advertised as a celebration of  Cambridge and Oxford. The men and women are presented as teams that are on equally footing.

Members of the team took to Twitter to air their surprise at being told they were 'perpetuating' the treatment 

Members of the team took to Twitter to air their surprise at being told they were ‘perpetuating’ the treatment 

‘And yet there is disparity in terms of accommodation that’s quite stark.’ 

Miss Martschenko and her predecessor, Ashton Brown, took to Facebook to slam the event claiming that they were more interested in ‘non sexist events’.

However it has been reported that the team received messages from men, who had previously competed in Oxbridge races, accusing them of continuing the sexism by boycotting the regatta.  

Miss Brown said: Brown said: ‘It was disgusting. I don’t care about the hotel. I just want to be in the same place as the men. If we’re all camping, I will go camping.’ 

Regatta founder Luka Grubor, who is also a former Oxford rower, posted: ‘I agree this is a failing, but the regatta is a process and not a one-off. 

The team refused to attend the event because they would be staying in a hostel, while the male team (pictured) were treated to a luxury hotel

The team refused to attend the event because they would be staying in a hostel, while the male team (pictured) were treated to a luxury hotel

‘The way we have progressed and lasted is by people getting involved, helping and contributing. You chose not to. 

‘All you have done is draw a line and make a demand for equality on a single issue.’ 

He claimed that all clubs stayed in hostels due to the event being funded by donors, and if the ‘pointing-fingers’ continues it will end up in the regatta being cancelled. 

However this is just one in a long line of events that have effected the women’s team, as they were previously told they were only victorious in the 2017 Boat Race because they had a male cox.  

Claims have also been made that a recent dinner event was cancelled by the men’s Cambridge University Boat Club because the women were not attractive enough.      

Chairman of the men’s club, Quintus Travis, said questions about accommodation should be directed to the event’s organisers.



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