For Gonville & Caius College Senior Bursar Robert Gardiner, the river offers the ideal start to a day, and the perfect conclusion.

Robert began rowing as a University of Cambridge student at another college, which will remain nameless, and is now coach to Caius Boat Club’s fourth women’s crew, or W4, in this week’s May Bumps (June 14 to 17).

“At its best, coaching in the Easter Term, out there early in the morning, 7am, the ducks are quacking, the sun is shining, the river is calm… that’s a really great way to start the day,” Robert says.

“There’s nothing quite like coming back to the Boat House with a bunch of smiling faces after a really great session where people have learnt something or they’ve finished the outing rowing better than they were at the start of the outing.”

As the senior financial and administrative officer of the College, Robert’s role generally brings little direct interaction with students. He is therefore grateful for his two mornings and one weekend session on the Cam with “a lively crew”.

I love the energy, enthusiasm, optimism and idealism which comes from students. I get a taste of that when I’m coaching and it puts me in contact with the people that we’re here for ~ Robert Gardiner, Senior Bursar

Robert adds: “I hugely enjoy coaching students. In my role I don’t actually get very much contact with students day to day, which is a great shame as their education is what drives me.

“I love the energy, enthusiasm, optimism and idealism which comes from students. I get a taste of that when I’m coaching and it puts me in contact with the people that we’re here for.

“In snippets of off-river conversation I get to hear what they’re up to, what they think of the College  - what’s good and what can be improved.”

Robert is grateful to a then-student of Murray Edwards College, his previous place of work as Bursar, for picking up his offer to coach following a conversation at a scholars’ dinner.

His own participation in the sport is “a long but not particularly illustrious history”, says Robert.

He began rowing as a student almost 40 years ago, enjoying his place in a Lents M1 then a Mays M2 and the balance the sport provided.

He says: “I hugely enjoyed the sensation of peak fitness. That meant you worked hard, played hard and slept hard. It was a fantastic period during which I remember having practically no stress and no illness. It was great.”

Robert Gardiner rowing at stroke position (nearest the cox) with St Radegund Rowing and Drinking Club

A conflicting allegiance means his current preference is to coach women’s crews at Caius, although he has coached men’s crews, while he continues to row himself, for the St Radegund Rowing and Drinking Club, historically based on the historic King Street pub of the same name.

“We row in the evening and after you’ve had a heavy day of bursary stuff, committees, decisions, and juggling various priorities in College, going off and thinking about nothing but rowing and coming back fulfilled, exhausted and relaxed is a really good way of balancing those stresses,” Robert says.

Thoughts of College business are paused “unless, of course, I see Caius crew in which case it’s a hearty ‘Yeah Caius!’”.

Good luck to Robert and the Caius Boat Club crews taking part in May Bumps this week. Look out for a story on the website next week.