Cian’s Diary

Before the Shoot

How are you feeling? Are you nervous, or excited?

Before arriving for the shoot I was slightly apprehensive but mainly just looking forward to it as a new and novel experience.

Is this your first shoot?

Yes.

What are your concerns?

I’m not sure I had any specific concerns going into the shoot; obviously committing to putting your image out there is a big and irreversible decision, but I was happy that it was for the right cause.

Have you talked to friends/family/other Club members about taking part? What reactions have you had?

I definitely discussed it with my family and some of my friends before the shoot, who were all incredibly supportive of me getting involved.

Have you spent time in the gym toning up for this? How long have you spent roughly preparing? What else have you done to your image? Hair cut? Face shave? Anything else?

I switched from full fat to semi-skinned milk. That was pretty tough in itself.

What are your main reasons for agreeing to take part in the calendar shoot?

I thought it would a lot of fun and a once in a lifetime experience, but mainly I just thought it was a worthy cause to devote some time towards.

“You’d better come back right now! Look, you’re being filmed!”

Day 1 First day of the shoot

What happened at the beginning of the day?

We all met at the boat house and were introduced to the amazing team running the shoot and then we had a run through about what exactly to expect in terms of the format of the shoot for the next few days.

Was it easier/harder to get naked than you thought? What helped break the ice?

It was easier than I thought it would be. The initial awkwardness was quickly blown away by a few jokes.

What was the most surprising thing about the first day?

How long I had to spend in the makeup chair; I didn’t think one could improve upon perfection, but apparently I was mistaken.

“Don’t look now but there’s a man behind the tree with a camera!”

Day 2 Second Day of Shoot

Was it easier to get started today?

Yes, it was much quicker and smoother on the second day.

What do you do between shots?

I had rowing outings and training sessions before and between shoots on every day, so I was pretty busy.

Are you having fun? Who is the joker who makes everyone laugh?

Me of course!

Day 3 Third day of shoot

How do you feel as the shoot is coming to an end?

Training and shooting every day is starting to take its toll, so although I’m sad to see it ending I’m definitely looking forward to a well-deserved break.

Would you take part in it again?

Definitely!

“Let’s hide in these bushes. That man with the camera won’t find us there!”

Although we’re rowers, three members of the calendar cast have chosen rugby players as their sporting heroes and with the RBS Six Nations tournament starting this weekend, it seemed the perfect opportunity to share Harry’s, Cian’s and Cameron’s heroes with you.

Chris Robshaw – England Rugby captain

My Sporting Hero by Harry

Who is he/she?

My hero is Chris Robshaw, former captain of the England team. 

What do you admire about this person?

A lot of things, but overall he’s a true example of hard graft and attitude getting you success in life. In terms of his attitude there’s a lot to learn from. His bounce back after being cut entirely from the 2011 world cup squad to being England rugby Captain is an amazing feat within only a few months. Despite a huge number of doubters and nay sayers he has remained one of the most consistent England players for the past three years. In terms of hard work he doesn’t stand out for exceptional strength or speed but the stats don’t lie about his work rate and bravery, he puts his body on line topping the tackle count nearly every single match. He gives his all for the good of the team. Through his attitude and hard work as well as down to earth nature he’s won the respect and loyalty of his squad. These qualities are what I think everyone should aspire to perform and Robshaw is evidence of the benefits as he had the incredible honour of leading England into a home world cup four years on from being told he wasn’t good enough to play for his country.

How does this person benefit sport – in your opinion?

As I said, his attitude is inspirational in terms of where it has got him in his career. It has also in my opinion had a profound effect on England rugby culture. When Stuart Lancaster took over in 2011, the England rugby team was in a terrible state with an awful reputation on and off the field. Lancaster made Robshaw captain when he took over as he knew he would set the best example in terms of respect for the sport and a player’s part as a role model for others. The effect of his inclusion and attitude can be seen clearly in the culture of England rugby now and the redemption of a number of players who have followed his example. The culture that Robshaw demonstrates and endorses is one that is translatable across all sport, especially team sport in terms of selflessness and leadership qualities.

Brian O’Driscoll – Irish Rugby legend

My Sporting Hero by Cian

Who is he/she?

The one and only Brian O’Driscoll. The greatest player to ever pick up a rugby ball (save perhaps me when I played at school)

What do you admire about this person?

He adapted so much over his career to remain at the very peak of his profession; when he started out he was a very young and quick player, but as the years wore on and he lost a few yards he became a brilliant defender and tactician. Towards the end of his career he was remarkably unimpressive athletically and yet he was still one of the best players on any field – an inspiration to people up and down the country as he never let his physical shortcomings hold him back.

How does this person benefit sport – in your opinion?

I used to think it was due to the level of professionalism he brought to Irish rugby, something it had always been lacking but desperately needed. Then I read his autobiography and it turns out that he went out after a match in France once and ended up throwing up on the Champs Elysées. Either way he’s clearly a top bloke.

In what ways do you think this person is a good role model for younger people, or for all ages?

A role model both on and off the pitch; once in a post match interview he was asked if Martin Johnson would be able to convert his playing experience into becoming a good manager. Brian’s response? “Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad”. To this day I’m still trying to figure out the exact meaning behind this message, but it clearly puts him in a very elite category of wordsmith – Oscar Wilde eat your heart out. In BOD we trust!

Johnny Wilkinson – the England hero who inspired a new generation.

My Sporting Hero by Cameron

Who is he/she?

Jonny Wilkinson, retired England rugby player.

What do you admire about this person?

As I was growing up, Wilkinson was the talisman of English rugby. The 2003 World Cup was the first major sporting tournament I remember watching and I will never forget the drama of the final. His composure to score the winning drop goal in extra time was unbelievable. It was particularly impressive that whilst playing in France, later in his career, he learned French and I clearly remember seeing him, as captain, giving a team talk in French to the squad. This was inspiring to see how Wilkinson never took anything for granted and how much respect he commanded from fellow players.

How does this person benefit sport – in your opinion?

Wilkinson brought a real professionalism towards rugby and was the best in the world as a result of his hard work and dedication. He showed the rugby world what was possible and challenged others to match him. Unfortunately, he had a lot of injuries after the 2003 triumph but kept coming back and performing.

In what ways do you think this person is a good role model for younger people, or for all ages?

Wilkinson has always maintained a good public profile. Despite his fame he has stayed grounded and is a great example of how hard work and practice pays off. I was an aspiring rugby player and Jonny made me want to play and improve, especially as I played in his position. I have read an autobiography of his and this made me realise that he was actually just a normal guy like anyone else, who wanted to stay grounded, train hard and avoid too much limelight.

At the end of January 2016 we attended the National Calendar Awards at the prestigious Stationers’ Hall beside St Paul’s Cathedral in London. We were nominated for Charity Calendar of the Year. Did we win? Watch and find out what an amazing night this turned out to be for the team!

Lucas’s Diary

Before the Shoot

How are you feeling? Are you nervous, or excited?

I guess I am more excited than nervous!

Is this your first shoot?

Yes, as it is my first year here at Warwick.

What are your concerns?

I don’t really have any concern… I am a very relaxed kind of guy!

Lucas and Tom making rowing look relaxing!

Have you talked to friends/family/other Club members about taking part? What reactions have you had?

I have talked to my parents about it, and although my mother was a bit less enthusiastic about it, both of them thought the cause was worth it and liked the idea of me being involved in such a project.

Have you spent time in the gym toning up for this? How long have you spent roughly preparing? What else have you done to your image? Hair cut? Face shave? Anything else?

In terms of physical training, I didn’t change what I was doing in my training plan for rowing. It’s regatta season so we are supposed to be fitter than ever at this time of the year. And 10/11 sessions a week is enough to look alright during the shoot! Maybe I did extra bicep curls in the gym when I had time but that is all!
We were asked to get a fresh haircut before the shoot so I went to the barber and I obviously shaved my face like I do normally!

What are your main reasons for agreeing to take part in the calendar shoot?

The first reason is the message it spreads and the cause. I know a few LGBT+ people who count a lot in my life and it was an opportunity for me to do something for the whole community and for them. We sometimes forget how it can affect them in sports and showing them our support is very important. Some of the money generated goes to Sport Allies and its goal is to reach out to young people who are challenged by homophobia and bullying in sports. It is also very important for our boat club, apart from some of the benefits of the calendar, we don’t get a lot of funding and it is hard for us to compete against other universities who have budgets twice as big as ours, and often more. And also, I think the shooting the calendar with my friends is going to be a lot of fun so why not take part in it

Day 1 First day of the shoot

What happened at the beginning of the day?

We (the rowers) met the staff we were going to be working with for the shoot (Angus, Damien and Sadaf) at the boathouse. For me it was the first time I had met them, apart from Angus whom I had already met previously in a meeting about the calendar earlier in the year. After meeting everybody, we discussed how the next two days were going to be organized and everything.

Was it easier/harder to get naked than you thought? What helped break the ice?

I think it less awkward than I thought it was going to be. I had already been naked around my mates before after training in the changing rooms and stuff, but I thought the context would make it slightly different. Turned out it was very natural! I guess having a few guys who had already done the calendar last year helped with breaking the ice as they knew what to do!

Lucas and Tom remember to bring the boat back.

What was the most surprising thing about the first day?

The most surprising thing about the first day was the amount of gadgets and accessories Angus and Damien had with their cameras, it’s almost like Angus had a different lens for each one of us!

Any funny incidents?

There were too many to remember one in particular!

Day 2 Second Day of Shoot

Was it easier to get started today?

Well, we did the shoot of the first day in a different location (Sherbourne Park) so it took us quite a long time to set everything up again, but at least we knew the routine, so I guess it was easier!

What do you do between shots?

We mostly shared some good banter about the previous shots, played with some of the shoot accessories, ate chocolate biscuits (I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that) and also had some good chats with Angus, Sadaf and Damien! We also had to fit our training in between shots, so some of us went away to row during the day.

Lucas is out rowing – again!

Are you having fun? Who is the joker who makes everyone laugh?

The shoot is a lot of fun. I’m really enjoying it! Johnson has been the central character of the calendar and was here to make everybody laugh!

Day 3 Third day of shoot

How do you feel as the shoot is coming to an end?

Although the shoot is really enjoyable, it is pretty tiring. We had to be up early to do our training before the shoot and still be at the shoot in the morning to get the best light for the photos. And, also stay there quite late in evening, as both morning and evening provide the best light for the shoot. So I felt relieved at the end, but at the same time it meant no more naked banter with the guys!

Would you take part in it again?

I am going to Spain in a few weeks to do some more shoot with Angus and some of the boys, so I guess I am already pretty committed to the project! But the journey until our calendar and film are released has only begun and I will wait to see how the overall journey goes to see if I’ll take part in it next year. But so far it has been pretty successful.

In Spain, this is how we stroll!

Anything else you’d like to add?
I just want to thank the people we have worked with as they made the shoot enjoyable for me. It was the first time I was doing it and it went really well!

What a view of Marbella!

You can see much more of Lucas in the England and Spain films as well as in the WR16 calendar. Please pop over to our shop and have a browse!

My Favourite Destination – New York City by Tom

New York is probably one of, if not the most, famous cities in the world, which means as you walk around you are constantly recognising places from movies and popular culture. There is so much to do around the city and so much going on that you will never be bored. We spent hours everyday just walking round and visiting places that we’d seen countless times in various films and TV shows. I love holidays where you spend time on the beach relaxing, but for me there is something special about exploring a city, because you completely forget any stresses you may have from work/exams as you are completely absorbed into a different culture.

When I went, I was lucky enough to go to the Grand Central Oyster Bar, which is one of the most famous restaurants in Manhattan and also the oldest restaurant in Grand Central Station – it opened in 1913. I would definitely recommend going there as from what I remember (I was only about 10 or 11 when I went) the food was great and it’s really cool inside, plus the atmosphere is great. It would be the ideal place to take someone for a romantic date!

Grand Central Oyster Bar

It’s hard to recommend one thing to do as there is so much to do and if you only have a limited time I would recommend just getting a street map and walking round as it’s very hard to get lost as, unlike London, the streets are well organised and I think walking round a city is the best way to see it. However, if I was to recommend one it would be to take a helicopter ride around Manhattan. We went on a beautifully clear spring day and the views were simply incredible.

One of the reasons that we all value taking part in the calendar and filming is that supports  Sport Allies as well as our helping us participate in rowing. We asked each member of the WR16 calendar cast to write a few words about what Sport Allies and challenging homophobia in sport means to them personally. Here’s what Harry has to say…

I think anything that discourages people from taking part in sport and makes them lack the confidence to find a way to participate needs to be confronted, especially when it is something as harmful and backward-thinking as homophobia.

Personally, I went through a bad break up last year and it was one of the lowest points in my life ever. I joined rowing about the same time it happened and the discipline, training, new friends and social events opened my eyes so much and helped to keep me focused on the more important things in my life. I know sport is what got me through a really debilitating emotional low and helped me continue to achieve and progress at university. It was so important for me this year in a way that’s hard to fully articulate.

Personally, to think that the immeasurable benefits of sport are denied to someone because of something as horrendous as homophobia is hard for me to stomach. I’ve seen that it is still prevalent in other sports at uni and there’s even more of it in schools. Raising awareness and breaking gender stereotypes needs to happen fast in sport at all levels and Sport Allies will help to make this happen. For me, this is a fight for a very important cause and that’s why I’m in it.

Los Amigos in Spain

How did you feel about being invited to the Spain shoot?

Tom: I was really excited to go out to Spain. The shoot at the boathouse had been so much fun that I couldn’t wait to do it all over again, only this time it wouldn’t be much warmer and much sunnier!

Tristan: I was initially quite apprehensive about the whole thing as the prospect of going to Marbella with a cameraman present at all-time had me thinking I was on an episode of the BBC TV show “Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents”, (in which parents spy on their kids holidays to Europe’s clubbing hotspots). In all serious though, having thoroughly enjoyed the summer shoot this year I was thrilled to be invited to Spain.

Is this your first visit to Spain? First visit to Costa del Sol?

Tom: I used to visit Spain a lot as a child as my grandparents had houses there. In fact one of them was very close to where we stayed this time on the Costa del Sol, although I hadn’t been since I was seven, so a lot had changed since I was last there.

Tristan: Yes, I’d always wanted to visit Spain before but never had the chance.

Tristan brings the Haka to Spain on his first visit

If you have been before, where did you go?

Tom: I had been to Marbella and Puerto Banus before when I was younger but that was 12 years ago. I had never been to the Atlantic coast though, so I had no idea what to expect there. When I was really young my grandparents had a house near Alicante but I can’t remember that really as I was so young.

Tristan: See above! It’s my first time.

What did you think the area would be like?

Tom: Well I hadn’t been to mainland Spain for 12 years (I had been to Lanzarote, and I’m in Lanzarote now as I write this!), so I remembered it as being hot and dry. What I hadn’t remembered was quite how hot it could be and how beautiful the mountains are-they are stunning!

Tristan: A lot of my friends had been to Marbella (or ‘Marbs’ as they called it) for drinking holidays in the previous year. It was this, amongst other things, that made me assume we’d be bumping into the cast of TOWIE screaming ‘NO CARBS BEFORE MARBS’ before downing 5 Jägerpints (a pint of Jägerbombs). I was however pleasantly surprised. The area we stayed in was unbelievably beautiful and the local culture was still very much undisturbed.

Tom on an Atlantic coast beach

What were your first impressions of the coast?

Tom: My first impressions were that there were so many boats out on the sea cruising about and that the mountains were absolutely stunning. Where we were staying, the view of the evening sunlight casting shadows on the mountainside and glittering off the sea was incredible. It was also clear it was a very affluent area from the number of boats, nice cars and lovely restaurants.

Tristan: Having grown up in Cornwall I’ve always been near the coast. However, driving past Gibraltar and being able to see the Moroccan coastline is something a bit different!

Where did you do your first shoot? What was that like?

Tom: The first day we shot in the grounds of an incredible house. It was perched like a fortress on the very top of a mountain and had an infinity pool that we shot in that looked right over the town below and towards the sea. At sunset the views were amazing but there were also some lovely seating areas where we took some great shots. It was an amazing house and it was so kind for the owners to let us shoot the-it’s an experience that I’ll never forget. They also had some lovely dogs that followed us round all day, although they weren’t as cute as Fluff!

Tristan: Our first shoot was in a €30 million luxury villa, a nice contrast to my mouldy, student flat in Coventry. There were some fantastic backdrops available to us, and lots of fun toys to play with between shots (although I think they were intended for somebody much younger than us who lived there…oops!)

No, it certainly isn’t Tristan’s student flat in Coventry!

What other places did you visit for shoots?

Tom: We also visited a beach on the Atlantic coast where we shot some really great photos and got some amazing drone footage as the sun was setting over the beach. It was a bit of a road trip to get there but we didn’t mind as it was along a beautiful coast road with panoramic views across to Gibraltar and Morocco-not a bad commute. On the beach we were doing a film shot where we ran towards the camera and as we started filming a very large group of Spanish girls appeared and stood and watched. After a little bit of embarrassment from both sides to begin with we chatted and had our picture taken with them, but they were pretty shocked when they first realised what was going on. . We also did a few shoots up the mountain which again was amazing. My favourite one up the mountain was when we covered ourselves in charcoal from a burnt tree we’d been climbing and did the Haka. It was the last shoot we did all together and it was really fun.

Tristan: We shot in a plethora of different locations this year, including a beach on the Atlantic coast, two shoots in the hills overlooking Marbella and a bedroom shoot at Angus’s apartment

Which location did you like best?

Tom: My favourite location was the house we went to on the first day as the views were incredible and the infinity pool was the best pool I have ever been in. Although we did a couple of shoots with Angus’s dog Fluff, and they were so much fun as she is the cutest, most excitable, fluffy puppy I have ever met!

Tom, Tristan and the fluffiest puppy in Spain – Fluff!

Tristan: The Atlantic Coast was great fun. We started shooting away from the rest of the beach goers, so when the call came for us to run into the sea naked, past crowds of locals we were somewhat sceptical about what their response would be. Our initial concerns were clearly misplaced as we were greeted with applause and wolf whistles. A later shot required us to run out of the water in a straight line. However, as we approached dry land we realised that we were heading towards a group of Spanish girls, who were happily taking pictures not in any rush to move out of the way. This resulted in them getting a nice team photo with our naked selves, and a chance for me to practice my favourite Spanish phrase: ‘Dónde esta la fiesta?’

These beaches were made for naked running

What did you do in your free time?

Tom: In our free time we would either train by going for runs in the mountains or doing body weight circuits (we still have to keep fit on holiday!). We also went out in Marbella and Puerto Banus a couple of times, which was a completely different world to the clubs we’re used to at university. The rest of the time we just relaxed and enjoyed spending time with each other in the warm and sunny area.

Tristan: We went in the peak of summer so the hot tub and swimming pool were great ways to keep cool in our free time. We also had to keep up with our summer training routine, so morning runs in the Marbella hills were a necessary if not gruelling way to wake up. On the last two nights of our stay we sampled the local nightlife, which required us to dress up for once!

Is there anything you didn’t have time to do and wish you had? Any place you’d really like to visit another time?

Tom: I would really like to have gone to Puerto Banus harbour to see all the huge yachts, unfortunately we didn’t have time for that. I would love to get a chance to go on one of the super yachts, because I think you could do some great shoots on them.

Tristan: We managed to squeeze so much into a short week that I left without feeling like I’d missed anything out. Obviously Spain is a country with a rich cultural history and so there are many different areas that I want to explore. Watching El Classico (Real Madrid vs. Barcelona) would also be quite nice.

Boys on the beach…

Shooting in Spain is a fairly new location for the calendar – what do you think it adds to the images and the enjoyment of making the calendar?

Tom: I think it adds variety to the pictures. Barford is lovely but it has very little to make the backdrop for the photos interesting, whereas shooting at sunset up a mountain or on a gorgeous golden beach just adds something else to what are already wonderful pictures. Also in Spain we got to meet Angus’s dog Fluff so that was definitely a bonus!

Tristan: The Spain trip was more than purely a week of shoots. It was a great chance to visit a stunning part of the world with some mates and have fun doing something a bit different. I hope that the enjoyment that we shared throughout the week comes across in the images, and if not I’m sure that the video will contain endless footage of me being hilarious.

We’ll be back Marbella!

You can buy our Spain film for instant download – then you can see for yourself what we got up to in Spain!

Some of the rowers in the 2015 calendar went on tour in the USA in December 2014. Here’s Tom’s account of his days in LA and all the things he loved about it. 

I was thrilled to be invited on the Warwick Rowers’ U.S. Tour. Taking part in the calendar shoot was a totally new experience, and meeting Sir Ian McKellen in London’s Mayfair Hotel at the 2015 calendar launch was something I never imagined I’d be doing. But going to Hollywood, then New York and Miami– well, I certainly didn’t think I’d be ‘on tour’ when I arrived at Warwick University and joined the rowing club. It was a big change from my little house in the Welsh valleys! This is my diary of my days in LA.

Tom and Chris quickly adjusted to the LA lifestyle.

Friday 28^th November

Stayed at Ollie’s house the night before the flight. We were like excited kids at Christmas and were up at the crack of dawn, eager to get the bus to the airport. We hadn’t slept much, but we didn’t care. Amazingly, I had two empty seats beside me on our Virgin flight, so I stretched out and made up for my lost beauty sleep.

Tristan and Chris were on the same flight as Ollie and I. We were all wearing Sport Allies hoodies. The cabin crew wanted to know who we where and what the#WR15 and Sport Allies was about. After we told them our story they insisted on having a photo with us at the end of the flight!

When we touched down in LA the heat hit me like a blast furnace. Sadly, that was the last California sunshine we saw. The next day it poured down…and the next…and the one after. But having a 4×4 jeep to play with more than compensated for the weather. Plus, once we put Chris the efficient German behind the wheel, I sat back and fell in love with LA, its palm trees, wide and open roads, vibrant energy and positive vibes.

It isn’t always sunny in LA – but Chris is smiling!

Sunday 30^th November

Interview and editorial shoot with The Backlot. This was a new experience for us: we were wearing clothes and Angus wasn’t taking the photographs. It felt like we were a boy band. In some of the shots where we hang upside down on bars, you can see my face turning red as the blood rushed to my head.

We were interviewed at The Abbey in West Hollywood, or WeHo. While we were there we got an invitation to a World Aids Day event in the evening. This involved lighting the Christmas tree.

It was a privilege to be invited to light the Christmas tree on World AIDS Day.

Monday 1^st December

Buzzfeed Day! We were met by Sam Stryker, the “Editor/Office Troll” according to his Twitter profile. He said we were going to feel like superheroes. “Naked rowers, our favourite homophobia-fighting athletes!!!” the Buzzfeed website announced. We fixed problems naked: we fixed coffee machines, printers, wifi, emails, boring meetings, deadlines, staplers and more.

In the evening we went to the World Aids Day event. When we arrived, the paparazzi were waiting for us. Just joking: they were waiting for Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian! Still, it was cool to walk through the wave of cameras. The Belvedere Boys dressed as icemen were incredibly designed and ripped (made me look bad), but the highlight of the night for us was having a photo taken of us holding Kris Jenner up. Friends at home couldn’t believe it when we posted it on Facebook.

Then things got even more unbelievable: Lisa Vanderpump (of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Vanderpump Rules” TV fame) invited us for a drink at her restaurant Pump. (It was fun sitting down with Lisa and talking to her about Sport Allies and the calendar. She’s a big supporter of the LGBT community. I didn’t write: “sit naked next to a celebrity and have your photo taken” on my bucket list, and now I don’t have to. I’ve done it!

But the highlight of the evening for me was meeting Lisa’s dog Giggy- full name Gigolo Vanderpump Todd! She allowed me to hold him on my lap!

This isn’t Giggy – but Tom has managed to find another pooch to cuddle!

Tuesday 2^nd December

E! News Shoot was the first of three things on our agenda today. We met the two lovely presenters, played Twister on TV (as you do) and chatted about Sport Allies and the calendar. It was my first time in front of cameras and I was certainly a bit nervous at first. Gradually it got easier.

Next we went to World of Wonder for more bizarreness: we wore Christmas costumes (well, sort of) and sang Christmas carols rather badly. We enjoyed singing though. Laurie, Tristan and Chris posed with random Christmas objects to recreate some of the calendar shots. All in all, a fun day with some twists!

Wednesday 3^rd December

Back to Buzzfeed! After our British speedo-wearing, superhero day at the office, I wasn’t sure what to expect today. We spent the day with the Try Guys – Buzzfeed guys who try things for the first time. Today they wanted to try naked modelling. It was another unpredictable and surprising day. 

This is our ‘serious superhero’ look!

Thursday 4^th December

An embarrassing day for me. Ollie, Chris, Tristan and I decided to run from the Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood sign. It started off well, but the others are better runners and when I stopped to tie my shoelace they had disappeared into the mist by the time I looked up again. Into the hills! I ran on confidently, but then the paths forked and guess what? I took the wrong turn and ended up on a golf course a few miles away. A kind person gave me a lift back to the Observatory. The 4×4 jeep was empty. I did find them on top of a nearby hill, just about to call the police and send out a search party. And all this in torrential rain: the worst in three years we kept hearing. No wonder people kept say “You brought the weather with you!”

“Is that where you got lost Tom?” Tristan asks.

Friday 5^th December

Last day in LA! One final interview before the Big Apple with Entertainment Tonight. The presenter asked us to strip down to our onesies and play a game of “Guess the Bum!” She showed us shots from our new film “Some Like It Hotter” – we identified everyone’s bum with ease. Some volunteers in the studio want to know what it’s like to get lifted on to a rower’s shoulders – like in our calendar cover shot. So we happily obliged!

Here are some of the ‘bums’ in the competition.

Next stop was the Kitson store where we signed calendars, photos, posters and had our photos taken with supporters. We find meeting supporters one of the most rewarding aspects of doing the calendar: it’s great to hear supporter’s stories about their experiences of homophobia while growing up and why they believe in the Sport Allies message.

And then sadly, it was time to leave. I’d like to give a big thumbs up to Norm’s café for its big steaks pancakes, scrambled eggs, bowls of fruit and unlimited refills- all for 15 dollars!! Rowers are always hungry and America serves ‘rower-size’ portions.

Tom loving LA!

LA is a beautiful city, and because it’s spread out, the journeys in the jeep were more fun with flowing banter and music of all genres blaring all the time all day every day. I loved visiting Santa Monica Pier and seeing the Bubba Gump Shrimp diner (Big Forest Gump fan!) plus, just driving around LA and enjoying its positive energy was wonderful. Oh, and of course… I mustn’t forget the In-N-Out Animal Style! For burgers and fries – they do it best and only in California

On top of all this, the appreciation we received for spreading the Sport Allies message was extremely heart-warming. I feel privileged to raise money for the club and battle homophobia in sports to try and make a difference. My thanks to our supporters and everyone involved comes from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you LA – you’re awesome and so are our supporters!

If you haven’t seen our USA film it’s available for you to download right now in our shop. With special guest appearances from Lisa Vanderpump, Tori Spelling and Kris Jenner.

Lucas explains why supporting Sport Allies is important to him… 

“I’m proud to support Sport Allies.”

Sport Allies is something very new for me. It’s my first year at Warwick and my first year in the calendar. Before coming to the UK for university, I was a swimmer and I don’t think I have witnessed any homophobia in swimming. First of all because it is an individual sport and secondly because I simply never witnessed homophobia during my time swimming. Therefore, I had never thought too much about homophobia in sports and the consequences it could have on LGBT+ people of our generation, and more widely the society as a whole.

But, being involved in the project, talking with the guys and our producer and also seeing some of the research Sport Allies has completed, I have come to realise that homophobia is a threat to self-development, not only for LGBT+ people, but all of us. Experiencing homophobia in sports can harm many and it can also influence someone about how to act towards his mates, and towards life in general by having what is called a “manly attitude”.

One of the first consequence of homophobia, is bullying and discrimination – it harms people directly and results in dissuading young LGBT+ from joining sport clubs (especially team sports) and therefore prevents them from accomplishing their dreams, or sometimes just from experiencing something that teaches life-long values. I am very proud to take part in a project that raises funds for Sport Allies and spreads a message to all athletes out there that sports should be about inclusion and not to force young people into a model of what we think is “normal”.

This time it’s Tristan’s turn to talk about the importance of Sport Allies…

Challenging homophobia is an essential element of everything the Warwick Rowers do.

Before getting involved with the project I was aware that homophobia was an issue in sport, however it’s only in the last year that I’ve truly understood the scale of the problem and the adverse effects it can have on someones personal development. To get to hear the stories of our supporters first hand has been the highlight of being involved in the project for me, their honesty and openness is incredibly humbling and they have helped me gain a stronger understanding of the struggles faced by members of the LGBT+ community.

Whilst taking part in school sport at a younger age, phrases such as ‘man up’ and ‘stop being gay’ were thrown about without people giving much thought to what they were saying. This isn’t a healthy environment to encourage personal development, which is ideally what sport is about. Sport Allies has commissioned research, which shows that members of the LGBT+ community who want to take part in sport at university are half as likely to engage in team sport than their heterosexual peers. This can only be due to previous negative experiences within sport, and this needs to change throughout sport, from beginner to professional level. I want to see this change radically so that anyone who defines themselves as LGBT+ can participate in any form of sport, and that’s why everything the Warwick Rowers do to help this change happen is very important to me. 

Sport has always been an important part of my life, both playing and spectating, and the thought of someone missing out on those experiences through exclusion doesn’t sit right with me. That’s why I think Sport Allies is such an important organisation and one that we all need to get behind. Sport has contributed so much to making me the person I am today; it has fostered many of my friendships, it has helped me develop individual as well as team work skills and has allowed me to push myself and test my limits. I don’t believe it’s right to deny anybody the chance to share in these experiences through marginalisation – although I’ve never personally witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport (I’ve been on teams with openly homosexual athletes) this is unfortunately not the norm for many others.

How did you feel about being invited to the Spain shoot?

I was very excited. I love going to new places that I haven’t been to before and it’s always a good laugh spending time with the rowing guys. It also gave me an excellent opportunity to work on my tan.

Is this your first visit to Spain? First visit to Costa del Sol?

I’ve been to Spain a few times before, visiting Barcelona and Mallorca. However it was my first time on the Costa del Sol.

What did you think the area would be like?

I had the impression Marbella was a very extravagant, wealthy town. It was a lot more relaxed and laid back than I anticipated and everyone we spoke to was very friendly.

What were your first impressions of the coast?

The coast was amazing. Especially the Atlantic coast as we had views of Morocco. However the sand was far too hot for our feet!

Where did you do your first shoot? What was that like?

We were lucky enough to have access to a €30 million mansion for our first shoot. Very different to the student halls of residence I’ve been living in all year at Warwick. The views were simply stunning as I’m sure you’ll see in some of the calendar shots!

What other places did you visit for shoots?

We visited the Atlantic coast for one day of shooting. We caused a bit of a stir on the beach by running around in the buff. We also went to some local hills near Angus’ apartment which had recently been charred by a forest fire, leading to some cool looking trees.

Which location did you like best?

My personal favourite was the villa. The infinity pool overlooked the coast which was amazing. We definitely felt as if we were living the high life.

What did you do in your free time?

Most of our spare time was spent in the pool or eating. Tom spent the majority of his time researching facts for his ever popular ‘Facts with Tom’ edition of the Warwick Rowers Snapchat. We did visit a couple of the local clubs in the evenings and had a very good time.

Is there anything you didn’t have time to do and wish you had? Any place you’d really like to visit another time?

I think we got a good range of shots in different locations considering the amount of time we had. If I came back I’d definitely like to spend more time in the sea, although maybe not naked next time as those jellyfish looked dangerous!

Shooting in Spain is a fairly new location for the calendar – what do you think it adds to the images and the enjoyment of making the calendar?

Having new locations is always a good idea for calendar shooting. It creates a real depth in the photographs. It definitely makes it a lot nicer for the guys as it’s actually quite pleasant being naked when its 34 degrees!

Download our Spain film and enjoy some fun in the sun with us!

Sport Allies today provided written evidence to a Commons Select Committee investigating homophobia in sport.  A previous inquiry into racism in football (soccer) had concluded that homophobia was emerging as a bigger problem than other forms of discrimination in sport, and this inquiry has been launched in response.

The committee has expressed particular interest in:

• Looking at the experiences of gay sportsmen and sportswomen; what do these tell us about different sports and the progression of attitudes in general?
• The approach of governance bodies throughout sport; how does homophobic abuse compare to other forms of harassment? How successful have governing bodies been in tackling this issue?
• How is homophobia being tackled at school? What actions are taken by teachers and coaches involved in youth and amateur sport to ensure homophobia is challenged at any early stage?
• Does football have a particular problem with homophobia in comparison to other sports?
• Is homophobic abuse more of an issue in traditionally “masculine” sports? And looking specifically at the experience of women who play sport: is there more acceptance in the female game or is homophobia just as prevalent amongst women?
• What effect has the advent of social media had on discrimination in sport, in general?

Sport Allies’ submission has focused primarily on homophobia and the role of masculinity in excluding young people from sport in schools and other youth settings.

The Sport Allies submission can be downloaded at the link below.

Sport Allies DCMS Submission Final

As some of your may know, YouTube has blocked our latest free promo video from being seen by anyone under 18.  Our boys, Tristan and Tom, along with our producer & photographer Angus Malcolm, were invited onto Sunrise, Australia’s most popular breakfast TV show, to discuss our shock and disappointment at YouTube’s decision.

After taking a very candid look at the video, the Sunrise hosts talked to Tom, Tristan and Angus about the challenges of shooting the calendar, its global popularity of the calendar and the importance of our mission to “show young people that team sport should be an inclusive place for everyone.”

Angus made the point that it’s pretty difficult to get that message out to young people when YouTube is blocking them from seeing a video that Sunrise, by contrast, was happy to share with its family audience of all ages.

Since YouTube seems to be stuck in the Dark Ages, we’ve gone back to Vimeo.  That way, we can get on with the job of helping young LGBT people to come to terms with their identity in the healthiest possible way.

We wanted to say thank you for the amazing support that you have shown us and Sport Allies again this year. Thank you!

Although we have a lot to be grateful for this season, we have also witnessed growing resentment of minority and LGBT rights around the world.  So three of us went to Westminster, the seat of British government, to send a naked Christmas message to world leaders. 

Please share this message across all of your social media channels and help us get the message out. 

We are the Warwick Rowers.

Cian: And this is Westminster, our country’s main seat of power. It’s London, it’s December and it’s not that warm BUT

Lucas: We are here because we have a message for the new leadership team in the United States and for all leaders around the world.

Tom: As straight allies, we believe that everyone should have the same human rights, regardless of gender or sexual identity.

Cian: And as athletes, we believe that sport can play a vital role in creating an inclusive, healthy and happy world for everyone.

Lucas: This year, as every year, we have shed our clothes as a symbol of breaking down barriers, a demonstration of the contribution that sport can make to health and wellbeing [one or more guys flexes their guns, tenses their abs, etc], and as a reminder that we are all equals in this challenging journey called life.

Tom: So, President Elect Trump and Vice President Elect Pence, we’re sending you our world famous calendar. In it, as here, we stand naked in front of the world to do what we can to make a difference.

Cian: In turn, we call on you, and everyone else in positions of power, to stand before the world and show your commitment to equality, inclusion and human rights.

Lucas: And you don’t even have to get naked. We’ve already done that bit for you.

SPORT ALLIES!

The UK’s National Calendar Awards at the venerable Stationers’ Guild (founded in 1249!) by St Paul’s Cathedral in London have become an annual outing for the Warwick Rowers since we won Charity Calendar of the Year for the first time back in 2014. We once again turned out in force for the 2017 awards on January 26th, where we added the People’s Choice award to bring our total win to seven NCAs. We’re pretty sure that’s a record!

On April 26th, the Hon. Damian Collins MP, Chair of the Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport, hosted a reception for around twenty five guests at the House of Commons in Westminster to celebrate the partnership between Sport Allies and Leeds Beckett University, and the tremendous results that this partnership has already achieved, including the Sport Allies report on “Homophobia, Gender and Sporting Culture”, which has encouraged the UK Government to recognise the value of allies to LGBT advancement in sport.  

The event was attended by top sporting celebrities, including Lianne Sanderson, former Arsenal & Chelsea football player who also played football for England, and Olympic gold medalists Helen Richardson Walsh OBE & Kate Richardson Walsh OBE – the first single gender married couple to win Olympic gold for Britain!  We also welcomed senior academics from the UK & Canada who specialise in examining issues such as patriarchy and heteronormativity, and representatives from both Sport Allies and Warwick Rowers, including names many of you will recall from previous calendars, like Chris Primett, Tristan and Laurie.

A few of us, including Tristan, Laurie and Angus, visited the Palace of Westminster  in 2015 to accept our Pink News award from the Secretary of State for Education as Community Group of the Year.  It was very nice to be back in this world-famous and historic building!

On May 11th, a few of the boys went to Soho, London to join Ollie Locke at the launch of Chappy, his innovative new gay dating app. Other attendees included Ella Eyre, Lottie Moss, Jodie Harsh, Joshua Kane & Owen Jones.  The rowers got a lot of phone numbers.

The 2017 World Pride festival was hosted by the city of Madrid and we were honoured to be invited by the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (www.iglta.org) to participate in various events as their guests, with all accommodation very kindly provided by our friends at misterb&b (www.misterbandb.com).

On Thursday 29th June, we were invited to the home of the Belgian ambassador to Spain for the announcement of Brussels’ candidacy to host EuroPride 2020 and the IGLTA conference 2020 by the Belgian Ambassador and the Belgian Secretary of State for Equal Opportunities.

On Friday 30th June, the IGLTA & Ontario Tourism co-hosted an official event at Cardamomo to promote the 2018 IGLTA Global Convention in Toronto, Canada. We were honoured to be invited to share our message and story as guest speakers. Both Lucas Etienne and Angus Malcolm gave speeches to an appreciative audience of professionals from the tourism industry about the importance of a more inclusive world and the role that allies can play in that – not just in sport but in tourism, too.

At the end of our speech, we issued a challenge to Ontario Tourism!  They have accepted, so watch this space.  All we’ll say right now is that there’s a certain Canadian we think would look great in a Warwick Rowers onesie…

On Saturday 1st July, it was the World Pride Parade. One of the largest LGBT+ events ever organised with almost 4 million people watching and taking part in the parade. After last year’s success for London Pride Parade, a few of the guys were waving the Sport Allies flags on the New York City float along the music of DJ Hector Fonseca. What an amazing way to end World Pride for us!

This year we shot at two beautiful English country estates that make the most of their natural setting, including one that was landscaped by Capability Brown, the 18th century pioneer of “natural landscaping” who is also known as “England’s greatest gardener”.  Nearly thirty Warwick Rowers signed up for this year’s shoot, with quite a few familiar faces and plenty of new boys who are more committed than ever to promoting the values of the Warwick Rowers and Sport Allies.