What its like to row at worlds, Claire Burley

Claire competed at 2025 world rowing championships finishing 4th overall in the lightweight women's double, and also finished 4th in the B final of the mixed 8+.

How did you get into rowing?

I kind of got into rowing not fully intentionally. I’d had a really bad first year at university, and knew I wanted to join a sports society. Originally I was considering Triathlon as I already enjoyed running, cycling, and swimming, but at the time I was dating someone who had been a former rower, and decided that it would be something we could do together…

Long story short, I ended up staying in rowing, he didn’t, and eventually we parted ways!

When did you know you were going to be successful?

I think it was my second year as a university rower when I started to really see and belive in my potential in the sport. I was rowing in a lightweight pair at the time, we were getting big results in championship categories.

What is your favourite rowing memory?

Lea Rowing Club performance camp TSR Vidar 2023. All I can say is Giraffes, and Heineken haha.

What is something about racing at worlds that someone might not expect?

I think just realising that we’re all just human beings at the end of the day. It’s not much different to racing at a big regatta back home. Seeing all these amazing athletes whom I’ve looked up to for years just as people competing in a sport that they love. It really grounds everything.

How did you cope with nerves or anxiety at the start line of worlds?

I try to see every race as just another race, No matter how big or small, club or international. For me I try not to focus so much on the results. At the end of the day, I’m here as a result of my training. And I’m going to implement my training into my race. And most of all I also try to focus on being in the moment, and enjoying myself! If I worry too much, the moment can be so easily missed, and every starting line is a time of celebration, and appreciation.

I also sing Carry On Wayward by Kansas to myself at the starting line of all of my races, I think I’ve learnt to use it as another way to ground myself and cap my nerves. In fact if you play the livestream back and see my lips moving, I’m most definitely singing that song to myself!

If there was one piece of advice you could tell yourself at the start of your rowing journey what would it be?

I think I'd just tell myself to enjoy it, embrace what I’m going to learn, and that the sport is going to take me to some dark places, but equally it’s going to take me to the most amazing places too, and to trust the process, even if it might look different to others. This is my journey, not someone else’s, and everyone is different.