Between the Buoys
Becky Wilde and Eve Stewart are Olympic, World, and European medallists. On Between the Buoys, they take you along for the highs and lows of life as a full-time athlete.
Between the Buoys
Live from WEHORR 2026 | Episode 6
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Join Becky Wilde and Eve Stewart as they record live at WEHORR 2026. This week, they chat about inspirational women and how they've been inspired over the years, not least by their mums! All this and so much more on this week's episode of Between The Buoys.
Rocket Coaching is proud to sponsor Between the Buoys.
Between The Buoys is proudly sponsored by Rocket Coaching, a UK-based performance coaching and development practice led by Ian Howell. Rocket Coaching works with leaders and teams across organisations of all sizes, helping unlock true potential and deliver lasting, world-class performance through a values-led, human approach.
With decades of experience in sales leadership, coaching and human performance, Rocket delivers sustainable transformation for organisations - helping people perform at their best, not just in business, but in life.
Discover more at rocketcoach.co.uk.
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This week on Between the Boys, we'll be talking about some of the inspiring women in our lives. I'm Becky Wilde and I'm Eve Stewart and we're both Olympic World and European medalists for Team GB.
SPEAKER_00And this is our podcast about what actually goes on in our lives as GB rowers. We can't tell you everything, but we can tell you a lot. Thank you, of course, to our sponsor, Rocket Coaching, for making this episode possible.
SPEAKER_01Now sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy. Becky, hello, we're back. And this time we're sat in London.
SPEAKER_00I know, yeah, we're recovering live on London Rowing Club's balcony, um, having just watched Wee Haw and what an incredible day we've had.
SPEAKER_01I know, amazing day. Big shout out to Leander Club, of course, for taking the win again for the tenth year in a row, which I think is something worth celebrating.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I know we're biased, but yeah, big shout out to the club and all the girls down there. I think um they felt a bit of pressure today, so to come away with that result um is really impressive.
SPEAKER_01It is, it is. I'm sure they'll be very pleased. And of course, a massive well done to everyone else. If you want to hear more about our thoughts on Wee Haw and just general reactions on the entire day of racing, over 3,000 women were competing. That all happens on the end of the island podcast with JRN. So head over there if you want to of course after you listen to this, head over there if you want some more info on it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um, and we thought um off the back of Women's Head Today and International Women's Day last week, Mother's Day tomorrow, that we talk about inspiring women on this week's episode of our pod.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we did, because let's face it, we've all grown up with inspiring women around us, you know, and it doesn't have to be someone that you see on TV, but at some point somewhere someone's inspired you. So we're gonna read it back to the beginning. Becky, who in your memory at least was your first sort of I don't know, inspirational female role model?
SPEAKER_00I think when I look at it in a sporting sphere, um it would be Kelly Holmes. And I remember her watching her win two gold medals at the Athens Olympics, and that was the moment that I knew I wanted to be an Olympian. Um that gives me chills. Yeah, it's actually yeah, I can still like see her face like winning winning those medals in 800, 1500, and just being so inspired as like a six-year-old girl, and I was obsessed, like I read her book over and over again for like a real number of years, and I think off the back of that I like loved Paula Radcliffe as well, um, and I think just was like I don't know if I was like obsessed with the idea of athletics or just like female uh like having a female athlete role model, but it would be those two athletes who the first ones for me that I really was like inspired by. Um what about you?
SPEAKER_01So my my first like very conscious memory has got to be Jessica Annis Hill. Similarly, I can still see her crossing the line in the 800 of their Tathon in London, like that image is etched in my brain, and I think similar to you, like I yeah, I don't know, maybe just because athletics is so much more televised compared relatively compared to other women's sports, which of course are still not nearly televised enough, but it's it is getting better. But I feel like you know, 10-15 years ago, uh athletics was definitely a more dominant one, so yeah. Similar to you, that was the moment where I was like, Well, I want to be an Olympian, so how are we gonna make that happen? Um, and amazingly, we can both say that we have made that happen, which is still a pinch me thing, to be honest. Doesn't it still doesn't really feel real, but anyway, that's a whole different topic. But yeah, Jessica Ennis Hill, I think for me was my first my first role role model. I just remember being just awestruck by like the the physicality and like the psychology and everything involved in it. I was like, I I need to know what it's like, like what you have to do, how do you get here?
SPEAKER_00I think yeah, I vividly remember Jess Ennis Hill winning in London and just being in awe of the pressure that she was under, and yet she was still able to produce the most phenomenal um performance. And she was the poster girl of those London Olympics, and if she hadn't won, like gosh, like she'd have been under like a lot of criticism and a lot of fire, and so to see how she handled that was phenomenal. And I think um someone who really stands out for me also from those games, and actually it's probably the first time that rowing really piqued my interest, is Catherine Granger. Yeah, and she was also under pressure there. I think she'd won um three silver medals on the bounce um from Sydney, Athens, and Beijing. And London was kind of at that point, she thought it was her swan song.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um, and she'd come into it with Anna Watkins and the double, and they were favourites, but she'd already known what being a favourite at the Olympics was like, and then had got silver in Beijing, and that was such like a heartbreaking moment for her. Um, and I just remember the media really really building her up beforehand, and I was reading so many articles about her and how she'd had that silver medal heartbreak, like initially was like over overjoyed with silver in Sydney, and then progressively it just became heartbreak for her. But she's someone to me that in my rowing journey had I've just looked up to and been like, wow, like what a crazy phenomenal athlete, and to see what she's done outside of sport as well has been amazing. I think she's such like a role model for women and what she's achieved outside of her athletic endeavours.
SPEAKER_01I completely agree, and she's just cool, she's just so cool. She's she's just cool, isn't she? I remember right before we went to Paris, we went to this hotel in Reading where it was sort of like a little holding camp for a few days just because it's so crazy before the Olympics. I remember actually, although you like being in your own bed, I remember longing to get to this hotel to just be able to sort of stay in the tunnel, not get distracted, and not have to sort of say sorry for not meeting up with people, you know. But she was there and she did a little talk to us as a squad, didn't she? And it it it was just so special hearing like those things come from her.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I remember that talk, and um I just I remember what she said. She said Um how special it is to be an Olympian, and I was just like, oh my gosh, it's coming true. Like we're going to Paris tomorrow, like this is amazing. And yeah, it's just oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01Emotional time. Yeah, it was emotional time. We're both wet wipes, aren't we? No, we are. But um, yeah, no, Catherine Granger. And I think what what is what I love about the concept of you know, female role models or just inspiring women is it it they're not necessarily the people who stand out to me, Catherine Granger, Jessica and I tell they're obvious they're obvious ones, aren't they? But inspiring women aren't always the women who are in the spotlight and who have achieved these amazing things or it or are in the media, or like I've been so inspired by my teammates over the years, or by people who don't even row, you know, or just friends of mine who are just epic and just conquer these amazing things that have nothing to do with sport, but it I think it's so special to be able to draw that like inspiration and stand still for a minute and just have a look at what the women around you do.
SPEAKER_00No, I agree. I think there's such strength and resilience from people across society and like in our own lives as well as um further afield. And um, trust for me, like on International Women's Day, I was actually at an event in Cardiff and um it was a charity um run by a family friend called To Wish, and Rihanna Manning set up that charity um and she set it up off the back of like losing her one-year-old son and her husband then committing suicide just a few days later. And just the way that she spoke that day with such strength and power to her words, and just showed like how resilient she is. Like 14 years later, she's created a charity that is incredible and supports so many families going through the same thing, and I just sat in that room like wow, like to me that's inspiration. It's like in the face of real life challenges, that's strength. Yeah, well, and then it's just put I think to me, I was like, Well, it just puts everything in perspective, doesn't it? Like, you know, yeah, yeah, it really does.
SPEAKER_01And perspective is worth so much because I think it's so easy. I mean, it's human nature, isn't it, to get wrapped up in whatever's going on in your own life. Yeah, but a bit of perspective goes a long way sometimes, even just for reducing your own stress, you know, that realization of like hang on, the world is a bit bigger than what's gonna happen to me on the erg tomorrow. And that that sounds really I don't know, superficial, egocentric. It's not meant to be, but I think whatever you're doing, you get wrapped up in it, right? When you're a hundred percent invested, whether it's a job or uni or school or any activity, it it's it's worth a lot to sometimes take a step back from it.
SPEAKER_00I think so, yeah. And I think that is something that we sometimes struggle to remember.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But on a more cheerful note, um, so we've spoken about female inspirations and role models when we were growing up. Is there I mean, I know you're as big a fan of female sport as I am, but in like say more modern times, in like this era of female sport where it's grown so much and we've seen like the success of the lionesses, the red roses, who are your like who do you look at, I guess like as a bit of a peer now, because like we are kind of on the same level in terms of like international sport, who do you look at and think, wow, like respect?
SPEAKER_01I think that's such a hard question because I well, first of all, I know you say peer, which in theory, yes, but I just still like in the same way that I don't necessarily feel like the Olympian that I used to look at when I was younger, you know what I mean? Like when I see these athletes on TV, I'm like, wow, they're so cool, like that's amazing. But obviously, what this is a bit of a sidebar, but I think what what is so cool is that female athletes have such a growing presence in media, and that is really exciting because I feel like where before there were just a few names that stood out and really got all the attention. I mean, talking about Jessica Ennis Hill being in the limelight for London, like I remember, I think I saw a photo that her face had been like um mowed into a grass field on a union jack that when you landed at Heathrow, you saw it. Do you remember that? I mean, talk about pressure. Sorry, there's some cars driving around in the background here. But um just game hard without naming a single one, I think the fact that we're able to like if we were young girls now, you are so much more aware of so many more women in the spotlight in sport. I've gone on a bit of tangent here, but I do think that's really cool. I'm gonna throw the question back to you though, Becky. If you name currently like top two, top three, like who are you listening to at the moment or you know, drawing inspiration from?
SPEAKER_00Um I think for me, like likewise, I wouldn't be able to pick a single name, but I I've been really inspired by the red roses, and I think the lionesses before that as well. But to me, the red roses have shown um what it is to be such a dominant force in women's sport and embrace all types of athletes and all types of body shapes and all types of backgrounds and personalities, and just to see like how successful they have been, not only in winning a World Cup, but inspiring young girls, and I mean older girls, like they've inspired me, I'm sure they've inspired many, many more people. Um, to see how they've done that has been really, really uplifting. And I think even five, ten years ago, that wasn't a thing, and they weren't celebrated like that, and yeah, we've now got the likes of Sarah Byrne, Ellie Kilden, Emily Scarrot, Mo Hunt, it's like kind of household names, which I think is phenomenal, and like you say, um, back in 2012, only 14 years ago, I don't think many people would have been able to name many more female athletes other than like the likes of Jess Ennis Hale and Becky Addington. I know. So actually to see that progress to me as a female athlete is really incredible.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, I think it makes me think of those sort of Instagram reels that you'll see of people interviewing people on the street and being like, oh, name a professional female athlete, and the only person they can say is Serena Williams. Obviously, amazing, but times are changing from that, aren't they? And I feel just going off, you know, the red roses. I do think credit where credit is due. A lot of that was also spurred on, obviously, by Elona Moore, Mayor. I I Rip Ma. Yeah, I should really remember. I just her surname doesn't stick in my head for some reason, which is really bad. But um, anyway, obviously after Paris, she I mean, her she'd been busy, she'd been present on social media for years, but obviously she had this massive boom after Paris and is an amazing, amazing force of nature, I think, for women's sports and just women in general in body positivity, a mental health advocate, you know, everything in and around it, and just as you say, that there's no right or wrong way to look as a female athlete in sport. Um, and I I wish, I definitely wish I'd had a loner to look up to when I was sort of 12-13 years old.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, I agree, yeah. That's progress.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that is progress.
SPEAKER_00We're gonna take a quick pause there for a message from our sponsor, Rocket Coaching. Between the Boys is proudly sponsored by Rocket Coaching, a UK-based performance coaching and development practice led by Ian Howe.
SPEAKER_01Rocket Coaching works with leaders and teams across organisations of all sizes, helping unlock true potential and deliver lasting world-class performance through a values-led human approach.
SPEAKER_00With decades of experience in sales, leadership, coaching, and human performance, Rocket delivers sustainable transformation for organisations.
SPEAKER_01Helping people perform at their best, not just in business, but in life.
SPEAKER_00Discover more at rocketcoach.co.uk. So International Women's Day was last week, but Mother's Day is tomorrow. Um I think this is a nice opportunity to speak about mothers in sport, but also our own mothers, because we wouldn't be here without them, would we?
SPEAKER_01No, absolutely not. And my mum, I think as I'm getting older, I'm realising how much like her I am, um, which is really nice because she's a very strong woman, she's got absolutely a mind of her own, of absolute force of nature. Um, and not that I'm necessarily on that level quite yet, but in how I approach things, I'm like, oh hang on, this is giving me sort of like deja vu to how my mum would have done something, you know, when I was like 13 or 14 or something like that, which is it's it's actually it's weird, but it's also quite nice.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think as you grow up, you really learn to appreciate your mum, don't you? And you see, yeah, you do see so much of yourself or of her and you. Um, and for me, I think like I said earlier, like Kelly Holmes is my first inspiration. But I think actually probably my mum, as I've grown up, I've realized that how incredible she was when we were younger. Like she was an athlete herself, she played hockey, but she gave that up um when she had us, and um she was still like really active and she got us into sport. Well as did my dad, but um I think like how she was part of a different generation, but really like aspired to be that female athlete and to compete at the highest level. Like for me that shows I don't know, I just I think like oh I'm so it's so lucky that we have the opportunities we have today, but we kind of stand on the shoulders of those women before us who didn't have those opportunities.
SPEAKER_01Yes, absolutely. And I think what I I'm I'm sure you'll feel similar, what is what I've always found really special is that my mum sometimes I don't always like to hear what she has to say because it's you know it it it can be what's what's saying it hit hard nail appropriate whatever I'm I'm I'm jumbling my words here. Tough love, yeah, sometimes, but only in the moments where it needs to be. And I think one of the girls actually in one of our morning briefings, um, it was Holly Youd, she she we were talking about our biggest supporters, and she said it was about her parents, and she was like, you know, they they're not really that they don't know that much about rowing, or they didn't when I started, uh, and they're the most supportive ever, but they also actually really don't care if I win or lose, and she was like, I I know they'll love me either way, and I think that's just been very much simply my mum has been so supportive throughout my whole sporting career in supporting my dreams and making me believe I could achieve them, but also she really wouldn't care if I hadn't done, you know, she'd be like, Oh well, quit then, doesn't matter, find something else. Um but but never in never in the wrong way, just always towing the line between in in those moments where I am have or have been really struggling and been like, Oh, do I do I still want to row? You know, it's getting really hard. She's been like, Well, you can just quit, and then I've of course gone, no, I'm not gonna quit, and then kept going. Um, but yeah, that they have such an amazing influence, and yeah, just one of the very many women in our lives who do influence what we do, I'd say.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, exactly. And a shout out to all the mums out there who were supporting all of us, no what matter what the journey we're taking.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And a special shout out, probably. You of course had a very special relationship with another mum in particular in your run-up to Paris, which was of course Matilda. Um, I remember she was bringing Freddie on training camps in the run-ups. He was what, two-ish at the time, um, which was actually always really welcome, as we spoke about earlier, in getting us to forget what we were doing on the water, having a little cute two-year-old running around was great for perspective. But can you what what can you say about that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think we speak about inspirations, and to me, like Matilda will always be like a huge inspiration of mine. Um, like she's one of my best friends, but to see how much she sacrificed in that run-up to Paris and how determined she was to show that she could do it, she could make it to the Olympics, and everything that came after, obviously, off the back of um giving birth only two years prior to that. Um she shows me how what it is to be determined and to work your absolute hardest, and um like she now she's an incredible mum, and I think to her that's what matters most in the world, and even in Paris, yeah, that was also what matters. Um, but she was able to take Freddie along with her on the journey, and he was only two years old in Paris, but he still remembers it, which I think is so special. Like just the other day, um he was wearing his team GB hat and he was talking about Roro. And I just think wow, what an incredible experience that was for him. And um Matilda can always look back on that time, I think, with pride, and yeah, she inspires me as yeah, as a mum. I just look at her and I'm like, Wow, okay, if I ever become a mum, that's what I want to be like.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's epic, and of course, credit where credit is you. I mean, Helen Glover was obviously also there with kids, but what I've what I love is that on the back of Paris we have so many more mums in the team now. Which it's been really I mean, I've not been around that much, that many pregnant women in my life, to be honest. Um, but a lot of the women who have either just had a baby or are still pregnant and are almost due, they've been at Caversham still almost every day in the run-up. Obviously, every pregnancy is different and you must follow your doctor's medical advice if you're listening to this and you are pregnant. But it's been so amazing to be around pregnant women who are you know exercising and training and just like smashing every sort of not to boo, but like all the all the things you'd sort of expect or would have expected 10, 15, 20 years ago to be associated with pregnancy. It's just it it's not necessarily like that and it's so inspiring.
SPEAKER_00It is inspiring, and I have learned so much about pregnancy having been around those women. Yeah. Um and it's really just opened my eyes to what a female body can do. Yeah, it's and to see them all like no matter what path they've chosen to take now. I'm just like, wow, like you have gone through something incredible. Yeah, unreal. Okay, moving on to the last bit of our pod, and it's time for our listeners' questions.
SPEAKER_01So to start with Becky, this is from Ruby, and she says, How do you unwind unwind and rest?
SPEAKER_00That is a good question, Ruby, as um any of my best mates and um family will tell you that I probably struggle to do that and I need to be better. But um I unwind by I think just chilling out um in the evenings like with my housemates or my friends, um, and just trying to switch off whether that's watching um a series or just like enjoying each other's company. Just finished watching um The Night Manager. So I can't. Oh my god, how good is that?
SPEAKER_01Have you finished season two? Yes, yeah, we just finished the other day. Also, I am so incredibly in love with what's his name? Tom Hiddleston. Yeah, wow. Wow. I came across a reel recently as well. Guys, he can dance. Oh. Yeah, on the Graham Norton show. Look it up. That man.
SPEAKER_00We're gonna go find that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Sorry, Ryan, but I love him.
SPEAKER_00Um moving on from Tom Hiddleston. Next question. Eve, if you weren't a rower, what job would you have?
SPEAKER_01Well, obviously I don't know because I've not really been not a rower in quite a long time. But um I would love to work in well, as you would as well, which is why we do this podcast partially. Um something in sports media, TV, in that direction. And I think even when I stop being a professional athlete, I can't imagine doing a job that doesn't in some way revolve around sport. So I think it just brings, I mean, obviously you get driven people in every area of life, naturally. Um, but we obviously rub along quite well with the type of people you get in and around sport. So I just think whether that's you know in a media capacity for a sports team or in a more reporting fashion or something in that context, I yeah, hopefully something in that area. Well what about you, Becky?
SPEAKER_00Um yes, very similar. I cannot see myself not being involved in sport in some way. Um and I definitely want to get into journalism, sports journalism. I love writing, I love doing this. Um so hopefully something along those lines. Okay, next question. What was the transition like for you, Eve, after leaving rowing in moving on to university? And do you have any tips? That's from Sophie.
SPEAKER_01Um well I obviously didn't really want well not obviously I didn't row for very long before going to university. So stepping into junior, we spoke about it I think last week or the week before. Um so listen to that if you want a full in-depth dive into our university rowing experience. But it was just kind of a whirlwind initially, to be honest. There was a lot to learn, a lot of people to learn from, um, but overall a very positive one. Would you say the same? Well, I guess your your start to your start to university rowing?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um, I think any top tips I'd have is just managing your time, like really be stripped of that um and making sure you give yourself that time to switch off and rest as well.
SPEAKER_01Now this is a fun one, Becky, which I don't know if you'll have an answer to. What's your best 500 meter erg time?
SPEAKER_00Oh god, I actually don't think I have an answer to that.
SPEAKER_01I don't think I have an answer to that. No, we don't we don't often do any well, we just don't do anything shorter than 2k on an erg, do we?
SPEAKER_00No. Um so I can't really answer that. I would hope somewhere in the mid-130s, but um I'm also not that an exposed athlete. Maybe I'd be okay at 500, but somewhere in the mid-130s, um I'll let you know if I have a new one.
SPEAKER_01As a guess, yeah, we'll get back to you on that one. Um and then finally, this one's from Skylar, which I think it's a really nice question to end on. How did you know rowing was your passion?
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's such a nice question. Um I think I knew it was my passion when I actually managed to stay upright in a boat and take more than a few strokes. And I just remember being out on the Avon in the summer and just having this moment where I was like, wow, this is amazing. And I probably was not rowing well at all, but it was something about just like gliding over the water and just being, yeah, in a boat, out in nature. I was just like, this is the sport for me. What about you?
SPEAKER_01Similar, probably it's those moments I was actually talking to Rory Harris on the men's squad at Cavisham a few days ago, and he used to coach the juniors at Pangbourne, and he was saying how at the end of every session, after they'd done, you know, their pieces, their tech work, in the last sort of 10 minutes as they were rowing back in in the summer, he would turn on his phone or bring a speaker along and just play music and just say to some guys, like you know, just just like be loose, enjoy it, take in the moment. And he was like, At first, you could see the boys were a bit like uh this is a bit lame, but he was like, actually, they all loved it, and he was like, It was so special, even as a coach, just you know, they I think they're on a stretch where there's not much wind, it's a bit of a mill pond sunset in the summer. Moments like that, it's literally like something from a film, isn't it? It is, it is so probably it was probably I can't pinpoint it, but it would have probably been one of those moments for me as well, where you're like, Wow, this is just really special.
SPEAKER_00And right, that's it for today. Thank you so much for listening. Remember, if you want to um learn all about what went on at Women's Head, tune in to the end of the island. And thanks for bearing with us with a bit of extra noise today.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's just you L in the background celebrating very well deservedly their second place finish today at Weehaw. So thanks for tuning in this week, and we will see you again next week.
SPEAKER_02Bye.
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