Leander athlete Phoebe Snowden brought home wins in the W4- and W8+ at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Duisburg, Germany – a multi-sport event featuring more than 9,000 student-athletes from 104 countries across 18 sports.
Phoebe writes: “I’m currently pursuing a Master’s in Medical Law and Ethics at the University of Law, after completing my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at King’s College London. On finals day, we knew from the heats that both our events would be fiercely competitive, and with a strong headwind picking up, the intensity was only heightened.
“We kicked things off with the W4-, where we had a great start and were able to respond to pressure from Germany, eventually pulling away to win by a length and a half. Pure joy and elation crossing that line.
“But we had just 75 minutes before the final of the W8+ and thanks to the incredible support team and teammates who helped us turn things around quickly, we were able to focus fully on the next challenge.
“With the wind making startline alignment tricky, we stayed calm, got out clean, and settled into a strong rhythm. We built a ¾ length lead and held it down the course, finishing ahead of the Dutch and the USA.
“It’s always a privilege to represent Great Britain, and to come away with two gold medals makes it all the more special. Huge thanks to Leander Club for the continued support throughout the season.”
