The Tidal Pull to Win: CUBC Coxswain Sammy Houdaigui (Fitzwilliam 2025) Gets Ready for Saturday!
On Saturday, when the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race 2026 takes off across the Tideway, Sammy Houdaigui (Fitzwilliam 2025) will be on a microphone calling shots and steering his teammates in the Cambridge Blue Boat. The self-styled Jersey guy by way of Washington DC, Casablanca, and Dartmouth is eager to lead the way during one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. When the months of intense training culminate along the 6.8 km Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake, Houdaigui will be the team’s coxswain, acting as the on-water coach, dictating the tempo, and executing strategy.
Houdaigui spoke with us about his path to Cambridge and what he's most excited about for this weekend’s big event.
What were some of your influences growing up?
Really, I consider me and my family Jersey people [because of all the relatives] on my mother's side. My father is a Moroccan immigrant, so I grew up all over the map. They raised me in Washington, DC, splitting time between Washington and Casablanca. I was really lucky to spend so much of my childhood in Morocco. Casablanca was surfing and the beach. I’m very proud of both of my backgrounds. It was so seamless to me. In DC, my family owns the Brooklyn Bakery that my dad opened well before I was born. The Bagel Shop is a special part of my life. When you have a family enterprise, it's such a source of joy. It’s also your life and for my family, it’s what makes us work. It’s this beautiful little shop that's a cross between our two cultures.
What led you to rowing?
In high school, I was in a car accident while I was riding my bike and my leg got injured. It wasn’t too serious, but I wasn’t able to do hard impact sports like cross country or hockey. What I could do, especially because I love the water, was rpw crew. I was very lucky that my first two coaches were national team level coaches. I stuck with rowing because of those two coaches. Then I was recruited to Dartmouth. I went almost entirely because of Wyatt Allen, my collegiate coach. He's a legend in American rowing. Then, coming to Cambridge was really a decision I made because of the opportunity to work with Rob Baker, the Cambridge coach.
Strong coaching is a fundamental theme for you. How did you learn about Cambridge’s Rob Baker?
I knew that Rob Baker won rowing races. But it was [Dartmouth and Cambridge alumnus] Steve Berger who told me I would grow as an athlete and a coxswain at Cambridge. He knew what I was looking for in my next step. I told Steve I wanted to grow as an athlete and as a person. He was the one who advised me that Rob Baker would get me there.
What have these months of training as part of the CUBC and studying at Cambridge been like for you?
Having Rob Baker as my coach has made me better athletically, but it’s also made me a better man. I can only hope that as a person, I’m growing by modeling myself after people like Steve and after people like Rob Baker. I think I'm on the right path.
Check back at Cambridge in America’s post-Race coverage for more on Sam Houdaigui’s journey on the Thames.