St Hilda's College
Growing up on the Welsh coast, Olivia Geddes always felt at home in and around the sea.
"From about ten years old, I was part of my local surf life saving club in Porthcawl, where I first learned to swim, board, and paddle. These clubs are a great way to have fun and get confident in the water and waves.
In comprehensive school, I joined Cardiff Bay Kayak Club and began training in marathon and sprint kayaking more regularly, both on the river and in the sea. My first ocean race was in Fishguard when I was 17. It was very windy and I fell out of my ski eight times, but the support from the other paddlers was incredible. That race sparked my love for ocean paddling, and over the next few years I competed around Britain, including the British Team Trials. I was then selected for Team GB at the 2021 European and World Ocean Racing Championships in Sardinia and Portugal, finishing 2nd and 6th in the U18 age group."
Training for the ICF World Ocean Racing Championships in Durban, South Africa, demanded both endurance and precision.
"Since coming home from university, I’ve focused on training in the sea as much as possible and in a range of conditions. Over winter I built fitness with long paddles on the Thames and canals around Oxford, but it was great to return to the waves.
The 34 km course meant lots of distance work, with sprint and interval sessions to help me accelerate onto ocean swell and surf down waves. I was most looking forward to racing in an area known for its big swell and downwind conditions, and hopefully spotting some whales. When conditions are good, it doesn’t take much to get me on the water. I love the adrenaline of surfing big waves. When it’s cold and grey, training with friends really helps. Setting small goals for a session or race keeps me focused, and remembering how lucky I am to train in such a beautiful environment always puts things in perspective."
Olivia is also an accomplished musician. Last year she took part in a concert performing side-by-side with the world-famous Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the Sheldonian Theatre. She was one of only three university student string players selected.
"Both sport and music help me switch off and recharge. Although I spend more time training, I try to keep one music project going so I always have something to practise towards. My favourite way to play is in small chamber groups, which is sociable and keeps me enthusiastic about my instrument.
At St Hilda’s, I was lucky to have brilliant practice rooms and the Jaqueline du Pré Music Building, while also living right on the river and just ten minutes from Falcon Kayak Club. Being part of both the music and sport communities gave me great opportunities, from marathon races in the South East to inspiring concerts at the JdP.
Jonathan Williams, Director of Music, offered my chamber quintet regular performance opportunities and even a masterclass with a professional trio. I was also inspired by talks from visiting athletes organised by our Principal, Dame Sarah Springman, a former European Triathlon Champion. Her example showed me that sport and academia can complement each other, and her encouragement gave me confidence to keep racing and performing throughout my degree."
What does life after St Hilda's look like?
"I want to keep developing my love of both sport and music. I’ve been part of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales for the last three years and plan to audition again for the 2026 tour. Through National Youth Arts Wales, I’ll also take part in a side-by-side project with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales this November.
In sport, I’m using my year after graduation to learn more about training science and heart-rate monitoring to improve my performance ahead of the 2026 ICF Ocean Racing World Championships in Vila Joiosa.
At the 2025 World Championships in Durban, South Africa, I was really pleased to finish 8th in the U23 age group and 26th female overall. The event was incredible, with over 500 competitors on the start line and challenging 30–34 km downwind races along the Durban coast."
