The Club's Results

Cambridge Head-2-Head, Lent Term 2015

Results > Lent Term 2015 > Cambridge Head-2-Head - reports | crews | both

A timed headrace in two parts, length 2x2000m.
Sat 24th January

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1st men's VIII, 1st Mays

7th
Time: 13:51.29

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Despite a rushed start due to being held up on the way to marshalling, we settled into a strong rhythm quickly and held it for the duration of the first leg. An overtake of Christ's M2 brought some excitement, but we held our composure well. We took the rate up a couple of pips for the second leg, and after a rocky start it became very solid- leading to another overtake, this time of Queen's M2. After only rowing together for a couple of weeks, to be the joint fastest M2 (with Caius) is very exciting. (Ben)

The race started in the standard moderate and entertaining confusion (at least, I enjoyed myself) as we tried to overtake a selection of crews gently drifting into barges in order to find our marshalling position before waiting for a couple of innumerate others (I believe amusingly Christ's and Queens' M2s - maybe they wanted to practice getting bumped) to start their race out of order ahead of us.

We settled onto our race pace without too much bother and to our surprise had a pleasant and predominantly balanced row through to the corners where we were pleasingly told we were gaining on the crew in front. A bit of effort, a very tight line (well done Liv!) and some shouting to Christ's later and we were past, blades overlapping but not clashing. Buoyed up by this success we rowed it nicely through the Motorway Bridge and then got tucked in and out of the boat for some light conversation and marzipan refuelling.

The way back with a marginal crew change started us rocky and I felt increasingly sorry for stroke side but by the corners we were back on the balance and felt like we were moving well. By the reach it was obvious that we were moving on Queens' and much aggressive shouting was necessary to get their cox to clear the racing line. We rowed right through them and had a decent attack at the finish line on the legs not the rate to round off a decent race.

(John)

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Invictus, 3rd Mays

30th
Time: 15:27

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1st women's VIII, 1st Mays

5th
Time: 16:19

Not feeling very well, I was a bit apprehensive about the racing, especially given the fact we had to do it twice. We began our first race with attack though, which made the rate a little difficult to control. We settled as we powered down the reach and found a rhythm a bit more for the rest of the race. Good calls from MC kept us focused on pushing hard, though I have absolutely no idea what those calls were. The last few hundred of the race were a bit messy as well, but we got across the line and could rest.

Some enough it was time to race again. I think the plan was to find a rate we were comfortable at and stick with it. We certainly wound high at the start and after striding we were moving on christs in front at least to begin with. During the middle of the race the rhythm was good, but the pressure dropped off until the push out of grassy brought things back together again. The push down the reach was possibly too successful - too much energy left? as we were gaining on christs again. The push for the line was equally committed, and then the race was over. It was a decent first race from all of us, but I think there is definitely more speed to find

(Imogen)

I think we were all exited and apprehensive in equal measure: first race as a crew for W1 trial VIII.

As a result, the first piece was a bit frantic, as we found it hard to maintain a solid rhythm, after a promising start. We tried to learn from that piece, and settle into something more controlled for the second piece, which worked for the first 500m, when we started gaining on Christs. Unfortunately, the pressure was not constant, and they started moving away again during the middle km. MC called us back on it, and we managed to pick the speed up for the last 500m, and started moving up on Christs again. That final push showed that we still had both fuel left in the tank, and untapped technical resources.
All in all, even if the end results were not the most brilliant, it was still a learning experience, and as the outing the following day showed, practicing starts, and stride (i.e. absence of?) will make a big difference.

(Zoe W.)

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