About the Club

Club Traditions: The 2nd VIII Song

Perhaps one of our finest club traditions, if not the most long standing, is that of the 2nd May VIII composing a little ditty to be performed at the Mays Dinner! Every one of these melodic masterpieces is preserved for posterity - until 2006, fortunately not as audio files.

The beginning, an introduction to the tradition, by Justin Sawon.

Year 2007

The crew bow: Christian Mertes 2: John Kiely 3: Rob Patterson 4: Martin Yarr 5: Sam Lings 6: Phillip Preiss 7: Lorry Carr str: Andrew Lewis cox: Lilie Weaver

Results: Up three, 2nd VIII headship, highest position since 1959 - bumped Caius II, Magdelene and Christ's

The Song: We will rise (Carr/Kiely/Lewis/Lings/Mertes/Patterson/Preiss/Weaver/Yarr)

Year 2006

The crew bow: Tom Andrews 2: Chris Dunleavy 3: Rob Patterson 4: Henrik Latter 5: Will Laffan 6: Gregorz Milos 7: Sebastian Pancratz str: Albert Cheung cox: Jenny Lee

Results: Stayed level, retained 1st division status - bumped Selwyn I, bumped by Caius II

The Song: Eight men (Dunleavy)

Year 2005

The crew bow: Tom Andrews 2: Richard Bullock 3: John Earl 4: Albert Cheung 5: Seb Pancratz 6: Hugh Colvin 7: Rob Andrews str: Graham Sills cox: Andy Wong

Results: Up two, 2nd VIII headship and the 1st division - bumped Caius II and Peterhouse I

The Song: Help! (Andrews)

Year 2004

The crew bow: Mark Sankey 2: Tom Coker 3: Chris Mycroft 4: Matthew Byrne 5: Bryn Garrod 6: Dan Newton 7: Daniel Walker str: Will Thorne cox: Jenny Lee

Results: Up two - Bumped Downing II and Fitzwilliam.

The Song: We Are The Second May VIII (Byrne/Walker)

Year 2003

The crew bow: Mark Sankey 2: Tim Martin 3: Tom Coker 4: Robert Patterson 5: Graham Sills 6: Matthew Byrne 7: Matt Chamberlain str: Will Thorne cox: Rachel Munro

Results: Up one - bumped by Peterhouse, bumped Emmanuel II and Sidney Sussex.

The Song: Boat of Legends (Coker/Byrne/Sills/Thorne)

Year 2002

The crew bow: Dan Walker 2: Maris Goldmanis 3: Matthew Byrne 4: Martin Peck 5: Dan Jane 6: Henry Clouting 7: Will Thorne str: Jonathon Davies cox: Sam Adams

Results: Blades (up four) - bumped Jesus II, LMBC II, Girton I and Peterhouse I.

The Song: Second VIII - Go-Go!! (Peck/Walker)

Year 2001

The crew bow: Mark Watson 2: Julien Cazorla 3: Andy Inch 4: Henry Clouting 5: Dan Walker 6: Jonathon Davies 7: James Roslington str: John Mountain cox: Chris Harding

Results: Down six - overbumped by Sidney Sussex I; bumped by Emmanuel II, Caius II and Jesus II.

The Song: Second VIII Rhapsody (Inch/Mountain/Walker)

Year 2000

The crew bow: Adam Scott 2: Guy Taylor 3: Adrian Bevan 4: James Rosington 5: Andy Somers 6: Will Fletcher 7: Neil Talbott str: John Were cox: Ros Liu

Results: Down three - bumped by Clare I, Selwyn I and Downing II.

The Song: Maybe we're just a boat of perfectionists (Taylor/Fletcher)

Year 1999

The crew bow: Dennis Remoundos 2: Graham Fisher 3: Simon Blackburn 4: Mike Goodson 5: Rob Sherrington 6: Martin Peck 7: Chris Ingram str: Simon Case cox: Kate MacGregor

Results: Up three, 2nd VIII headship and the 1st division - bumped LMBC II, Clare I and Sidney I.

The Song: Cover our spoons (Blackburn/Fisher/Reilly)

Year 1998

The crew bow: Chris Ingram 2: Martin Peck 3: Luke Robinson 4: Rich Dewire 5: Dom Beary 6: Andy Pickard 7: Rob Sherrington str: Jon Bevan cox: Raff Carbonell

Results: Up three - bumped Girton I, Selwyn I and Downing II.

The Song: I vow to thee my Boatclub (Pickard)

Year 1997

The crew bow: Mike Orger 2: Paul Hacking 3: Andy Pickard 4: Matt Wallard 5: Andy Stewart 6: Rich Dewire 7: Justin Sawon str: Clive Ponsonby cox: Anthony Mason

Results: Blades (up four) - bumped Kings I, Jesus II, Corpus I and Queens II.

The Song (the original classic): Row Hard (Sawon/Mason)

'97 to '99 Pictures courtesy of JET photographic