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All race reports for Alex Wood

Event: Pembroke Regatta 2009 - 3rd division
Posted as: Alex
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On a scale of 1-10, I'm sat around 0 with regards to how pleased I was with todays organisation and outcome.

Having said that, we had a committed row from the boat, and we showed that we have potential to be a formiddable opponent in Bumps, provided we get some water time between now and then.

We can improve a lot with relative ease - lets just concentrate on making it happen.

Event: Pembroke Regatta 2009 - 3rd division
Posted as: Alex
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Kings III didn't show, practiced starts twice instead, paddled home.

Event: Pembroke Regatta 2009 - 3rd division
Posted as: Alex
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Maggie V broke their boat. Apparently whilst spinning. Sat at side of regatta bantering, getting cold, and attempting to make head or tail of what the hell the organisers were doing.

Event: Lent Bumps 2009 - Saturday
Posted as: Alex
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This was some of the most abysmal rowing I have ever been involved in, probably including novice term. There was absolutely no balance or rhythm - and we would probably have got the boat home quicker walking along the bank with it.

Thankfully that was the row home, and today we also did some of the best rowing this crew has ever done.

I think it's safe to say this was the best race of the week by far, since Caius (who had overlap on us the previous day by Ditton where we bumped) were a good length behind as we ploughed into Fitz.

The only complaint with this row was that we would have hit them quicker had the boat not stopped dead as everyone launched themselves to frontstops every time Hans called for a bumps push - I think by the end though we had worked out what was going on, and our last push was effective.

This was a determined row, everyone gave it their all, and this showed through. This week has been an intense week for this crew, but I am proud of the result despite going down 1 - our rowing has most definitely improved a lot, and indeed, I would be interested to see if Peterhouse could still hit us now. Bring on the Mays!

Event: Foster Fairbairn Pairs 2009 - Men's 2-
Posted as: Alex
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This couldd well have been an interesting race. I am heavily displeased that my back died during a practice start on the way down, otherwise we would have probably scared quite significantly a pair comprised of people who taught us to row last term, which would have at least been banterous.

As it was, this day was a bad day. A very bad day. I disliked this day very much.

Something probably should be said for Gonzalos very noble effort at jumping in on eating half a pack of jaffa cakes and not really having rowed a pair with Jon before - well manned up.

Event: Cambridge 99's Regatta 2009 - 4th and lower division
Posted as: Alex
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We arrived at the start line not entirely sure what to expect - we knew we should be faster than the crew next to us, but having had a particularly poor outing the day before, couldn't really say for sure how it was going to go.

The start was fairly nice - not as rushed as previous efforts had been - and we picked up the boat speed nicely, keeping roughly level with them, or thereabouts, during the first few strokes.

They started to pull away slightly, with perhaps a little more commitment to each stroke than was seen in our boat, and by the time we reached the end of their corner along the reach, coming into the railway bridge, they had about a length on us.

Then the guns came out. Everyone appeared to switch on together, and we had a massive push round the inside of our corner - the rate creeping up to 36, yet the boat kept sat (perhaps better than when rating 34 along the reach in fact). The push lasted us through to the finish, where we beat them by half a length or less (I think, it was kind of a blur of pain at that point).

We resolved to take the commitment we gave at the bridge, and push much earlier in the race next round...bring on their M2.

Event: Cambridge 99's Regatta 2009 - 4th and lower division
Posted as: Alex
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The start was better, we rowed faster, with more length and a more consistent rhythm, perhaps slightly more power. 1 minute in came - they were within a length, it was their corner. We pushed, we were gaining, and the push felt sustainable enough to carry us through to the finish, where it would have been a close call - provided we didnt need the massive push off the bridge we had required last time.

Then my feet came out - at 6 this destroyed the timing for two strokes - we got back on it pretty well except for me rowing with one foot, hence considerably shorter and more messily than I should have been, with half the power, and we pushed through to the finish to lose by about a length (again pain prevented this being accurate, and anger).

In general had my feet not come out, this would have been a close call. I would like to think we had it in us to beat their M2 - especially since they were in an Empacher and we were in Richard Church - and indeed, I think we did. Sorry boys, I think a roll of duck tape will be brought to bumps.