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All race reports for Matthew Arnold

Event: Lent Bumps 1997 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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On the 1st, blades became possible for us unexpectedly

We'd expected Christs to hit Caius before Hall hit them, but Christ's Strokeman had collapsed and the'd got hit by hall.

For this race he was replaced by Bruce Perry, the CULRC pres. that year. & They made us work hard for it, but we ground them down in the headwind and got them at the railway bridge.

Event: Lent Bumps 1997 - Wednesday
Posted as: Matt
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They were pants.

Event: Lent Bumps 1997 -
Posted as: Matt
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This one was good as they'd panned us by a good 20 seconds at Peterborough earlier on in the term, and had been up 2 already.

Dan Tweedie was seriously unimpressed by being bumped by a bunch of nobodys

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Saturday
Posted as: Matt
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The 2nd VIII were lucky when their hang back plan worked due to Downing II's rudder falling off. They might not have got them as they were 2 1/2 lengths off at the Railings.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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The 2nd VIII rowed over as Downing II hit Selwyn in front of them.

Event: Nottingham City Regatta 1998 - Senior3 VIII
Posted as: Matt
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A very hard row into a strong headwind, which we failed to cope with. They were in the lane next to us, but never really pulled away - it was a real battle all the way to the line.

Event: Fairbairn Cup 1997 - Senior VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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Wound to 41, settled to 35! - very comfortable. The race went absolutely according to race plan. We dropped to 33 a couple of times but lifted back every time. Going round Ditton Raf said 10mins and 13 going round 1st Post (14 in the practice course!). I knew it was going to be quick. Raf clocked us at 14:15.

Event: Fairbairn Cup 1997 - Lower VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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Credit goes to them for being hard!

Event: Fairbairn Cup 1997 - Lower VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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Always comedy to fool other colleges into thinking we have more boats than we do.

Event: Fairbairn Cup 1997 - Lower VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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They rowed 4 strokes before the start, and started at 26, gradually winding up over the course.

Event: Magdalene Silver Pairs 1997 -
Posted as: Matt
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Starting on top station, I thought we'd be stuffed. As it was they had taken half their distance after 30 strokes. We held on as they started to suffer into the headwind and reached the Plough just 3 seconds down (both pairs nearly hit the outside of Grassy). We pushed for home and were 4 seconds up at Ditton and won by 11 seconds. Just goes to show that you don't need to be neat to win in a pair - just hard. We rowed like spastics and had no right to win - we just refused to lose.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 1997 - Senior VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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To be honest, we thought we'd win it easily, so I rate capped the race to 32. Basically we didn't go for it and almost lost.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 1997 - Novice VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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CRASH! (They did)

Event: University IVs 1997 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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Caught them up at the Plough. Easy race. They tried to get us disqualified by stopping halfway down the Reach so we would overtake or make contact!

Event: University IVs 1997 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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16 seconds up at the Plough, 32 second win. Nuff said!

Event: University IVs 1997 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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The day before we failed to pick up the well enough and almost got beaten. Dead heated 3 times - 7:20, 7:20, 7:23, one after the other. They wanted to race Fitz (the other finalists) and then share the Trophy! We said "We'll keep going till one of us dies."

We went out and pulled hard, rowing not as well as the day before, and won by miles!

Event: University IVs 1997 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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2 secs at the Plough, 4 at Ditton, 16 at the finish - they died!

Event: University IVs 1997 - Light IVs
Posted as: Matt
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With only three crews entered, they ran the race as a head race.

Event: Bedford Autumn Fours Head 1997 - College IV+
Posted as: Matt
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We rowed over at 31-32, and we reckoned we had a bit left at the end, so we were quite happy.

Event: Head of the Nene 1998 - Novice VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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Very windy (headwind), but fortunately not gusty, so we held together a good solid row at 31/32 for the first 2000m, at which point we had caught LMBC, 4 lengths ahead. We rowed the rest of the race side by side, pushing off each other. They will not be able to bump us.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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We rowed over 3 lengths clear, rating around 32 once we were in the reach.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Friday
Posted as: Matt
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Maggie got Downing at the Railway Bridge, we were all too busy watching and rowed like spanners in an enormous headwind. Around 10 lengths clear of Caius.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Saturday
Posted as: Matt
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Rowed over at 36 to Ditton, 34 down the reach and 36-38 home, 6 lengths clear of Maggie. Despite the snow before the start, the weather was perfect and the rowing spectacular.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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Bumped Kings at the Railings in much the same way as we got Downing. They were all very fired up after watching us go head.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Tuesday
Posted as: Matt
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Had an average to good row, but never really got anywhere near King's. It looked as though they never really knew what to do once King's had held them on the start and through the corners.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Friday
Posted as: Matt
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They thought they had got them, and had to re-row on Saturday, but it didn't go their way.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Saturday
Posted as: Matt
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Didn't get close in the re-row, but hit Catz on Grassy(!) at 3:20 to go up to 4th in the 2nd division.

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Saturday
Posted as: Matt
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All the crews in front bumped out!

Event: Lent Bumps 1998 - Wednesday
Posted as: Matt
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Good start, dropped all, 43 on wind, 37 in Gut, 36 on Plough Reach, 37 out of Ditton (on one length). They blew up/fell apart in the reach and ran to the outside of the corner. We got clean water and pwered alongside. Their 7 man hit our bows with his blade. BUMPED!!

Incredible, HEAD OF THE RIVER, and around 40-50 people on the bank, cheering!

Event: Robinson Head 1998 - 2nd division
Posted as: Matt
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They beat Trinity Hall. How the mighty have fallen.

Event: Pembroke Regatta 1998 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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LMBC were good, but we rowed through them on the Railway Bridge corner and held them round the last bend to win by 2/3 length. Best row we've had yet!

Event: Pembroke Regatta 1998 - 1st division
Posted as: Matt
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We didn't go above 90% power, and easied across the line just to wind them up.

Event: Head of the River Race 1998 - Novice VIIIs
Posted as: Matt
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Adrian Cassidy had been coaching a 'development' crew full of binned trialists and college oarsmen, who were rowing as Goldie. They started immediately behind us and that was pretty good incentive to row hard.

We pulled away at the start, they came back a little and were 1 1/2 seconds down at Barnes Bridge. They then crashed into a boat we had just overtaken.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Wednesday
Posted as: Matt
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Hall were always going down. Start and stride to 38/39, then overlap at Grassy. We rowed alongside them at Ditton.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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We closed to 1/4 length on Queens' at Grassy, when Jesus got Downing. Queens' put in a big push, and got clear water. We kind of expected Queens' to just fall back into us given how quickly we had caught up on them, however we rowed the whole course between 1/4 length and a canvas on them! We rated 36 from Ditton to the finish. Needless to say we were all bitterly disappointed.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Friday
Posted as: Matt
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We all got fired up for this, and also hardened the gearing 1 notch. We reckoned Queens' would hit Downing, so went for a bump before Ditton, and decided that this time we'd take it up, every time we got another hooter! Start to 45, settle to 39, hit them on Grassy. This time we applied the killer blow when it was necessary and hit them. They were 1/4 length away from Downing. We were fined for excessive celebration.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Saturday
Posted as: Matt
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Having saved Downing from spoons on Friday, we hit them outside the Plough, but had overlap from Grassy. In the end a successful week.

Event: May Bumps 1998 - Wednesday
Posted as: Matt
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They went for the bump on Girton at Ditton, but they missed and almost hit the bank. They fortunately got them at the Railway Bridge, as Queens' II got up to 1/2 length on them.

Event: Lent Bumps 2003 - Thursday
Posted as: Matt
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Good work guys, good luck tomorrow, no doubt you'll be telling us the masterplan soon? [I know it's not really a report, but hey]