All race reports for Preeyan Parmar
Event: Lent Bumps 2010 - Thursday
Posted as: P. Parmar
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Later that evening it transpired that there had been a fair amount of drama at the stern. Allegedly, the Robinson bowman had hardly begun to viciously assault our darling Emma with his spoon, when the noble Simon valiantly avenged the damsel in distress by promptly ripping off their splashguard with his own long, strong stick.
Event: Lent Bumps 2010 - Friday
Posted as: P. Parmar
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The abnormally long top tube of my bike clearly had been angering Emma L, and at Chesterton she took it out on me by slighting my bumps beard. I consoled myself, reasoning that first-class coaches must be cruel to be kind, and that besides, excess facial hair was obviously the sole factor in our mediocre performance so far. That night I duly shaved it off.
The air at crew pasta was thick with fear and tension. No, not because bow four were cooking, but because the prospect of being chased by LMBC II the next day was looming. Spooning might not be completely disastrous, but losing the M2 headship to LMBC certainly would be. It was solemnly decided that the race plan would consist of carefully not being bumped.
Event: Lent Bumps 2010 - Saturday
Posted as: Preeyan
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It is lamentable that we are not as fast as we would like to be. However, Pembroke Regatta was won not by speed but by sheer grit and determination. Crew spirit has been fabulous, despite half the crew changing every week, and I have really enjoyed this term. Thank you to anyone who has rowed for M2 at any point - there are at least 14! - especially to Charles and Andy for giving up their time to come back to a crew that hasn't always been fully rewarding.
Thanks also to Emma S, for excellent coxing that was sometimes scary, often crucial and always good-humoured, and to Rich, for never neglecting us and always being encouraging and helpful when we needed it.
Unimaginably huge thanks to Emma L, for taking us under her wing these last couple of weeks, coaching and organising us, and helping out in countless ways. Without her I'm not sure how we would have coped.
Event: Cambridge Head-2-Head 2010 - May's 3rd
Posted as: Preeyan
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We had two objectives for this race: to find a good rhythm and to overtake the slow women's crew in front of us. We managed only the former. We feel a little emasculated, but in the long run it's better than the other way around.
After a shaky start involving blind panic from the 7 man and a couple of blade mishaps, we managed to settle into a calm 28 on the down leg, pushed out powerfully to 29 through the corners.
Buoyed with confidence by the fact no-one had died yet, we rowed the up leg much faster. Although the bowman had lacerated his leg and during the interval I accidentally knelt in some nettles while discussing extraction, there were fewer moments of blind panic from the 7 man and fewer blade mishaps.
This is not an amazing result. But it spurs us on to train hard.
Event: Champion of the Thames Eights Head 2010 - Men's 3rd Div. Mays
Posted as: Preeyan
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Event: May Bumps 2010 - Wednesday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Event: May Bumps 2010 - Thursday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Event: May Bumps 2010 - Friday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Individual strands of hair are in fact intricate assemblies of pipework, turbines and belt drives. Gusts of wind spin the turbines which drive blood pumps situated deep under the skin, forcing oxygen-rich blood away from the head into the legs and dramatically increasing aerobic power.
Enthusiastic petrolheads will notice that this is exactly how a turbocharger works - superfluous air pressure is utilised to enhance power and speed. Hence the name 'turbohair'.
However, cautious medics will spot the risks inherent in reducing blood flow to the head. There is a wafer-thin line between superiority and blackout, a risk not to be taken lightly.
Spooning is not to be taken lightly either. So no haircut for me tonight.
Event: Lent Bumps 2010 - Tuesday
Posted as: P. Parmar
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Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2011 - Fancy Dress
Posted as: Preeyan
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Our chosen theme was 'formal rowing', and it was wonderfully executed, if it's normal to go to formal in lycra, a purple tie and red devil horns. The umpires didn't agree and no head start was awarded.
Peterhouse took several seats at the start, but after a concerted 'turbo push' from the rowers and dubious illegal steering from me we scared them off and began to gain. The finish came rather too soon, however, and it was a close call but Peterhouse had the upper hand.
Event: Lent Bumps 2011 - Tuesday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Emma indignantly asked me when in my life I was planning to start wearing 'actual kit'.
I replied that I didn't know who she was, nor what she wanted; that if she was looking for a navy and gold long-sleeved tech top, I could assure her that I hadn't participated in the latest kit order. But what I do have is a very particular set of kit; kit I have acquired over a very long career. Kit that makes me a nightmare for people like her.
Event: Cambridge Winter Head 2010 - Student Novice VIIIs
Posted as: Preeyan
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Event: May Bumps 2012 - Wednesday
Posted as: Preeyan
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In an aggressive start we hit a top rate of 48, before settling on a racy 40. Though the wash was fearsome, we didn't deign to be perturbed.
The balance wavered after the first minute, but we kept lively, and just as it began to get scrappy, we gained a whistle, and pressed on through First Post corner. Our reliable 'lift' move, deployed as a bumps push, sealed the deal.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Event: May Bumps 2012 - Thursday
Posted as: Preeyan
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An unusual cross-headwind caused difficulty throughout the first part of the race. After nearly brushing the bank on the start, we gained hardly any ground until First Post corner. Aaron gave a "MOVING" call from the towpath, and I closed my eyes and thought of Strawson, but still there was no whistle.
Then Maggie started closing on Peterhouse, and our bankparty insisted that we row faster. We duly obeyed. At Ditton there came a wall of noise shouting that Maggie had gone wide. As we rounded the corner, the cross-head rotated into a cross-tail, we rowed several inches longer, and we lifted into a bumps push, in a perfect storm with drastic consequence.
The stomp should be fun tomorrow.
Event: May Bumps 2012 - Friday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Spirits are high, and we feel that maybe we could have gone on forever. But thank goodness we bumped out before Ditton. I might not have any arms left otherwise.
Event: May Bumps 2012 - Saturday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Event: Lent Bumps 2013 - Saturday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Having dominated the head races earlier in the term, we were optimistic for this set of Bumps, but we never seemed to be able to pull unsustainable sprints when we needed to. Nevertheless, we at least stayed level, and we experienced all aspects of Bumps racing: attacking and defending, steering through carnage, and chasing hard all the way to the line.
Not only can you not get this experience any other way, it also made for my most exciting Bumps ever.
Thanks to Rob, Sam and our other coaches, Joel, Fordy and Blaise for subbing, and of course the crew, without whom there would be nothing at all.
Event: Lent Bumps 2014 - Tuesday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Probably the best rowing we've done yet this term, though, and there are rumours that we were possibly keeping up with Homerton M1.
Event: Lent Bumps 2014 - Thursday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Opinions differed, though: apparently it's better to fight fire with river water.
Our goal was to row over in front of LMBC II. We were fully successful: we rowed in front of LMBC II, and it was over pretty soon afterwards.
Plan for tomorrow: we're going to remove the bungee, loosen the rate cap back up to 28, and put the Scotsman back in the boat at stroke.
Event: Lent Bumps 2015 - Thursday
Posted as: Preeyan
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Tomorrow we will be calmer. This will be achieved by:
- having full crew;
- winding to rather less than 40, and putting our blades in the wet stuff;
- the sky not raining spitefully at us;
- the cannons being an order of magnitude quieter (according to the inverse-square law);
- coach actually being present on the row up, having not destroyed Rebecca's bike on the ascent of Emmanuel footbridge;
- stroke remembering to wear her gold socks.
Event: Cambridge Head-2-Head 2016 - Lents 1st Division
Posted as: Preeyan
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I was apprehensive: a completely scratch crew, comprising considerable brawn, was going to be unpleasant if we rowed badly and exhausting if we rowed at all well. We chose the latter, attacking the first half of the first piece hard.
We were rewarded with a remarkably level boat around Ditton, as the powerful dips down to strokeside balanced the dizzying centrifugal force of Juliet's tight steering. Grassy was therefore less successful, but we finished the piece in style, winding to 34 in a light tailwind.
By the second piece I'd finished remembering how to row strokeside, and could concentrate on more advanced points of finesse such as actually putting the blade in the water. This piece was more technically refined, but seemed slower, which was confirmed by the times: I suspect this was due to the headwind, getting cold, and committing well to the first piece.
Overall, a fun day out, beating the A crew and not far off the provisional M2.
Event: May Bumps 2016 - Wednesday
Posted as: Preeyan
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