All race reports for Steven Karp
Event: Novice Fairbairn Cup 2011 - 2nd division
Posted as: Steven
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I thought this was our best row of the term. We set off at a high rate and managed to maintain it throughout the race. Although we had some bad strokes, we recovered quickly after each one. Miraculously, all of Titan's footplates stayed in place and only one velcro strap came undone. When we got to the reach Em called for more pressure, and I could hear several voices yelling to my right. I thought we had caught up with Pembroke NM 2 and were racing them to the finish -- which certainly would have happened if Em hadn't taken so long getting us straight at the start. After the horn I realized it was our very own NM 1 who were shouting encouragement from the bank. Thanks for the support guys!
Event: Robinson Head 2012 - 1st division
Posted as: Steven
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We rowed a respectable race considering it was our first outing in 12 days. Our rate of 34 was surprisingly high, but I thought it came at the cost of not reaching full slide. I was later informed that this was only a problem for three members of the crew -- in seats 3 and 5 due to "serious flexibility issues," and in seat 4 due to exceptionally long legs. Certainly there is much we can improve upon for the Pembroke Regatta and Lent Bumps.
Special thanks to our guest cox Ellie, who gave us many useful suggestions on the row down and screamed admirably at us during the race. By the way, Ahmad, the sweater (Canadian here) which fell in the water belongs to Matt, which explains why my reaction was only a bit fantastic (don't try me).
Event: Pembroke Regatta 2012 - 3rd division
Posted as: Steven
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While we were parked under the railway bridge waiting for the previous division to race, some of us had a chuckle at the expense of the weaker crews who were barely moving in the massive headwind. Little did I know how frustrating it would be to row in such weather. All I could concentrate on was trying to keep my blade up on the recovery to avoid it crashing against the water. I was not very successful, and managed to waterlog Tim's shirt only seconds into the race. Never again will I undervalue tapping down.
I think most of us were confident we would win after beating Clare M3 by 9 seconds in the Robinson Head race. After we gained a length off them at the start we slacked off and didn't pull away again until the finish. We shouldn't have to be cocky to be confident.
Event: Pembroke Regatta 2012 - 3rd division
Posted as: Steven
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Our race was scheduled to be the first in the division, but as we rowed down to the start we passed Lady Margaret W3 and the marshal informed us that they would be racing first since they had marshalled too early and "been waiting for a long time." Then, while we were lining up at the start line, the marshal informed us, "I'm going to hold you here for a while to give this race some more time." Nonetheless, he set us off only 10 seconds later.
While we had been lining up I saw that Pembroke's 3, 4, and 5-men were wearing "Pembroke College Rugby Club" jackets. That is to say, they were bigger than us. Simon predicted that for this reason they might pull ahead at the start, but we prevailed in the beginning and were a length ahead early in the race. Down the reach they made up a couple of seats on us, but we made them back up and were a length ahead again going into the final corner. Then I heard Simon screaming, "MOVE OVER! MOVE OVER!" Suddenly we veered in front of Pembroke, who were only a length behind us, and I heard Matt behind me yell, "What the fuck, Maggie!?" We passed Lady Margaret W3 who were paddling into the finish of their race. I noticed that Adam had to shorten his stroke to keep from knocking Pembroke's bow, but nonetheless we pulled ahead into the finish. Yining made a great decision in a difficult situation which ensured our victory and kept our boat intact.
Event: Pembroke Regatta 2012 - 3rd division
Posted as: Steven
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Before our third race Yimin gave us a pep talk, and warned us that because of the bad weather, the marshals could start the race unexpectedly. This is exactly what happened, as the marshal started the race while we were two seats behind Pembroke and facing into the middle of the river, while Yining was saying, "Marshal, we're not straight!" This could have been crippling if we were racing a faster boat, and we must be more alert during Bumps.
Event: Pembroke Regatta 2012 - 3rd division
Posted as: Steven
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Since the regatta was running an hour late, our long lunch break turned into only one hour, during which I barely had time to come home, eat, and change into dry clothes. We met back at the boathouse at 2pm. Tim brought up a weather forecast on the boathouse computer which showed a large storm front moving into Cambridge from the northwest, which would reach its peak at 3pm, precisely when we were getting the boat out. Fortunately, the wind had died down and I, for one, much preferred rain to wind.
While were coming around the final corner, Caius's stroke-man caught an overhead crab and fell off his seat. They panicked, dropped out one by one -- and then crashed into a houseboat. We wound down into what should have been a thrilling finish. For the most part our crew was happy to move on to the finals, but I would have preferred to have raced them to the end. As soon as we passed the finish line Neil and Lianne made the second-best decision of the day as they told us to pull into the bank beside the P&E parking lot behind M1, and jump out of the boat into their cars, where we warmed up for the final.
Event: Pembroke Regatta 2012 - 3rd division
Posted as: Steven
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I was part of the 2/9 of the crew that had not lost to Lady Margaret NM1 at Clare Novices, and in fact this was my first race against their club. Fortunately, I have been successfully indoctrinated by First and Third's propaganda and found myself burning with rage upon seeing them and their red kit. We all rowed full tilt, and were a few seats behind coming into the final corner, through which we stood to gain since we were on the inside. However, Lady Margaret decided to take a shortcut through the middle of the river, causing the marshal to blow her whistle several times. Though our boat was only a couple of blade-lengths from the bank, we clashed blades with Lady Margaret. For the second time that day Matt yelled, "What the fuck, Maggie!?" as he hit three of their four stroke-side blades and caught two crabs. This sent our boat rocking and took off a great deal of speed. We recovered quickly, but the few remaining strokes were not enough to catch Lady Margaret. Again I felt denied a proper finish to an exciting race.
Despite repeated whistle-blows indicating the contrary, the marshals determined that Lady Margaret had not crossed the line, and they were not disqualified. This regatta taught me that the only people you can rely on are your crewmates. It's true that we had an unusually difficult schedule and some questionable marshalling calls, but the only way to combat adverse conditions is to push harder.
Event: Lent Bumps 2012 - Tuesday
Posted as: Steven K
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This was the first bumps race for all nine members of the crew, and although we had done dozens of practice starts, the real thing provided (as it surely always will) distractions and nervousness anew. An additional cause of anxiety was that we started from the seventh station, and so were adjacent to the cannons, which was off-putting not so much on account of the sound itself, but mostly in the anticipation (and, dare I admit, fear) thereof. (Would our ears bleed? Would the blast render us perpetually deaf?) These factors led to an astonishingly poor start. Almost immediately it became clear that Trinity Hall II was gaining on us, and we uncomfortably settled on a panicked rhythm which lasted us until the start of the long reach.
If we are to prevail in such situations in the future we must be more robust both technically and psychologically, and learn how to row the whole course with a crew chasing us a few feet astern the whole way.
Event: Lent Bumps 2012 - Wednesday
Posted as: Steven K
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Our start was better.
Event: Lent Bumps 2012 - Friday
Posted as: Steven K
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Hughes Hall, being significantly faster than all the boats in the division and starting at an even-numbered station, naturally were hoping to see as many boats as possible bump out in front of them so that they could coast into a spectacular overbump. Accordingly they set off at a leisurely pace and allowed us to gain on them over the start. We did our best to oblige them, and rowed out hard in pursuit of Clare II. Unfortunately Clare II and Churchill II were exceedingly uncooperative and bumped out after a minute or so. As a result Hughes Hall were reluctantly forced to bump us in the gut. I fear that for them the prospect of going up only four must be rather dismal after going up eight in last year's Lents.
