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All race reports for Kate Bruce-Lockhart

Event: Lent Bumps 2014 - Saturday
Posted as: Kate
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This was a wonderful end to a fantastic four days of racing. The focus in the crew was palpable on the row down, with some excellent paddling providing a preview of what was to come. It was a gorgeous day to race, with fans lining either side of the river, very little wind and lots of sunshine - a spectacular day to be rowing at Cambridge. As we lined up at the headship station, I took stock of my nerves, and found (to my surprise) that I was very calm. Julia had said earlier that she had a 'good feeling' about today, and I felt exactly the same way. We had worked so hard for this moment all term, we knew were were the fastest crew on the river, and all we needed to do was execute our race plan.

We had another explosive start around rate 42, drilled into us by Jon Glass, which immediately created distance off Emma. Our wind was clean and powerful, and we strode into our efficient, magical rate 34. We steadily widened the gap to outside two lengths, gaining confidence every stroke. We were fast, strong and technically sound. Coming round our beloved Ditton, I became certain the headship was ours as long as we remained consistent.

Halfway down the reach, Emma began to sprint, but our boat remained calm and we continued to row at our best rhythm. We knew that we could take the rate up if need be, but despite an impressive attempt by Emma to catch us at the end, a sprint on our part was never necessary. We crossed the line comfortably clear of Emma, let out a collective cheer of joy, and allowed the moment to sink in.

It is a very profound experience to set a goal as a team, work incredibly hard for it over a sustained period, and finally see that goal realized. Each girl in this boat committed to every aspect of our training, getting personal bests on the ergs, improving our strength, and always remaining dedicated to a very high technical standard at both an individual and collective level. There was no weak link and no wavering commitment. Girls, thank you for your heart, your ambition, your friendship and your passion. It has been a privilege to row with you all.

Many people played a part in this victory. Every step of the way, we were supported by our devoted and talented coaching staff, who created a training environment conducive to excellence and shared endless wisdom on rowing technique, teamwork, sport and life. We also felt the tangible support of so many others: the rest of First and Third, alumni, family, friends and others in the Cambridge community.

Looking back at my first week in Cambridge, when I rather nervously stepped in a boat on the Cam for the first time, I had no idea I would be racing for the headship, rowing a victory lap with Yining proudly holding our flag, or jumping over a burning boat several months later. I did not expect to feel so deeply embedded in this community, receiving support and congratulations from people I had only met days before. I couldn't ask for a better start to my rowing experience at Cambridge and I am already looking forward to seeing First and Third achieve more success in the future. Let's show everyone why we are back where we belong.

Event: May Bumps 2015 - Saturday
Posted as: Kate
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Major congratulations from afar! You have made all of FaT very proud with this historic finish! Kate B-L

Event: Lent Bumps 2016 - Wednesday
Posted as: Kate
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A really positive start to bumps. We got better and better as the race went on. As space opened up behind and ahead of us, we committed to a long race and kept the power on, improving our cohesion and rhythm all the way down the course. No one was complacent, and the commitment never wavered. As we got to the P&E, we were surprised to hear a lot of crews shouting 'You're going to bump Downing,' followed by a bumps push call from Rob. Following Downing's crab, we closed to within a length, but they managed to recover and get to the end first. Nonetheless, it was great to see us find the extra gear and take it up at the end. It was an excellent start to what we hope will be a fantastic bumps campaign.

-Kate

Event: Lent Bumps 2016 - Thursday
Posted as: Kate
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It is not easy to be bumped, but we gave it everything we had and made Newnham fight for it. We had a really good start, but could not manage to hold off Newnham as they found their stride. They steadily moved up on us, and although we we able to move away at times, it was not enough in this case. We are ready to look ahead to the next few days of racing!

-Kate

Event: May Bumps 2017 - Thursday
Posted as: Kate
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Our main aim today was to bring more aggression and intensity into our rowing. We certainly achieved this aim, but Maggie is a very fast crew, and moved up on us quickly. We had a very fast and solid start, but never really settled into our strong racing rhythm, which made it difficult to move away effectively. If we can combine the aggression of today with the finesse of Wednesday, tomorrow should be a great row.