All race reports for Imogen Grant
Event: Clare Novice Regatta 2014 - Cup
Posted as: Imogen
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This race was certainly a satisfying one.
We moved quickly and cleanly off the start, and pulled away after about 20 strokes. At this point I think Newnham proceeded to crash into the bank for the first time. The race continued with strides down to a nice and relaxed pace of about 26, all the while watching Newnham move further and further away from us. Newnham, I believe, crashed into the bank two more times. At one point I heard Matt shout to us to enjoy the view (it was a good one). We crossed the finish as they passed under the railway bridge, and wound down to wait for them. It was definitely the easiest won race of the day.
Event: Clare Novice Regatta 2014 - Cup
Posted as: Imogen
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As we pulled up the start line, on the bank I heard two young children accompanied by their father shouting encouragement to one of the Eddie's rowers (obviously their mum). Only after we won the race did I think it was probably a bit sad for the kids to see their mother get beaten so well...
Event: Clare Novice Regatta 2014 - Cup
Posted as: Imogen
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By far our technically best race of the day, we began well but the Maggie boat had a strong start and pulled out 3 seats ahead. At this point I lost sight of the boat in my peripheral vision and the words "shit, shit shit" were reverberating in my head. Thankfully Liv kept us calm and we moved together and strong, sustaining our rhythm. After not too long, we were moving up on their boat and began to pull away. Maggie fell apart soon after and clear water opened up between the boats.
The only reason we won this race was that we kept our cool, and stayed together, and I'm so glad we did!
Event: Novice Fairbairn Cup 2014 - 2nd division
Posted as: Imogen
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It was a long race, but went by surprisingly quickly.
Specific memories from during the race:
Getting the shivers just before the start (must have been the adrenaline)
Outside one of the boathouses was someone taking a photo. Saying to myself 'look composed, look composed'
The most massive bank party
Hearing rather a lot of squealing brakes as the entire bank party attempted to brake on the bridge
'Yeah girls'
Fluffing a stroke and pulling a face I'm glad nobody saw
Liv shouting 'Do it for Penny!'
Being told we were gaining on Christs
'Moooving!'
Final push on the reach
Crossing the line and finally being able to look over and see Christs directly next to us
Having to keep rowing away from the finish
Pulling in and getting out and eating Minstrels and hugging each other
Liv casually mentioning we were rating 32 (32!) for most of the race
Walking back up the course to watch NW2 row
Running alongside NW2 with an even bigger bank party
Yelling myself hoarse (again)
Paddling back in style
Gliding past crews on the way back at rate 16
The entire bank party yelling at Fordy
Liv subsequently not listening the the bank party at all
A beautiful corner steered by Liv
Back to the boat house and that was that
Event: Cambridge Head-2-Head 2015 - 1st Mays
Posted as: Imogen
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Not feeling very well, I was a bit apprehensive about the racing, especially given the fact we had to do it twice. We began our first race with attack though, which made the rate a little difficult to control. We settled as we powered down the reach and found a rhythm a bit more for the rest of the race. Good calls from MC kept us focused on pushing hard, though I have absolutely no idea what those calls were. The last few hundred of the race were a bit messy as well, but we got across the line and could rest.
Some enough it was time to race again. I think the plan was to find a rate we were comfortable at and stick with it. We certainly wound high at the start and after striding we were moving on christs in front at least to begin with. During the middle of the race the rhythm was good, but the pressure dropped off until the push out of grassy brought things back together again. The push down the reach was possibly too successful - too much energy left? as we were gaining on christs again. The push for the line was equally committed, and then the race was over. It was a decent first race from all of us, but I think there is definitely more speed to find
Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2015 - 8+
Posted as: Imogen
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Dressed as fruits and vegetables, the highlights of these being a broccoli with a green afro and a bunch of grapes using balloons, we were an interesting sight.
As our first race in a double bucket rigged WinTech, we had a somewhat interesting time. The practice we had as a crew paddling down to the start didn't seem to help with the rhythm - in fact, the boat felt almost as heavy as the tub pair I had rowed earlier in the day.
Despite this, it turns out that if you take more strokes than the other crew then you tend to go faster until they give up. We were able to stride once ahead and passed the finish at a leisurely but rocky 26/28.
Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2015 - 8+
Posted as: Imogen
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After the first race, we tried to have more rhythm and row together - all the better to 'squash' the opposition. The Fitz crew had 6 men in it so we got a measly half length head start and continued with our plan of taking lots of strokes slightly badly instead of fewer strokes slightly badly.
This worked again, as we won.
Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2015 - 8+
Posted as: Imogen
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As the first two races had been moderately easy we were hopeful for the next race. However at the start line the opposing crew seemed to have rather a lot of men in it. 7 male rowers in fact. Despite this we were given no head start so hammered it down the course as fast as possible.
This was probably our best race of the day, but the unfairness (in my op-onion) of the start mean that we were 'beet'. We were a bit 'cress'-fallen, but the marshals realised they had been unfair so awarded us the best costume prize instead.
Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2015 - Mixed IV
Posted as: Imogen
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Definitely the best dressed crew of the day, we had Bond at stroke and three Bond girls in dresses filling the rest of the boat. I even brought heels.
We lined up against the Pembroke crew and wrangled a half length head start given that we only had 1 male rower. We rowed fast until it was clear we were ahead, at which point we wound down and Thornton asked where the finish line was. We crossed in style.
Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2015 - Mixed IV
Posted as: Imogen
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It turns out if a crew has two men from M1 and two women from W1 then their four goes quite fast. We held them on the start (with no head start) but it became clear they were going to win fairly comfortably.
We then focused on looking as good as possible to cross the finish line.
Event: May Bumps 2015 - Wednesday
Posted as: Imogen
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I was nervous before this race. Really really nervous. I was either going to burst into tears, throw up, or pass out as we rowed down. To my surprise none of those things happened. Sitting on the start line, when the gun went things went quickly, having a good start which moved up on Jesus. Newnham also moved up on us but a push down plough reach saw us open up a bit of distance and the rowing just got better from there. Another push at ditton and newnham died a death. We rowed happily down the reach at a comfortable rhythm two lengths clear. On to tomorrow.
Event: May Bumps 2015 - Thursday
Posted as: Imogen
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Ow. Ow ow ow. Good start, great first half, couldn't quite seal the deal down the reach, painful row to the line with newnham miles behind. This was just the trial run.
Event: May Bumps 2016 - Wednesday
Posted as: Imogen
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First day of bumps, nerves are always high. With carnage in the M2 division, as we pushed off we were notified there would be no practice start. Despite this, Clare ahead of us decided they were special enough to do one anyway. We had a good warmup before pulling in, ready to wait for the gun. Before I knew it, we were being pushed out and the gun went off.
We had a clean start, and adrenaline wound us to 43, before we rhythmed to 36 around first post. Clare had a fast start and moved up to a length in the Gut, earning them a whistle. An internal call from Liv allowed us to push onto a really solid rhythm around grassy, rapidly moving back to outside station on Clare by the Plough. Walking away from Clare, our gaze shifted to ahead of us. Jesus had been two feet off Emma since the Gut, around 2 1/2 lengths ahead of us. Down the reach, our rhythm carried us inch by inch closer to within station by the railway bridge. At this point Jesus began to blow hard, and we had nothing to lose. Sharpening and pushing led us to close to 3/4 of a length by top finish before we ran out of river. Tomorrow.
Event: May Bumps 2016 - Thursday
Posted as: Imogen
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We made a mistake today, not to be repeated. Our plan - find our rhythm and push from there. Heads in, and we can go from there.
Event: May Bumps 2016 - Friday
Posted as: Imogen
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Yesterday we rowed badly and got bumped. Today we rowed well and got bumped. It's sad both ways, but I'm happy with how we raced today, and that makes things a bit easier.
We had a far more relaxed warmup, with a fantastic practice start, and pulled in on the outflow feeling good.
Pushing off, there was a mild panic when at 25s to go we realised Liv didn't have a bung in her hand, but this was rapidly rectified. The gun went, and we did one of the best starts of term; strong, and sharp. I thought we were in a good position coming up to First Post, but Girton's rhythm brought them their first whistle. Around First Post, a second and third quickly followed and with overlap in the entrance to Grassy the bump was called by the umpire. We raced well, but Girton just had a gear we did not...
