All race reports for Andrey Karailiev
Event: May Bumps 2023 - Wednesday
Posted as: Andrey Karailiev
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A lot of discussion had gone on the week prior about the importance this day would have for setting us up for the week. A bump up would mean a hopeful rise on following days and saving M2 from its precarious position at the bottom of Div 2, whereas a bump down would have us slip away into the far-from-coveted sandwich boat position. We were going to be rowing all out for 3 minutes, and what happens happens.
Fate intervened when Darwin M1, two boats ahead of us, decided to sabotage our well-laid plans. Downing M2, who we were chasing, managed the bump within the first minute of the race, and all of a sudden our three-boat-sandwich became just two. Almost simultaneously, Jesus M2 closed some distance and had a whistle on us when we switched gears and knowing we had to go for the row-over started to pull away, surely demoralising our opposition as the gap began to grow.
Our valiant push would not last though, when carnage in the river further up the division led to all boats coming to a standstill. After some confusion, a re-row was called with the four boats meant to be ahead of us all bumped out and nothing but a row-over, or double overbump suggested in jest (surely one would never happen...), as our options.
As we got to our station, everyone in that boat knew it would not be easy. But we had pulled away once, and would have to do the same again. The start was much the same, with Jesus quick to reach a whistle on us and likely sure the bump would follow soon after. But, as Connor took us around every bend expertly and the crew dug in, we managed to hold them off for a while longer than they'd have expected. Thing took a turn when down in front of the Plough, Jesus made a move and began to put down some power with the intent to go in for the kill. We could hear the second whistle, and before long that boat was looking too close for comfort. They were a powerful crew, and despite some of our best rowing yet, the push away from them never came. And so, just after Ditton, the gap closed fully and they secured a well-fought bump.
Our valiant push would not last though, when carnage in the river further up the division led to all boats coming to a standstill. After some confusion, a re-row was called with the four boats meant to be ahead of us all bumped out and nothing but a row-over, or double overbump suggested in jest (surely one would never happen...), as our options.
As we got to our station, everyone in that boat knew it would not be easy. But we had pulled away once, and would have to do the same again. The start was much the same, with Jesus quick to reach a whistle on us and likely sure the bump would follow soon after. But, as Connor took us around every bend expertly and the crew dug in, we managed to hold them off for a while longer than they'd have expected. Thing took a turn when down in front of the Plough, Jesus made a move and began to put down some power with the intent to go in for the kill. We could hear the second whistle, and before long that boat was looking too close for comfort. They were a powerful crew, and despite some of our best rowing yet, the push away from them never came. And so, just after Ditton, the gap closed fully and they secured a well-fought bump.
