All race reports for G. Harboe
Event: May Bumps 2001 - Friday
Posted as: G. Harboe
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These problems plagued us throughout our practice start and race. We bumped, of course, but we did it badly.
Our main objective for the day having been achieved, our motivation appeared to flag, causing the paddling home to be even worse than what we'd seen so far. Tomorrow we do not have such an easy match, and will be required to do better if we wish to move up head of the 4th division (and beyond...). Fortunately, the raceplan plays to our strength, and I believe that if we pull ourselves together we should be able to do it, and row a race to be proud of.
Event: May Bumps 2001 - Friday
Posted as: G. Harboe
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Then a minor disaster struck. Four's (Neil's) shoe came off his footplate. If we couldn't fix this, we'd have to scratch! I for one felt quite sick at the thought. Fortunately, Iain managed to patch it up with some duct tape. We were, if possible, even more psyched than before.
Plenty of time to loosen up on the bank. Relaxed and focused in the boat. A good start: not perhaps the quickest we've done (and we heard later that Corpus moved away from us), but technical and sensible. The surge didn't really happen, but our cox Henry called another one straight after, and we settled into a good, sustainable rythm that would wear down the crew ahead slowly but surely.
An amazing first corner (as we were informed later) took off half a length of distance, and as we really got into the beat of it we just gained continuously on them. The hooters were late in coming, but we were encouraged by the bank party who told us to just keep going, just keep doing what we were doing. Two hooters in Ditton or so, three and four soon thereafter. At that time, Corpus folded and we had our bump! An amazing rush.
Now head of our division, we'd have to row again as sandwich boat in the third. I think we spent the break in between sensibly, and morale was good on the row down. We knew that the crews ahead were likely to bump out early (since Sidney had already bumped Magdalene on the first day, before being overbumped down by Homerton continuing their migration up the divisions), and we'd have to go for the overbump on Jesus III. It was going to be hard, but we hoped possible.
Event: May Bumps 2001 - Friday
Posted as: G. Harboe
Event Link
There went our blades. It seemed appropriate that the rain started pouring down as we prepared to row home. It was in a subdued mood that contrasted strongly with the excitement after our first race that we brought the boat back to and into the boathouse.
Had we got them, we would have been starting behind our gents' 3rd VIII tomorrow, making for an interesting race as we would try to secure our blades and they avoid their spoons. Now, we will have to row over as head of the division in front of Corpus, which should be more challenging than on our first day, but hopefully not as painful as today's row-over. Then we should be able to bring Magdalene II down to the fourth division and make sure the 4th boat next year will start in the third.
All in all, this day really showed what the bumps are all about, with sunshine, rain, wind and thunderstorms making the weather as diverse as our luck. Although a slightly disappointing result, it's an experience I wouldn't be without.
Event: Lent Bumps 2001 - Thursday
Posted as: G. Harboe
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The course of the fourth boat is beset on all sides by the ineptitude of Queens' III behind and the travesty of King's II ahead. Blessed are we, who in the name of charity and good will put them out of their misery and cast them into everlasting darkness, for we are TRULY our college's keepers and the finders of lost hats. And we will bump down with GREAT VENGEANCE and FURIOUS ANGER those who would attempt to ROW OVER and DESTROY our chance of getting blades. And you will know our name is 1ST AND 3RD when we lay our vengeance upon thee!
<gunshot, rowing, bump>
'nuff said.
