All race reports for Alex Davies

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Event: Novice Fairbairn Cup 2004 - 2nd division
Posted as: Alex
Event Link

Great row, guys!

As always, our start fired and we swiftly closed on Trinity Hall ahead of us: rating high and pulling together. It felt like we could catch them by King's. Then, ten strokes out of the road bridge, disaster struck as Matt (stroke) fell off his seat. After rowing with six for a while - and toying with seven round the corner - he finally got it fixed, but our momentum was gone.

From here, the rate dropped and dropped up to Chesterton footbridge, as the crew tired. Coming out - "Halfway!" - we put on a big push over about thirty strokes, and held it there. Realising we were closing again on the Hall, and spurred on by our bank party, a huge roar then erupted from the heart of the boat; Tim:

"Let's DESTROY them!!"

Firing on all cylinders, we put the rate back up and came level with them approaching the railway bridge. They took the inside of the corner but it didn't delay us long - and spurred on by our success, we roared away down Long Reach to the finish. The crew were thoroughly exhausted, but happy. Bring on the bumps!

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Event: Newnham Short Course 2005 - Lower VIIIs
Posted as: Alex
Event Link

Out race plan was simple: push in and out of corners, and down the straights. We set off well, closing quickly on Caius and losing sight of Queen's (chasing) from the Gut onwards. The power dropped a bit round Grassy corner, and never quite picked up - we were held off all the way down the Plow Reach. But we pushed out of Ditton, and took them down the outside of the reach. They steered the same way, and bowside had a bit of a rough time - but we just got our nose in front for the line.

All in all it was pretty satisfying to overtake, given the start they had, and the row was pretty solid. We somehow sat the thing, and timing was good - if at a slowish rate. If we can keep the power high throughout, and lift the rating a little, I reckon we'll be doing well.

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Event: Lent Bumps 2005 - Tuesday
Posted as: Alex
Event Link

Well, no blades, no spoons. We roared off the start, cutting their lead to a length after three strokes on the inside of the corner, but as the river straightened and our stride failed to settle they held us off. Fitz then bumped Peterhouse, and our own FaT III bumped Downing, so by the end of First Post Reach we were chasing a double overbump.

As one of the only two boats left on the river, we stayed focused and soon regained the ground we'd lost on Jesus twisting through the bumped crews. Sadly down the reach they saw us, pushed back, and the distance was just too great.

Aiming for Peterhouse tomorrow.

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Event: Lent Bumps 2005 - Friday
Posted as: Alex
Event Link

Our rowing is only getting better. The stride worked, though naturally there's room for improvement, and we more or less kept station with Caius ahead (the bump was never on).

We'd set ourselves for a long and gruelling rowover - says the cox - ahead of a fast Queen's III. Sadly, they were closing by the time we passed under the motorway bridge. We matched their first push, just about lived through the second, and then tried to survive the final half of first post reach with a few inches of overlap already conceded. They had more in the tank.

Well done to Queen's on a deserved bump, and to Caius in somehow overbumping by Grassy! Tomorrow we'll be looking to nail that stride, and maybe get some more power in the water as well.