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All race reports for Magnus Jones

Event: May Bumps 2005 - Thursday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Bumped in the same place for the second day running, after a nearly identical race... It's time we break this bad habit of ours.

Our trouble began at the start line when our cox-box (the pace-coach), which had been working perfectly for both the practice starts, died literally forty-five seconds before the gun. I had no choice but to shout my way through the race - something that was to have dire consequences for our push ability later on... We were quick off the start, gaining on Maggie just as we'd pulled away from them yesterday. But just as yesterday we soon started to lose our edge and slip behind. The girls row well, they move together and get good cover on the strokes. When we push, we push away from the boat behind. But in between pushes there is a slump in effort that has allowed the chasing crews to inch up on us. They simply seem to have a higher base speed than we do - or rather, they simply work slightly harder than we do. This is what got us bumped today. After they'd got close enough, our rowing fell apart, with huge loss of cover for some strokes. The cox-box situation didn't help either, as I was unable to synchronise the last pushes or to correct the technique of the rowers in the bow. We did a desperate push round first post corner, hoping they'd overshoot us, but they shredly stayed on our inside and claimed the bump. At least today they only brushed our side rather than bowballing me in the kidney.

Event: May Bumps 2005 - Friday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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The equipment gods were not with us today. We did our usual good start. Corpus gained a bit but were starting to sag. Then a seat failure. Rowed as well as we could with six rowers, and Corpus seemed to find it surprisingly hard to close. But there was ultimately no hope, and they caught us just at the end of First post Reach - making this our shortest race to date. But our rowing today was a step above what we've seen so far, so who knows what tomorrow may hold?

Event: May Bumps 2005 - Saturday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Another flawless defeat by "the Seatbreakers". Today 's rowing was not our best, but the double seat failure after thirty strokes didn't exactly help. That brings it up to four seat failures in bumps races this term. Oh well, better luck next year I guess... now all that's left is to see about getting some spoons...

Event: Pembroke Regatta 2005 - 2nd VIIIs
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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As we rowed up to the start together, a strong wind was blowing toward the grassy side - their side. We lined up and were set off. Our start worked well once more, and before half way up the reach we were a length a head. The sidewind had pushed us into the middle of the river, though, and had sent them drifting perilously close to their bank. As we struggled to keep to our side of the course, they were overpowered by the wind and plowed headlong into the bank. We carried on at firm pressure for a while, and then took it down to 3/4 pressure to do some technical rowing into the finish.

Event: May Bumps 2006 - Friday
Posted as: Magnus
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We had a nasty feeling the boats ahead of us were going to bump out, and we ended up going for the double-overbump. Various footplate issues gave us a slightly odd rhythm at times and involved rowing in sixes for about five strokes on the Reach. None the less, we settled into a solid rhythm, determined to repeat our previous performance. We gained considerably on Churchill III, but sadly not nearly enough to give us a chance of reaching them before the finish line.

Event: Peterborough Summer Sprint 2006 - WS2 IV+
Posted as: Magnus
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We lined up on the start in suprisingly pleasant weather, with intermittent sunshine and a slightly less disconcerting cross-headwind than we had faced in the heat. We were confident that we could repeat our earlier performance and leave the two familiar crews behind. Reading, next to us in lane one, were the only wildcard. They proved formidable opponents, however, and flew off the start to drop us behind even as we were powering away from the already cowed AK and Broxbourne crews. Our row was a significant improvement on the heat, despite a short-lived wobble around the two-thirds mark. But it just wasn't enough - Reading took a length within the first 200 metres, and though we held them there for a while, they then extended their lead to almost a length and a half as we settled for second place coming in to the finish.

No pots for us, but there was no shame or disappointment in losing to the obviously superior Reading crew. We piled back into the car happy to have been given a good run for our money, and satisfied that our performance had been perfectly respectable for a two-outings crew.

Event: Peterborough Summer Sprint 2006 - WS2 IV+
Posted as: Magnus
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After a few not entirely un-dubious practice starts on the way to the stake boat line, the crew got it together very well off the actual start. Next to us AK, in lane 2, were slightly ahead off the first few strokes, while the two other crews dropped behind right from the outset. The girls soon found their rhythm, however, and over a few pushes walked right through the AK crew to finish a comfortable half-length ahead.

It was quite clear from very early on in the race that we were the strongest of the four crews. As only the last-placed crew would be knocked out, the AK crew seemed reluctant to put up a proper fight and the expected push battle failed to materialise. This made it impossible to gauge the relative strength of the two crews entirely accurately. Nevertheless, it was with considerable and not unwarranted confidence that we settled in to our four-hour wait for the next and final round.

Event: May Bumps 2006 - Saturday
Posted as: Magnus
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After some well-earned bananas and malt loaf, we found ourselves pulled in right by the Lock, ready for our next race. After our solid row-over, we were focussed and confident.

King's II, on the other hand, were a very nervous crew. They were on for spoons, and we were a wildcard crew to them, having just come up from the 5th division. As we loitered and chatted on the bank, they sat stiffly in their boat for the last fifteen minutes before the start. They were pushed off a good minute and a half before the gun, and spent some time sitting alone in the middle of the river looking rather bemused. Their nervousness turned out to have an edge of desperate determination.

Our start was by all accounts no worse than theirs, though we had feared they would push us away initially. Halfway down First Post Reach we were informed that they had crabbed out, but they obviously recovered fast and we didn't gain significantly.

Once we started cornering, though, we began to push up on them. The first whistle came in the Gut, and we got two whistles coming around Grassy. A huge push into the Plough Reach, energised by the cheering from the Plough, and we had overlap on Ditton Corner.

Surprisingly, they somehow managed to steer clear of the bump on the corner. It was rumoured after the race that we had actually bumped them here, but Adam at bow felt nothing. Down the Reach we had more or less continuous overlap. I don't know how many "Bumps 10" pushes we put in, but about halfway down the Reach we were shattered. Rich was taking the racing line, but their cox steered away from the bump and so we had significant overlap without hitting them. Urged on by Iain, Rich began to drift into them for the bump, but it felt like an eternity before we finally made contact.

By this point virtually nobody else was racing, so we had plenty of time to pull in to the bank and succumb to fatigue and elation before taking it on home. A fantastic conclusion to a challenging set of bumps.

Event: May Bumps 2006 - Saturday
Posted as: Magnus
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Christ's III were itching for a fight today, and we knew it. But after yesterday's epic bump, we knew we could take them on. Christ's did clean up their act, and stayed on station for more or less the whole course, egged on by a surprisingly aggressive Christ's IV directly behind. Our row was tidier and more relaxed, though, and after a start that was miles better than yesterday's we held them comfortably for the length of the course. Our line round Grassy was quite a bit tighter than theirs, and the up-one-down-one call as we swung onto the Reach really saw us find our slogging rhythm, giving us plenty more time on the slide without losing us any ground. We were working hard right across the course, but kept it confident and were never desperately under pressure. Just what we needed to set us up for our next row in the 4th division.

Event: May Bumps 2006 - Friday
Posted as: Magnus
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This felt soo good. Christ's were a bit of a wildcard, as they'd just been overbumped down and we had no idea of their standard. But with nothing in front of them and nothing credible behind us, they knew they had nowhere to hide.

We decided to follow our pre-Bumps practice of going all-out for Ditton. As it happened, this was not enough by a long shot - despite some encouraging early whistles, Christ's rallied into the Reach and managed to push us away a bit. A classic push battle ensued, as we gained and lost on them for the entire length of the Reach. By the Railway Bridge, we had inched close enough to affect their steering - their cox realised he would steer into a bump if he tried for the racing line. He went wide and Rich took a perfect corner, and with a huge push out of the bridge we gained overlap. That was the final straw for Christ's, and they crumbled and were bumped out.

This race was massively satisfying - it isn't often you see a proper long-distance duel in the 5th division. Today's race was our longest piece as a crew ever, and it was great to see that we managed to hold it together without spacking out or blowing up. The high point was hearing Rich call for Adam at bow to "take a reeally long stroke, NOW!" as he tried to bladeclip their stern.

Event: May Bumps 2006 - Wednesday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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We knew we were faster than Corpus II, but had underestimated their superiority to Binson III. Our sprint start failed to catch them, as they bumped out halfway through the Gut. Realising that we had clear water ahead of us, we relaxed and lengthened, as we could clearly see Corpus III behind us stood no chance against the superior Christ's IV. After the inevitable bump occurred, the rest of the race was a head piece as far as we were concerned. We caught a glimpse of the crew behind just before we swung round Ditton, and again at the end of the Reach.

Some faulty directions from a confused marshal just before we set off meant that we pulled in at the P&E and were just about to send Richard off for Pimm's when we were informed that we would actually have to row all the way up to top finish. Determined to make a show of it, we wound up to race pressure for the last fifty metres.

Event: City Sprints 2006 - CRA Nv 4+
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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We decided prior to the race that our plan should be to wind off the start, and then take it up 2 each ten strokes until we reached the finish. Given that we had only ever done half an outing with this crew, this was perhaps a bit overconfident.

Event: Lent Bumps 2006 - Saturday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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As we thundered past the Plough, I called "We will execute our race plan to the letter." And so we did. Going for the Head Piece (Head Peace) approach, we settled into a strong 35 off the stride and dipped into a consistent 33ish long-distance rhythm. We were surprised, however, by the grit showed by Peterhouse in front, who we had closed to 3/4 with but who matched our series of pushes down the Reach. Nevertheless, this was a strong effort and a worthy end to a successful week of racing.

Event: Lent Bumps 2006 - Thursday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Took it to 40 off the start, maintained for 20 and they knew they were in trouble. Strode down to a powerful 35 and were within half a length into First Post Corner. Their cox let them down on the line and halfway through the corner we got the "six feet" call and we took it up for the Bumps Ten. For some reason they didn't concede but the marshals on the bank called to hold it up. The row was short, focused and aggressive, and Darwin behind were never a contender. Bodes well for tomorrow.

Event: Newnham Short Course 2006 - Lower VIIIs
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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The conditions for this race were not exactly optimal... two coxes and seven actual rowers, two of whom were rowing on the wrong side, going out for a first outing ever using macons in a novice shell with a bent rudder. The row down was unsurprisingly poor. The fifteen-minute wait at the start gave us a chance to get our priorities straight, though, and once we actually set off things felt much better (no doubt having a Maggie VIII to push off helped things along).

Apparently we beat four crews which were officially higher than ours... But the really heartening things about this race were (A) the paddling at the start of our row home - now everyone knows what to aim for in future outings - and (B) We beat last year's 5th VIII, who were the fastest non-qualifying crew in the Getting-On Race. Three weeks to get things together now, guys... Bumps is starting to look like a definite possibility.

Event: Fairbairn Cup - IVs 2005 - College IVs
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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There was not a single member of this crew who did not whinge that they did not want to race before the start. We'd all done Fairbairns at least once already today and were quite keen to go home and get ready for the dinner. Oh well. It got to our allocated time to push off and there didn't seem to be any excuse worthy of not racing. Arse.

We had an unbalanced and spacky start, but eventually settled into a half decent rhythm by Emma footbridge, where Magnus called for our rhythm push. This saw us go through Elizabeth Way rating a consistent 31, and we more or less maintained this rate through the entire race.

On the Reach the cross-headwind further contributed to our shocking balance, but we nevertheless kept it powerful through the water and various 'rip the riggers off' type calls ensured committment from all four throughout.

Coming round Ditton I was sure that death by exhaustion was only strokes away, but we managed to lift it for the last straight impressively, to take it home in style.

Winning was a slightly surprisingly, if very gratifying result - the plaque will look very nice in the boathouse.

Event: Novice Fairbairn Cup 2005 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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After some lacklustre training pieces we had talked about shifting gears for the race, and today it felt like we really made the change. The rating felt considerably lower than it was, and the whole crew was showing committment all the way through. We still don't know our time but given that this was our first proper high-rate piece I reckon 6th place is a pretty decent result. Nice to see the whole crew manage to come together for this one - now let's carry that commitment into tomorrow and our first taste of rowing as seniors.

Event: Clare Novice Regatta 2005 - Cup
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Well, we'd said we would destroy them, and we did. We took more than a length of the start, and after only about a minute their bow collapsed completely. Before the finish bow four had basically stopped rowing, and we crossed the finish well ahead of them. Apparently though, you get disqualified for that sort of thing, so our paddle up to the second round ended in disappointment.

The LBCs were impressed by our start though, and gutted that we didn't get the opportunity to live up to our potential. We've got to kill ourselves in the outing tomorrow, guys - Fairbairns is this crew's last, best chance to shine.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 2005 - Student Beginner VIIIs
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Experty guided down the river by our cox Amelia, we settled in to a solid 26-28 rhythm off the start and maintained it. Our row was free of disasters. We didn't crash into the bank, and no-one lost their seat or caught a crab. We were somewhat slowed by a pair of drunken idiots in a motorboat who forced us into a very bad line round Ditton, but still managed a pretty good time and overall performance. The general feel of the race was quite good and together, though we proved we were capable both of some quite high-quality work (the beat-the-First-Men push) and some serius spacking (last five strokes before the finish). Well rowed guys - now let's get our sights on the Clare Novice Regatta.

Event: University IVs 2005 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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This was our toughest match of the week. Newnham had a good start and we didn't, so they were three quarters up on us before we knew what was happening. They stayed there, though, and over a gruelling long reach we started to inch back up. A ten stroke push round the reach "corner" had us back were we belong, and as we passed the pink house it was time to unleash our secret weapon - the Two Man Push. As soon as their two rower got level with me, the girls gave it everything they had and we got clear of them. As their cox started to panic, we cruised under the railway bridge and then into our big lift. After that they didn't stand a chance. Like Clare they fought bravely and were starting to make up distance again when we wound for the finish, but it just wasn't good enough to match us. Congratulations girls on a really impressive performance - ultimately this race was won on sheer killer instinct.

Event: University IVs 2005 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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A fantastic, solid race. We took a quarter length off Clare right from the start and then steadily pushed away. They fought bravely, and coming around the last corner they put in a heroic final effort. As it turned out, though, this bunch of bananas had passed their sell-by date. Their pushes were matched consistently and with each counter-push we sent them further down. By the finish line we were still a good two lengths clear, and showed no sign of flagging. All in all a good crew effort which bodes well for tomorrow's racing.

Event: Queens' Novice Ergo Competition 2005 - 2nd division
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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After a half-hour wait due to delays the 5th Men paraded onto the arena to do their duty for First and Third. Thanks to a position right next to the man-high speakers, excellent coxing from Tom and Dami, and a lot of supportive cheering from the balconies we... I mean, *they* put in a solid team effort, going all-out in a race which saw several new personal best times. The intense atmosphere, brand-new model D ergs and complimentary tragic pun t-shirts certainly made this a night to remember. Well rowed guys!

Event: Lent Bumps 2006 - Friday
Posted as: Magnus Jones
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Good, patient start, wound it right up. Ahead on Downing. Settled in to our long maintain, strode it down comfortably. Downing up a bit on Wolfson - clearly they've gone hard off the start. We're in rhythm, looking good.

Come round into the Gut, we get a whistle. Stay focused and cut a better corner than Downing on Grassy. Wolfson have pulled away and we take a ten push into the Plough Reach. Six foot call almost immediately.

Call for Bump Ten, and we've got overlap on their bowside. I'm taking the line for Ditton, and their cox can't steer in or they'll be bumped. He keeps the outside and takes a ridiculously wide Ditton Corner. We simply overtake on the inside.

Halfway through the corner, we're level. Unbelievably, neither their cox nor their bank party give any indication that they realise they've been bumped.

Coming onto the reach, we're practically clear of them, and I edge over onto their side, lightly clipping their bowblade with our sixblade (!). Their bowman stops rowing and starts shouting to concede. I start steering for the bank to pull in.

They just keep going at race pressure. I can't believe my eyes, but start steering out again to re-clip them. Thankfully, the marshals at this point call the bump. It's over.

Good effort guys, we held it together well even through the insanity of the last few seconds. This if anything proves that we can keep our eyes in the boat and execute our plan regardless of circumstances. More of the same tomorrow.

Event: University IVs 2006 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus
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No push battles here - both crews seemed to settle into a rhythm off the start and maintain it down the course. Ours was considerably faster.

Event: Lent Bumps 2007 - Tuesday
Posted as: Magnus
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Crews ahead bumped out. Crew behind bumped out. Went for the overbump on Caius. Solid effort from the crew, over a distance longer than we have rowed so far this term. We took five lengths off them, but needed six and a half. Same commitment tomorrow, but with more time on the slide, and we'll be flying.

Event: Head of the Nene 2007 - S3 8+
Posted as: Magnus
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Many are met here
Manfully striving;
Wave-ploughs warring
Cleave through the water.

Red and black blades
Are rent by the roaring
Lioness; hungry,
She longs for more prey.

Straining their sinews,
Clare spy her stalking;
Faintly they struggle
Their fate to forfend.

Blade shall meet blade
Ere the raising of banners;
Victor and vanquished
The Valkyrie chooses.
(from the Poetic Edda)

Event: Cambridge Head-2-Head 2007 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus
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Building on our solid pieces in the Friday practice outing, we managed to row with length and consistent rhythm despite the bad conditions. The race downstream was uniformly solid, but the combination of fatigue and headwind briefly took the edge off our rowing in the third quarter of the second leg. Even so, we beat all the other women's crews in our division - the comedy start order meant we were within a length and a half of the "overbump". Jesus, rowing in an earlier division, posted a faster time, but we've definitely showed the opposition who to look out for this term.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 2006 - Student Senior IVs
Posted as: Magnus
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We decided to turn back around Chesterton, as Cath was having problems with some kind of leg cramps. We left her upside down on trestles in the boat bay, so hopefully we'll be able to take her out next week.

Event: University IVs 2006 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus
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Once again, a surprisingly solid victory. After Emma's performance yesterday we were fully expecting to be down off the start, and to have a hard contested race all the way down the course. Instead we dominated right through the race, and I surprised the whole crew by calling our trademark race-winning push after only about twenty strokes... The girls performed even better than usual today, really putting the power in over the length of the course. Once we were clear, Emma never really posed a threat, despite calling at least three "final killer pushes".

When we got back to the boat house, I was congratulated by Lorry for "winning a medal just for being a passenger." I can't really complain - the race today was definitely won despite, not because of, the coxing. Although I left plenty of room for Emma, I was repeatedly shouted at by an umpire whose idea of a fair race seemed to be for me to cede the racing line completely and give my crew an extra-long row in the shitty shallow water on meadow side. Since we were a length ahead anyway, I thought it best to comply with the nonsense.

Oh well, whatever gets me thrown in the river at the end of a day's racing works for me in the end. Today we pretty conclusively showed that the Autumn Head was only a taste of things to come. Extra thanks to everyone who showed up to watch - it was fantastic to pull in at the finish to a fully fledged victory party! Chalk up another victory to First and Third's lean, mean every-other-crew-on-the-river humiliating machine!

Event: University IVs 2006 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus
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We rowed down to the start expecting to race with stiff opposition from LMBC. Instead, we found ourselves in clear water about a quarter of the way down the course.

The Maggie girls had an unfortunate first draw stroke, and we were up about a third of a length into the wind. As we settled onto our long rhythm, they frantically pushed to make up lost ground, and succeeded in drawing just about level with us again. At this point they were rating 36 (according to their cox) while our rowing was a lot longer and more relaxed than that. They couldn't maintain it, and their rating and power slumped massively over only a few strokes while we simultaneously went into a lift. The combination saw us sailing past them and we were soon unassailably ahead and could focus on making it another solid, consistent head piece.

Almost seems a shame to have the day off tomorrow. Bring on the final!

Event: University IVs 2006 - 1st division
Posted as: Magnus
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An auspicious start. We were about a third of a length up on them off the wind, and then locked smoothly into our "tallness advantage" rhythm. The "teddy bears" pushed back almost level as we lengthened out, but they were clearly well outside their comfort zone. There was a single blade clash halfway down the reach, as they tried to force their way into our water. I decided to give them some leeway and let our innate superiority take its toll: down the reach we slowly walked through them, and then left them behind with a solid lift toward the bridge. After that they decided for some reason it would be more fun to row in our wash. We took it up for the finish in style, maintaining our lovely rhythm for the duration of the course. Let's see more of the same tomorrow.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 2007 - Student Novice IVs
Posted as: Magnus
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Despite the cold, fatigue from previous racing and a bit of marshalling drama, the girls managed a good display of contrast, togetherness, and sharp cornering. Being chased down the course by a 99's IV with serious points didn't hurt, either.

The crew is unpolished and the rowing was by no means perfect, but this race was encouraging. The only college women's IV to post a faster time was a Homerton crew in the Senior category.

Event: Cambridge Winter Head 2007 - Student Novice VIIIs
Posted as: Magnus
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After a overenthusiastic start the crew quickly regained control, and held together with only minor lapses. By Ditton Corner they had caught up with a slower X-Press crew which impeded their line (though to be fair this is OK under the rules) and blade-clashed them before the finish line. The girls held together through the wash, and overtook in the last stretch of the race.

The only college women's VIIIs that posted faster times were a Christs' VIII which rowed twice, and two (I suspect actually one) Jesus VIIIs.

Event: Lent Bumps 2008 - Tuesday
Posted as: Magnus
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They thought it was a fight. They didn't know it was a show.

Event: Lent Bumps 2008 - Wednesday
Posted as: Magnus
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Our start was lacklustre, but even so we closed quickly and consistently. Our faster base speed, strong pushes and tighter corners meant the outcome was never in doubt. Coming down the Plough Reach, we were getting overlap, and with us on the towpath side there was nowhere for Queens' to go around Ditton. Still, they stayed psyched up and held it together until we steered into them.

We rowed considerably better today than yesterday, but so did Queens'. Tomorrow's Queens'-Selwyn showdown at the top of M3 should be a race worth watching.

Event: Cardinal's Regatta 2008 - Mixed IV
Posted as: Magnus
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Posted by 'Fiend' on the boatie messageboards, Tuesday at 6.11 p.m.:

"Right, all this college crews vs CUW can finally be decided once and for all... CUW vs FaT in round 1 of Cats [sic] Cardinals IVs - surely the final answer to all the debate!"