First and Third Trinity Boat Club
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The Club's Results

May Term 2018

4th men's VIII

May Bumps, Grad Boat

Wednesday
Technical row over
Our sophisticated Mays training plan did not leave room for practicing starts; our first start as a crew (plus two subs) was on the row down. Our second was at the cannon. It was abysmal. BUT no threat from the rear. Eddie's were fairly rapid ahead of us, we will conquer the crew they sent down tomorrow hopefully...
Not a man jack of us is currently sober though. We're too old for alcohol bans.
(Alex)
I didn't break my oar today, and we didn't bump... Might try something different tomorrow. (Jacob)
I was somewhat confused when Dear started to explain how to do a racing start just before the practise start, I later discovered they'd never done one and the practise was predictably terrible.

A discussion of start sequences ensued before the four minute gun though unsurprisingly led to little improvement in the actual start, a saying involving polishing turds springs to mind. Despite their start being distinctly mediocre at best the guys settled onto a nice rhythm and matched the crews around them for speed having lost about a third of a length through the first few strokes.

Homerton behind appeared to not have been told that there's an aspect of technique to rowing and spannered along with great enthusiasm and power about a length back. Out of first post it became apparent that someone had done something silly on grassy and the division became one of many to be klaxon-ed. Given the distances a technical row over was awarded.
(MC Row(e))
Thursday
Bumped by Homerton II
A less abysmal start today, but the crew lost interest at about a minute in, especially in keeping in time, and Homerton rapidly ate us up. Bow pair tried to overbump Eddies on the way home, but alas Arthur's stamina wasn't up to the task...
...tomorrow we put Kendall at stroke.
(Alex)
Somehow the start sequence improved considerably overnight and having done a vaguely respectable practise the guys hit the race a lot quicker than yesterday.

As we all know, boat speed is a function of power and efficiency and Homerton behind had given up any pretence of aiming for the latter. They did, however, have plenty of power and while ergs don't float there's no reason why you can't drag them along the bottom of the river. Around first post corner Homerton's superior power began to show and they began to move. The grads couldn't quite respond and were caught a bit out of Grassy with some good steering from Sayana saving them for a while.

How about an erg or two?
(MC Row(e))
Friday
Bumped by Churchill III
Scratched due to lack of crew availability. Downside to having a company CEO and other assorted huge deals in the boat.
On the plus side we're well-rested and raring to go tomorrow. It's entirely unclear whether we'll be fast, but it will certainly be entertaining. 
I'm wonder how Homerton feels about chasing us a second time...
(Alex)
A scratch resulted in Churchill having to row past an empty station, no small task for some crews but they managed it.

Amusingly Trinity Hall proceeded to overbump Homerton resulting in the Grads being chased by them again tomorrow.
(MC Row(e))
Saturday
Bumped by Homerton II
Hahah well that was an interesting race. Determined not to be out-muscled by anyone despite our lack of togetherness, we hit it biiiig off the start, settling to maybe r36 and maxing out on the power. With alternating legs pushes and lats pushes, we moved substantially on the crew ahead, coming within a length, and with Homerton vanishing down an extra length. Then disaster struck, and our sub caught a boat-stopping crab after the motorway bridge, no doubt due to lack of familiarity with rowing in a turbocharged washing machine. 

We stayed stationary until Homerton were less than a length off us, then we yelled a lot and did an enormous second start, and comfortably escaped them (lol), widening the gap to over a length. Alas although our strength did not die, our composure gradually got even worse, and the gap narrowed again. They got us when Arthur failed to single handedly row us round another corner (I forget which).

We consoled our sub with the fact that the race was more amusing this way. Shout out to Hannes for still being drunk from a wedding in Germany the night before, and having got only one hour's sleep (in the plane on the way back).

Back at the boathouse we pushed almost the whole of Homerton's crew into the Cam, as a minor act of vengeance for them bumping twice.
(Alex)
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