The Club's Results

The 2nd VIII were going for their headship. They were far too strong for Maggie II and had them easily by Grassy corner. Excellent to now be the best second VIII on the river. (Rich)

A relaxed and calm approach to the first day's racing rewarded us with a smooth and comfortable row. For the first time in the rowing careers of our crew the race mirrored our best pieces of the term and we settled quickly to the rhythm we were wanting, rating an easy 36 to 37. We were just cruising but destroyed the crew in our sights - closing to a canvas on LMBC II with nice rowing up plough reach and finally hitting them with a little less technique but more power out of Ditton to take the 2nd VIII headship. (Martin)

They rowed better than yesterday, but still not as well as they can. They took them down at Grassy. (Rich)

Clare: A girl's name.

Disney: Never convincing, often funny. Today, the 2nd VIII bumped up to the top of Division 2, making a big impression on Clare down Plough Reach, then finishing them off with a highly effective push out of Ditton corner. The bump finally occurred near the Railings. The crew are agreed that the rowing during this race was just about the best we have produced all term. (Graham Fisher)

Rowing as sandwich boat they came up against the might of Sidney Sussex, who they needed all the way up to the Motorway Bridge to catch! An awesome day for them - 2nd VIII headship and 1st Division status - very happy. (Rich)

Rowing as sandwich boat, we were chasing Sidney Sussex for a place in the 1st Division. Having done our best to recover from our earlier efforts, we were prepared for a hard row, but as it transpired, we began to move up on them straight away and they offered little resistance, the bump being achieved at the Motorway Bridge.

This put 1st & 3rd II into the 1st Division for the 1st time in many years (I'll figure out how many as soon as I have more time to be "Statto"). This is the result of a lot of hard work throughout the term, and we would like to thank both our coaches and our supporters.

However, our work is not yet finished. Tomorrow we will be chasing St Catharine's, who were bumped today by Peterhouse. We anticipate that our races from now on are likely to be longer and tougher than those up to this point, but we are confident and ready to rise to the challenge. (Graham Fisher)

They sadly lost their chance of a bump every day when they met a pretty reasonable Catz crew. Those who had been bumped by Catz last term were certainly out for revenge, but they never really closed on them. (Rich)

After the excellent rowing of the first 2 days to climb into the first division we now found ourselves chasing Catz. As we had bumped Sidney more easily than Peterhouse had - and Peterhouse had bumped Catz - we were reasonably confident of having a good go at Catz. Another solid warm up, perhaps not quite as nice as yesterdays, set us up nicely for the start.

When the gun went we set off well matching Catz. However, we never quite managed to hit the cruising rhythm of the previous days and didn't cope too well with the rough water that happens at the bottom of divisions. Although a solid First Post Reach took us to almost a length off their stern, some fairly ropey corners allowed them to push it back to distance. We pushed hard all the way down Plough Reach and Long Reach, but without the rhythm that had made it all possible on the previous days, we made little impact, Clare even managing to close a little behind us.

As we have shown ourselves capable of bumping Clare, we know we can go at least 1 1/2 lengths quicker and intend to do so tomorrow. Come and watch us. (Martin)

The 2nd VIII were again chasing Catz for blades, but couldn't find the extra boat speed, despite having geared up a notch. They closed slightly, but never got the hooter that might have urged them on to bump. Nevertheless, a fantastic week for them, and all credit due to a damn good crew. (Rich)

The grotty weather that had hit the earliest divisions had returned by the time we had to row down, and so it was a well wrapped up second eight that pushed off and headed staright down to the start in a bitter Northerly wind and light drizzle. I had actually been ill for some of the morning and was drugged up to the eyeballs with foul tasting stomach medicine. Despite this we all knew that this, our last race together as a crew, would be a massive chance to show that we could more than hold our own in the first division.

So a nervous row down followed, although the Plough reach practice start was not bad at all and as we approached the lock we began to click. After Friday's experiences, we knew that we had to hammer Catz off the start and keep the pressure on, especially as they would be after a struggling 'Binson boat. In the end we needn't have worried about Binson - Catz never really came close and we had the course to get them. Things started well, and we moved up to a length by the Plough, but once again they matched us stroke for stroke and moved away in the reach. A final push moved us back to within 2 lengths, but we were never going to reach that elusive 16th position. Clare, meanwhile, were left for dust and never even had to think about challenging us.

If I had to find a fault with first division rowing, it would be that you just don't have time to get ready for dinner. After a quick change, we met in John Parker's room for a quick pre-dinner drink and a fine-tuning of those lyrics. I think the dinner was enjoyable (I just was not hungry thanks to the several medicines Boots had fixed me up with) and the company certainly was. In the time-honoured tradition, the second eight were asked to perform a song. Taking The Waterboys (get it?) classic "The Whole of the Moon" as inspiration, the epic Cover our spoons was created. (Simon)