The Club's Results

It was a great race - pushing off Emma all the way down the Reach and holding them off to the finish. The crew rowed really well together and put in a lot of effort so I was pleased with the result. (Sally)

This was a good solid row, once we had established a lead. 

This was a personal grudge battle after last term and fantastic to row in and cross the line first! 

This was a good race; starting from behind on the inside lane of the curved course, the crew worked well and drew level with Keble over the first part of the race. Keble worked hard in the second half, however, and we just weren't quite strong enough to continue our advances. We lost by a length or two. (Sally)

Exeter seemed to work harder in the first part of the race than they had in the Novice VIIIs competition, starting from behind on the inside line and drawing level. It was only from about half way that we were able to begin pushing ahead - another good race and a pleasing win. 

Merton had just beaten Twickenham comfortably in S2, so we weren't expecting an easy row. We lost by 2 or 3 lengths but we had a really strong and much more relaxed rhythm than the last 3 races so were pleased with the race even if the result wasn't in our favour. All in all, a great day's racing. (Sally)

The Darwin crew had enough subs in university kit to look like a top college, but the rowing didn't match the insignia (or maybe it did!?). 1st & 3rd lost about 1/4 length off the start but by the railway bridge had moved 3/4 length in front and held this round the outside of the railway bridge corner to finish with clear water. Rowing looked together if perhaps a little lacking in sharpness. 

Peterhouse looked quite big, and took our girls for 3/4 length off the start, but we pushed back and coming up to the railway bridge we were still in touch - looked considerably sharper to me than in the first race. Mr Lee timed a good push coming under the bridge and moved back up to half a length on Peterhouse, but Alex Taylor of Downing, steering the Peterhouse boat, deliberately impeeded Mr Lee's course by cutting the Railway bridge corner sharply. In any other regatta this would result in a DQ (eg Neil steering the 3rd novices in the Clare Novice Regatta 2 years ago) but Nines' let it through, saying it would not have changed the result of the race, which is probably true (though it would certainly have been a lot closer). (Dubya)

We had a solid rhythm and row through the gut and round Grassy before the distance began to decrease between us and Magdalene. Darwin were sitting outside distance and were therefore posing no threat. A push from Alex was responded to well by the crew and subsequent superior steering led us round Ditton with a length clear water. A large proportion of the reach was needed to reel them in but we finally succeeded and returned the favour from last year. (Sally)

Not our best row ever. They had a lot of anger after yesterday and we didn't seem to gain enough on CCAT at the start to make a convincing push. All credit to Magdalene, they had a good row and had overlap just after Ditton before bumping us about half way up the reach. Today they were good, tomorrow though we're bloody eager to show that we're better.

Bring It On. (Anna)

After a decent start we settled into our rhythm a lot faster than yesterday and were hungry to bump Magdalene back. However, Robinson didn't keep Magdalene occuppied after 1st post and we were going for the overbump with Darwin chasing us. They looked close round the corners (everyone always does to me though) but we made ground in the Plough Reach. We came into our own in the Reach where we had failed to yesterday and took a couple of lengths off CCAT. Darwin held distance pretty much all the way but were never within more than a couple of lengths (all distances are purely from a knackered 2 girl perspective and therefore dodgy).

Tomorrow we intend to end on a high and use some of the agression we had today to find a bump on Robinson tomorrow. A fantastic row which showed total class. As before - Bring It On. (Anna)

We were starting at station 4 and knew that Robinson were awful and up for spoons so the race plan was simple: bump them as close to first post corner as possible. Spirits were high and the rowing very neat and tidy with a definite air of determination about it. Anna F kept the complaceny low by reminding us that Binson could just have had a shocker yesterday and that we might have to work for it. Thankfully though, she was wrong and we did bump on first post corner. I couldn't tell you what happened in the race as it was too short but comments from the bank were along the lines of: a 'text book bump' if there could ever be such a thing; and the 'fastest crew in W2'.

The row home was fantastic - champagne in the boat, cheering from the bank, greenery in your hair and smiles all round. For the first time I was actually quite sad that the Bumps were finishing and desperately wanted another couple of days racing just to get us back into W1 and maybe finish some business with Magdalene. However, it isn't to be so next year's crew will just have to settle the score.

In conclusion: one of my favourite days on the river and a fabulous way to end the year on the Cam. (Sally)

Hurrah!!! Bumped Robinson at 1st Post. It just takes us a bit to get into these things ;-) (Anna)