First and Third Trinity Boat Club
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The Club's Results

Fairbairn Junior Sculls, May Term 2003

Eton Boy in his single scull

Single sculls
Alex Summers
Heats
Won easily (NTT for opponent)
Time: 8:15
This race posed a challenge entirely different from the freshmen's sculls. Drawn on the bottom start against a hefty looking sculler from Clare, another fumbled getaway meant I had it all to do by the time I'd got round Grassy. I hadn't caught sight of my opponent's puddles all race, but having avoided a champagne bottle masquerading as an impromptu buoy I was glad to find I was gaining fast on a tight line round Ditton. Another hundred yards and I'd drawn level, leaving a short side-by side paddle down the reach. Had the course been a couple of minutes shorter, though, and it would have been a different story... (Alex)
Semi finals
Beat James Wright (Tit Hall), Dead Heat*2
Time: 7:44
This was the race CULRC had been waiting for. Despite earlier claims from a Tit Hall bankparty member that James "hadn't tried in the Boat Race, and hadn't tried in Milan [a lightweight jolly]" in an effort to optimise preparations for this race, it turned out he hadn't sculled for three months.

Of the start, though, he was certainly an awful lot quicker than I was. Going round First Post Corner, I even caught myself wondering how long it would take for him to overtake me as he rapidly took several lengths off me. Gradually, however, lack of practise on the corners began to take its toll on James, until passing the post round Ditton I was only a length or so down after another push by the Plough.

After a reach that went on and on, I'd somehow managed to sneak into perhaps a half length lead. Under CUCBC rules, this was deemed, as a dead heat, to merit a re-row, starting from Ditton.

It was now, more than ever, that the RTT regatta proved its true value. Somewhat disheartened at the prospect of racing over such a short course, especially after giving away several lengths after the same distance in the race proper, a radical overhaul of my start was clearly in order. A somewhat frantic, some might say thrilling, dash apparently saw me across the line a whisker in front. Certainly it was closer than the real race from where I was sitting... At least the lightweight who'd turned to watch got his money's worth. (Alex)
This was the second time over the course for the day and the steering showed an improvement. The main race was very close - the finish marshall who dropped his hand as Alex crossed the line said that when he looked up the other marshall had also dropped his hand by the time he looked up.

Since the Tit Hall opponent had closed appreciably off the start a re-row from Ditton to the finish just below the railway bridge did not look very hopeful. However Alex found what it took to win by a few seconds. (Rob)
Final
Won narrowly
Luck was again to play a part in what had become a three-way final following the withdrawal of the CCAT sculler from the other semi. Again I was fortunate to be starting in front of an accomplished looking sculler in a Fillipi from Robinson and Tit Hall's second entry.

Again I went down heavily off the start. All looked lost until the Robinson sculler, by that stage only about three or four lengths behind me, strayed into the bank on the outside of Grassy. With some hasty assistance from his bank party he was soon back in hot pursuit, redoubling his efforts after handing me maybe a length's lead.

By this stage it was all I could do to hang on after 6km of sculling, at least 4km of it flat out. Neck and neck going past the Ditton posts, it became another scramble for the line. In the end I had to ask the marshals, whom I must thank wholeheartedly for giving up their time and being so accommodating with their scheduling throughout the seven races I did, who had won, and was pleasantly surprised to be told that it was I.

Thanks must also go to Joe and Rob for their towpath heroics, saving my boat from a sticky (apologies) end on several occasions. (Alex)
Congratulations must surely go to this man. After all, he has just earned more Michell Cup points in one morning than I did in four years of FaT rowing (I earned 4/3 points).

Clearly though, it was all down to the excellent training ground that was the RTT regatta. Mr. Wright must be gutted to have missed out. (Rose the Twat)

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