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The Club's Results

Head of the Charles, Mich Term 2003

A high profile head race upstream on the Charles River, Boston-Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
Sat 18th October

The official results can be found here. At the bottom of this page there is a link to Cambridge weather. Club members, please go here to add (or correct) results, crews or race reports.


BPBC Head Of The Charles Crew, Club VIIIs

42nd out of 53
Time: 17:17.48
[as with Dan's notes, we'll update this with something more substantial in due course]
We took a larger and, on the whole, better-prepared squad to the HOCR than in previous years, but with some top talent siphoned off into the IV (witness their storming result) and a clash of British and American rowing styles, the VIII were up against it from the word go.

Starting 22nd, we had the fellow Brits of Hild Bede BC behind us. They were soon overhauled by Milwaukee RC (who would have finished in the Top 10 had it not been for a time penalty) and before long the Yanks were up with us too. They eventually squeezed past us coming into Weeks Bridge, but didn't leave much room and a blade clash resulted. All fun and games for the crowds on the bridge!

Despite having been overtaken and having heard nothing of the crew in front (Arsenal Diner Chow Hounds, moving away swiftly to finish 8th), that first portion of the race had been pretty solid - certainly a cut above our last-minute practice outings.

Through the middle mile, holding a good rhythm started to become a bit more of a struggle and we were passed by the Boston University crew who had started 25th.

Hild Bede had crept up to well within their starting distance on us and must have scented the possibility of overtaking us. That, of course, would never do, and so in the closing stages Maris cranked the rate up to 35. Some of us being less fit than others, we nevertheless just about managed to keep up with the pace and moved away from the Durham boat, restoring a decent stretch of clear water.

All things considered, 42nd was quite a long way short of the result we would have been looking for when we embarked on things this year, but under the circumstances it was nothing to be ashamed of. We'll be back next year posting a much faster time.

Many thanks to our subs (HW, of Harvard Business School, and Rob Jagnow, of Riverside BC - the latter having to row on the wrong side at no notice), and to our cheerleader-in-chief (one Mrs E. Ponsonby). (Graham Fisher)

1. Middle of the boat
2. Still in the dark...
3. Only Dave finds time...
[more...]

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BPBC Head of the Charles Crew, Club Fours

3rd out of 41
Time: 17:36.96
[until we write something more detailed]
After a shaky start we settled into a solid rythm rating around 34 and quickly overhauled the crew starting two in front, who were struggling a little. There was a light headwind for most of the first mile but nothing serious, so we were able to keep tapping it along at 33+ and went into Week's bridge with decent pace preceeded by various crews who were getting an earful from Raf. This seemed to work as we tended to stay on the racing line whilst they took a more scenic route.
After the bow side trauma's of the Week's bridge corner there was a short straight before a brief strokeside bend and then the "daddy" of the corners there - a 180 degree bow-side turn lasting a good 2 minutes. Fortunately we stayed on the inside line and started to work through some of the slower crews who had drifted to the outside.
We had a go at lifting the rate for the last 500m but were starting to get scrappy so didn't manage the most speedy charge for the line. Still, our time was good so it looked like we had met the 5% off 1st place time target to get a guaranteed place next year so the main goal was achieved. It was only later that we learnt that we had somehow kicked butt and managed to sneak into 3rd place.
Roll on next year and Champ IVs.... (Dan)

1. Bowside corner...
2. Approaching Cambridg...
3. Coming into the bend...
[more...]

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Cambridge weather: text

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