The Club's Results

Started off looking to be a close race, but once we were clearly gaining some ground they flagged a lot and despite some extreme spackiness we made it to the finish line well before Darwin (whom we are chasing in Mays......). Not very good rowing really but a perfectly acceptable result! (Erica)

Oh sweet anticipation... xxx (Pia)

You're right Erica, I could hardly see a thing!
Girton had moved over slightly onto our station, so I was aware there was some blade clashing occurring on strokeside at the same time as Cath's blade was about an inch away from the hard on bowside. But we squeezed through and won anyway :)
(No call for "I can see the finish" because I couldn't at any point in the race)
The bombardment by huge hailstones was not nice. (Little Jenners)

We were late to marshall as five of us had only just got back from winning the other division, so Girton were waiting on the start (having also had to wait through another division for us because of our doubling-up issues).

Black clouds looked ominous on the row down, and as the marshall shouted Attention, Go! the heavens opened to the point that I couldn't tell whether I was being splashed by Pia, a massive gust of wind, or the plop of hailstones (approximately the size of apricot stones) in the water (usually this is very obvious :oP). Anyway, Girton put up a very good fight and we were level with them for most of the course, just managing to push slightly harder to the finish after a minor blade clash. I am very impressed that Jenny could see anything to steer by in that weather!

Again, not the prettiest rowing ever, but the start was well together and the last push to the finish was very satisfying. (Erica)

This race was not from this world. There was no visibility, the pain was mainly due to the hail, which started just before the GO and finished as we crossed the finish line. Girton are certainly not in the form we like to remember *:)* and gave us a very good race. Great fun!! (Pia)

The omens were not good. We boated during heavy rain, pushed off in increasingly aggressive hail, and Lizzie's call for 2 and 4 to take a stroke was accompanied by forked lightning and an almighty rumble above our heads.

City issued instructions to all crews on the water to get the hell off it, which we did (with a particularly fine display of backing it down). About 2 minutes later we had glorious sunshine and had another attempt.
We had a pretty good row despite the fact that some of us (ahem) were beginning to feel the effects of lack of regular training, but the fairly stacked champs crew managed to pull away. (jo)

How could you, guys, honestly. They are only kids! (Pia)

This was by far the best race, kept the rate at an effective 39 despite the headwind slowing the catches. I guess this was because they were built like coat hangers and losing would have been too embarrassing. (Tom C)

We had the inside of the bend and hence started half a length down. We made up that distance in the first 100 meters or so and held them at roughly that distance for the rest of the race, not counting the premature wind-down from Tom. (James)

The other boat -- guys who would be in the 1st/2nd VIII if they weren't playing darts so much, ahem ahem -- took us off the start by half a length or so, as befit their weight advantage. We then made that distance back again over the next 150 meters or so, and held that distance for the rest of the way. The course, you see, was not damn straight. We then had a nominal wind past the FaT boathouse to head for the finish, but instead of speed, the general theme for that was spackiness.

Shocking quality at the high rates, though given the quality of some of our paddling, I reckon we could be decent with some practice.

We also performed the mandatory thunderbirds past the City boathouse as the hail quickly approached. We then conspired to dunk Dan Newton in the river, resulting in him, me, and Pedro all getting soaked. Ab fab.

Get back on it! Gotta get back on it! (insert dance here) (James)

We'd won the race before it started by simply having more fun than the opposition. Indeed, they were looking pretty bored while marshalling, whereas we quietly acted out an entire blackadder episode, and despite Dan's volcanic enthusiasm he only shouted one line loud enough for them to enjoy. The race was really fun for us, the bladework amusing and the power exhilarating, they just looked like sore losers. And finally we had the most fun cos we got to drink our free beer in pewter. (Tom C)

Our one practice outing the day before City Sprints had set us up nicely for some good racing today; the aim was fast rowing with finesse. In this race, we just went fast. :) (Amelia)

Great start, a much better row, and another convincing victory. (Amelia)

Power and finesse, a winning combination once again. (Amelia)

Yay! Pots! V pleased; first race a bit scrappy but all the others felt smooth and powerful; really fantastic starts especially :oD (Erica)

Lots of power, less finesse, but a clear victory nonetheless, and a great start to the regatta season. Light and Dark Trinity come together, victorious once more. (Amelia)

Very well done to our Foster-Fairbairns winners' composite!!! It looked all very tidy and in control but unfortunately never close enough for you to show your real potential... xxx (Pia)

We rowed like p*o. Yet we were more muscular, more technically gifted and more aesthetically pleasing and so cruised to victory. (Dan Newton)

Having rowed and broked M Longford we were in Scylla for this round.

We had to change shoes so that our feet fitted. As a result we were late to marshall (the pre-race wait, not the person).

This problem could have been avoided if every female on the planet (who rowed) had her feet enlarged to respectable male proportions. It would also mean that fewer rowing shoes would need to be made. There would be correspondingly less child labour forced to make them in the far east and so less human suffering in general. (Dan Newton)

Unfortunately that doesn't address the far more important issue raised - child labour and human suffering in the far east. Dan's appears to be the only workable solution. (BJ)

I've got a better [if perhaps slightly more controversial] suggestion Dan, perhaps men would have less issues with fitting their feet into women's shoes if they didn't break so many boats :)? (Lilie)

We decided whilst in the boat bays that we weren't going to get our boat out until the hail stopped. If we missed the race then fine, but we weren't going to get wet (soft I know, but we're more acclimatised to pub sports now. We probably would have gone out in the end anyway - the shame would have been unbearable otherwise). The weather broke for just long enough for us to boat, and as we pushed off the rain came down hard again. Serves us right for being pathetic I guess.

We rowed a lot better in this race, probably down to the increased stability which results in a crew with an average weight of 85kg rowing in Scylla. (Phil)

With 3 of the 4 rowers having done no training whatsoever since March (unless you count playing darts, drinking ale and eating pie), this was a pretty impressive result I feel. Perhaps the 1st VIII should spend a little less time on the water and a little more at the oche.... (Phil)

Like the heavyweight boxing title of the world this race was begun well before we even hit the water with much witty repartee exchanged between crews, though the press conference had to be called off as tempers were flaring. Our crew took the heavyweight boxing analogy too far however by being overweight, under-trained and very arrogant.

The organisers intentionally had us wait for ten mintues at the stake boats for a crew late-to-marshall to arrive so as to up the ante. During this time the verbal battle commenced with the Arrows IV proving themselves to be in a different league. The best the FaT A crew could muster was some gutteral excretions from James 'the yank' Scott, a Black Adder quote from Dan 'funny man' Jane that bombed painfully and a link from our official race title 'FaT B' to the primary school insult 'FaT Bumheads'. Honestly guys. Sort it out.

Then the race started. They had a better boat, better blades and we decided to be sporting and not gear up (take off the clams) and yet it was reeeeeeeeaaaaally close. We lost physically by a mere 'honkhonk' (meaning the finish line honks were so close together). We did win a moral victory though.

After the race we spun and then waited behind FaT A for the river to be clear to go back to the boathouses. We slowly edged up to them and the stroke man (at the behest of the other members of the crew) splashed the cox with his blade. Teeheehee.

The FaT A's comeback was 'Thunderbirds' outside the boathouses. Something we had already considered but decided was beneath us. It pains me to say their Thunderbirds went so badly they felt the need for more revenge. They therefore reverted to boatie basics and threw moi in the river. An extremely irresponsible, childish, immature and cold act. Almost as extremely irresponsible, childish, immature and cold an act as Bryn then pushing two of them in after me. Mwahahaha.

We won in all but the race and looked good doing it. A good days work. FaT A, better luck next time. (Dan Newton)

Phil Horler is a dirty rotten liar. I, in my illustrious capacity as Coach-in-Chief of the Arrows VIII (of which Bryn, Phil, and Dan are members), have worked those boys to the bone. No training?!?!?! HA! We'll see how you enjoy your next outing, you puddinheads. (James)

As always it was not the intentions that were off... it was the power. The fact that the crew were a scratch IV obviously didn't help. Coming into Balcony view the crews were very much level but 99s started to edge away soon after. I think the belief that the race could be won or at least close, wasnt quite there- the rating seemed to drop quite significantly after 99s had overtaken. It's all about ergs and Baz's runs now, girls!!! xx (Pia)

Before this race started we managed to row about 50 strokes together. Unfortunately, more of these were backing down than rowing on, and most of them occurred while we performed some sort of dressage/ spinning exercise in order to move an item of clothing from one stakeboat to another.
As a result, our attempt to use power and togetherness during the actual race was not particularly successful. With hindsight, we should have just rated like lunatics. Lesson learnt. (jo)

The start marhsall had told James he was allowed to banksteer so long as he didn't coach. The marshall halfway down the course and other ideas and managed to block his passage. Dan didn't notice, and hearing no further instructions carried on damn straight.

I was quite impressed by the Maggie pair; we were rowing pretty well and yet were only 3/4 of a length up when we hit the bank just before 300m and thus ended the contest. They lost by about a length in the final, so it would've been a good race if we'd made it. Or maybe the Robs pair were just having a laugh, we'll never know. (Tom C)

I was banksteering with the permission of the start marshal. But some old dude opposite the Goldie boathouse decided to be a stickler about things. He jumped in my way as I was telling Dan to steer away from the bank, telling me that I couldn't give coaching. I duly ignored his negative spiritual energy and tried to veer around him -- but what can I say? He was pretty spry for a white guy.

After the thud of defeat, I told the old guy off, figuring that since everyone expects Americans to be rude anyway, I might as well live up to expectations. I also realized that, given my red tracksuit, he'd probably think I was steering for the Maggie pair anyway!

P.S. Tom's not kidding, this was an absolute cracker of a race. He and Dan looked very good but were barely managing to keep their lead. They would very likely have won without the crash, but the LMBC pair were definitely pushing them. (James)