The Club's Results
Head of the Cam, May Term 2008
A timed headrace on the Cam for college and town crews
Sat 3rd May
The official results published by the organisers, Chesterton Rowing Club, can be found here. At the bottom of this page there is a summary of the results of college crews and a link to Cambridge weather. Club members, please go here to add (or correct) results, crews or race reports.
2nd men's VIII, 1st division
11th fastest crew, 2nd fastest 2nd VIII
Time: 9:20
Time: 9:20
An odd mix, this crew, but fun to row with. We were struggling at 'high' rates, although by some minor miracle we didn't pull off the full epileptic spider impression we'd perfected the day before.
Start was a pretty relaxed 32 (ahem... being a little unfit I remained relaxed for the entire course) and some blades occasionally went in at the front end. Pembroke had set off in front, and coupled with a blustery wind it was quite choppy on first post. We must have struggled valiantly to sit the boat for a good four or five strokes before giving up. Okay, okay! It wasn't too bad, and I still have all my fingers.
An excellent gentlemen's agreement for the corners saw Leadbetter take some great lines, and we launched into an exuberant plough reach push after Grassy. We were surprisingly disciplined and made the most of the calmer water, even when Maggie stormed round Grassy. They were clearly closing, but the heads didn't go down.
In fact, we had a bit of luck on the reach and Madge never made the most of their aggressive start - certainly we'd discussed beforehand the possibility of having to concede an overtake. Pembroke's composites had struggled a bit, and I couldn't stop myself shouting out (almost too joyfully) that we could push to overtake. This led to some much more committed rowing in the boat and we finally pushed clear just after Morley's Holt, leaving the reds behind as well. With quads a-burning we wound for the finish.
Which was a shame as the race was not to the P&E as the instructions said, it was to top finish. And so we had to keep pushing for an extra fifty. Perhaps if this happens in the future we could call the extra bit a 'Spartan 300'?
The result itself was pretty pleasing. A lot of 'untapped potential' (our slide control and catches are embarrassing in their absence) and yet we're on a par or faster than the crews around us in the bumps. Apart from Fitz. Who are two below us. Fingers crossed for a bit of luck and a bumping grid!
Start was a pretty relaxed 32 (ahem... being a little unfit I remained relaxed for the entire course) and some blades occasionally went in at the front end. Pembroke had set off in front, and coupled with a blustery wind it was quite choppy on first post. We must have struggled valiantly to sit the boat for a good four or five strokes before giving up. Okay, okay! It wasn't too bad, and I still have all my fingers.
An excellent gentlemen's agreement for the corners saw Leadbetter take some great lines, and we launched into an exuberant plough reach push after Grassy. We were surprisingly disciplined and made the most of the calmer water, even when Maggie stormed round Grassy. They were clearly closing, but the heads didn't go down.
In fact, we had a bit of luck on the reach and Madge never made the most of their aggressive start - certainly we'd discussed beforehand the possibility of having to concede an overtake. Pembroke's composites had struggled a bit, and I couldn't stop myself shouting out (almost too joyfully) that we could push to overtake. This led to some much more committed rowing in the boat and we finally pushed clear just after Morley's Holt, leaving the reds behind as well. With quads a-burning we wound for the finish.
Which was a shame as the race was not to the P&E as the instructions said, it was to top finish. And so we had to keep pushing for an extra fifty. Perhaps if this happens in the future we could call the extra bit a 'Spartan 300'?
The result itself was pretty pleasing. A lot of 'untapped potential' (our slide control and catches are embarrassing in their absence) and yet we're on a par or faster than the crews around us in the bumps. Apart from Fitz. Who are two below us. Fingers crossed for a bit of luck and a bumping grid!
3rd men's VIII, College VIIIs
58th overall, 33rd college VIII, 2nd fastest 3rd VIII
Time: 11:04
Time: 11:04
'Bit of a shambles' is the way I will hopefully forget this race. We wound down as we passed the P&E realising about a minute later the finish was at top finish. Oops!
A good start, possibly needing a bit more time on the slide, but certainly getting the boat moving.
Speed dropped on the reach and we fell apart after the railway bridge as we tried to wind to the finish.
Only overtaken by Girton I and Jesus II.
We topped the fly and die index - under 4 minutes to the plough followed by a further 7 minutes to the finish.
A good start, possibly needing a bit more time on the slide, but certainly getting the boat moving.
Speed dropped on the reach and we fell apart after the railway bridge as we tried to wind to the finish.
Only overtaken by Girton I and Jesus II.
We topped the fly and die index - under 4 minutes to the plough followed by a further 7 minutes to the finish.
I am still upset with myself for not making 100% sure where the finish was and just assuming it would be at the P&E as we thought. I apologise for my foolish mistake!
Otherwise the race went well and I was pleased with the performance for a scratch crew. Once we get the fitness back we should be able to keep it tidy and controlled also for the last third of the race and do much better next week.
Otherwise the race went well and I was pleased with the performance for a scratch crew. Once we get the fitness back we should be able to keep it tidy and controlled also for the last third of the race and do much better next week.
2nd fastest 3rd VIII (beaten by Pembroke M3 and M4). Beat LMBC even though we wound it down way too early.
However more than a minute behind Fitz 2 and Pembroke 2, who are around us in bumps. I am giving it 30 seconds for being a scratch crew and winding down too early so we still have a lot of work to do. Girton 2 (the crew in front of us in bumps) were entered by scratched I guess. We managed to beat Queens 2 by 47 seconds, they must be awful.
However more than a minute behind Fitz 2 and Pembroke 2, who are around us in bumps. I am giving it 30 seconds for being a scratch crew and winding down too early so we still have a lot of work to do. Girton 2 (the crew in front of us in bumps) were entered by scratched I guess. We managed to beat Queens 2 by 47 seconds, they must be awful.
<h3><a name="selectedresults">Selected Results</a></h3><h4>College men's VIIIs</h4><p><pre><b>Pos Club Crew Crew pos Cat Time Overall</b> 1 FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE M1 1 / 17 1ST MAYS 08:54 1 2 DOWNING COLLEGE M1 2 / 17 1ST MAYS 08:57 2 3 DOWNING COLLEGE M1 3 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:07 3 4 PEMBROKE COLLEGE M1 4 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:07 4 5 LMBC M1 5 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:12 5 6 EMMANUEL COLLEGE M1 6 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:12 6 7 QUEENS COLLEGE M1 7 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:16 7 8 MAGDALENE BOAT CLUB M1 8 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:17 8 9 JESUS COLLEGE M2 1 / 14 2ND MAYS 09:18 9 10 CHRISTS COLLEGE M1 9 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:20 10 <b>11 FIRST & THIRD TRINITY M2 2 / 14 1ST MAYS 09:20 11</b> 12 HOMERTON COLLEGE M1 10 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:27 13 13 KINGS COLLEGE M1 11 / 17 2ND MAYS 09:30 14 14 CLARE COLLEGE M1 12 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:30 15 15 GIRTON COLLEGE M1 13 / 17 2ND MAYS 09:39 16 16 DOWNING COLLEGE M2 3 / 14 2ND MAYS 09:40 17 17 LMBC M2 4 / 14 2ND MAYS 09:40 18 18 CLARE COLLEGE M1 14 / 17 1ST MAYS 09:44 19 19 CCAT M2 5 / 14 OTHER MAYS 09:44 20 20 DARWIN COLLEGE M1 15 / 17 2ND MAYS 09:49 21 21 PEMBROKE COLLEGE M2 6 / 14 OTHER MAYS 09:54 23 22 DOWNING COLLEGE M2 7 / 14 2ND MAYS 09:55 24 23 FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE M2 8 / 14 OTHER MAYS 10:00 25 24 EMMANUEL COLLEGE M2 9 / 14 2ND MAYS 10:02 26 25 ST CATHERINES COLLEGE M2 10 / 14 2ND MAYS 10:03 27 26 CCAT M1 16 / 17 ARA S3 10:05 28 27 CLARE COLLEGE M2 11 / 14 2ND MAYS 10:21 32 28 CLARE COLLEGE M2 12 / 14 2ND MAYS 10:37 41 29 WOLFSON COLLEGE M2 13 / 14 2ND MAYS 10:37 42 30 KINGS COLLEGE M2 14 / 14 OTHER MAYS 10:44 48 31 PEMBROKE COLLEGE M3 1 / 5 OTHER MAYS 10:48 49 32 PEMBROKE COLLEGE M4 1 / 1 OTHER MAYS 10:57 52 <b>33 FIRST & THIRD TRINITY M3 2 / 5 OTHER MAYS 11:04 58</b> 34 LMBC M3 3 / 5 OTHER MAYS 11:07 60 35 KINGS COLLEGE M3 4 / 5 OTHER MAYS 11:09 62 36 EMMANUEL M3 5 / 5 OTHER MAYS 11:34 75 37 CLARE HALL M1 17 / 17 2ND MAYS 12:06 90</pre></p><h4>College women's VIIIs</h4><p><pre><b>Pos Club Crew Crew pos Cat Time Overall</b> 1 PEMBROKE COLLEGE W1 1 / 12 1ST MAYS 10:24 33 2 DOWNING COLLEGE W1 2 / 12 1ST MAYS 10:28 36 3 EMMANUEL COLLEGE W1 3 / 12 1ST MAYS 10:35 38 4 CHRISTS COLLEGE W1 4 / 12 1ST MAYS 10:38 43 5 KINGS COLLEGE W1 5 / 12 ARA S4 10:39 44 6 JESUS COLLEGE W2 1 / 9 1ST MAYS 10:57 53 7 CLARE COLLEGE W1 6 / 12 1ST MAYS 10:58 55 8 PEMBROKE COLLEGE W2 2 / 9 OTHER MAYS 11:09 63 9 JESUS COLLEGE W1 7 / 12 1ST MAYS 11:14 66 10 EMMANUEL COLLEGE W2 3 / 9 OTHER MAYS 11:18 67 11 DOWNING COLLEGE W2 4 / 9 OTHER MAYS 11:19 69 12 LMBC W1 8 / 12 1ST MAYS 11:28 73 13 ST CATHERINES COLLEGE W1 9 / 12 1ST MAYS 11:28 74 14 HUGHES/LUCY CAVENDISH W1 10 / 12 OTHER MAYS 11:46 79 15 CCAT W1 11 / 12 ARA S4 11:46 80 16 CLARE COLLEGE W2 5 / 9 OTHER MAYS 11:52 83 17 CHURCHILL COLLEGE W1 12 / 12 1ST MAYS 11:52 84 18 PEMBROKE COLLEGE W3 1 / 1 OTHER MAYS 12:13 93 19 LMBC W2 6 / 9 OTHER MAYS 12:27 96 20 CHURCHILL COLLEGE W2 7 / 9 OTHER MAYS 12:58 109 21 KINGS COLLEGE W2 8 / 9 OTHER MAYS 13:36 121 22 CCAT W2 9 / 9 OTHER MAYS 14:07 123</pre></p><h4>College men's IVs</h4><p><pre><b>Pos Club Crew Cat Time Overall</b> 1 FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE BIRTWISTLE ARA S3 10:19 30 2 FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE TEMPLE ARA S4 10:24 35 3 GONVILLE & CAIUS ARA S4 10:43 47 4 QUEENS COLLEGE M2 COLLEGE 11:51 82 5 CLARE HALL NGUYEN COLLEGE 11:55 86</pre></p><h4>College women's IVs</h4><p><pre><b>Pos Club Crew Cat Time Overall</b> 1 CCAT ARA S4 12:32 98 2 CCAT ARA NOV 13:21 119</pre></p><div align="right"><font size="-1"><a href="#top">^ top</a></font></div><hr>
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