The Club's Results
May Term 2009
6th men's VIII
Champion of the Thames Eights Head (Men's 6th div. Mays)
Cambridge 99's Regatta (4th and lower division)
1st round
Lost to ARU 2 by a considerable margin
Lost to ARU 2 by a considerable margin
A good first race for the crew. We arrived at the start to find a crew of frankly huge ARU boys in a racing shell - not ideal. But we knew from sparring that we had a good start and the paddle down had been solid, so what the hell, we thought we might as well try and give them a scare.
The crew was very focussed on the line, and the start was excellent. We did well to hold them at half a length for the first twenty strokes, after which they gradually increased their margin. The boys didn't give up, and the race was going smoothly at a solid rate 31 when the velcro of Edmund's footplate gave up the ghost. We paddled on valiantly in sixes but by this stage they were stringing out their winning margin and even back in eights we had little chance of any proper recovery.
The crew was very focussed on the line, and the start was excellent. We did well to hold them at half a length for the first twenty strokes, after which they gradually increased their margin. The boys didn't give up, and the race was going smoothly at a solid rate 31 when the velcro of Edmund's footplate gave up the ghost. We paddled on valiantly in sixes but by this stage they were stringing out their winning margin and even back in eights we had little chance of any proper recovery.
Plate final
Lost to Emmanuel III by a length and a half
Lost to Emmanuel III by a length and a half
We had more confidence after our good row in the first round and were ready to take on Emmanuel. Still missing a footplate at seven, we nevertheless lined up on the start ready for a big race.
The start was our best yet, giving us four seats in the first fifteen strokes. But we failed to get the rate down to anything more sustainable and never found the smoothness of our earlier work at rate 32. Whether from tiredness (in the forearms as much as the legs!) or just from teh shock of finding ourselves in the winning position, we never quite got it together and Emma gradually moved away. A good last thirty strokes wasn't enough, and they crossed the line about a length and a half ahead.
Overall we had a really great day's racing and i'm very proud of the achievements of the crew. These were tough, committed races against serious opposition. Training starts tomorrow for the Getting on Race...
The start was our best yet, giving us four seats in the first fifteen strokes. But we failed to get the rate down to anything more sustainable and never found the smoothness of our earlier work at rate 32. Whether from tiredness (in the forearms as much as the legs!) or just from teh shock of finding ourselves in the winning position, we never quite got it together and Emma gradually moved away. A good last thirty strokes wasn't enough, and they crossed the line about a length and a half ahead.
Overall we had a really great day's racing and i'm very proud of the achievements of the crew. These were tough, committed races against serious opposition. Training starts tomorrow for the Getting on Race...
May Bumps Getting-on Race
Got on
This was another race to be proud of from M6. Exams finishing at 5pm meant we had a hasty warm up down to the lock, but we were rowing well together and feeling confident.
In the race itself the rate came easily and we held a steady 32-33 throughout. First post reach was fast and committed and Ilya and bow pair made light work of the corners. A really good legs push in the gut kept the rate up and the boat speed was good.
In plough reach we began to suffer and heads went down while forearms were clearly starting to burn! But as we turned into the headwind for the home straight we had a fantastic restart. Sitting up tall into the wind we held the rate high until the last fifty strokes - and finished with a big push followed by William's lungs giving up on the finish line!!
Individual performances were also excellent. You've all come a long way, especially Mikkel and Chen in the stern. Whatever the result of this race you should all be proud of what you've achieved together since you started out as novices in Mich.
Conclusion: Great race boys, now we play the waiting game...
...the waiting game was worth the wait. Huge congratulations to you all on getting on to your first ever bumps race. Six crews in the Mays - back where we belong?
In the race itself the rate came easily and we held a steady 32-33 throughout. First post reach was fast and committed and Ilya and bow pair made light work of the corners. A really good legs push in the gut kept the rate up and the boat speed was good.
In plough reach we began to suffer and heads went down while forearms were clearly starting to burn! But as we turned into the headwind for the home straight we had a fantastic restart. Sitting up tall into the wind we held the rate high until the last fifty strokes - and finished with a big push followed by William's lungs giving up on the finish line!!
Individual performances were also excellent. You've all come a long way, especially Mikkel and Chen in the stern. Whatever the result of this race you should all be proud of what you've achieved together since you started out as novices in Mich.
Conclusion: Great race boys, now we play the waiting game...
...the waiting game was worth the wait. Huge congratulations to you all on getting on to your first ever bumps race. Six crews in the Mays - back where we belong?
Before the get-on race, I wasn't confident about getting on at all: 4 places among 12 crews-that's even harder than the Cambridge admission.
We started the warm-up in a zig-zag fashion since we didn't have any proper outing at all this week due to exams. But we quickly picked up our rowing skills and moved smoothly as a whole.
The first half of the race was a pretty good start. Ilya always had amazing corners in the races. Matt and Sunith gave their hardest push around the corners.
When we got to the plough reach, I thought we might stop pushing: the wind was quite strong;everyone got a bit tired. At that time the awesome bank party gave us their loudest moral support. I also started shouting 'heads up','legs down',just to distract myself thinking about the pain. I didn't realise we passed the finsih line and kept shouting as I thought there were still 20 more strokes to go.
This was definitely my best race ever. Well done crew mates!! Emma,thank you for pushing us so hard!!
right, more electronics 'fun' for me i suppose. Can't wait for the bumps!!
We started the warm-up in a zig-zag fashion since we didn't have any proper outing at all this week due to exams. But we quickly picked up our rowing skills and moved smoothly as a whole.
The first half of the race was a pretty good start. Ilya always had amazing corners in the races. Matt and Sunith gave their hardest push around the corners.
When we got to the plough reach, I thought we might stop pushing: the wind was quite strong;everyone got a bit tired. At that time the awesome bank party gave us their loudest moral support. I also started shouting 'heads up','legs down',just to distract myself thinking about the pain. I didn't realise we passed the finsih line and kept shouting as I thought there were still 20 more strokes to go.
This was definitely my best race ever. Well done crew mates!! Emma,thank you for pushing us so hard!!
right, more electronics 'fun' for me i suppose. Can't wait for the bumps!!
Awesome result lads!
May Bumps
Down 3 - Bumped by Christ's V, Sidney Sussex IV and Anglia Ruskin IIIWednesday
Bumped by Christ's V
Bumped by Christ's V
A good, clean, fast start quickly deteriorated as the velcro footstrap at two gave way. Harry was lucky to stay in the boat at all given the circumstances: but rowing in sixes was never part of the race plan and Christs absolutely nailed us before first post...
On a positive note, the best bits of the row down were good and the start itself was impressive. Tomorrow we're looking for the bump back!
On a positive note, the best bits of the row down were good and the start itself was impressive. Tomorrow we're looking for the bump back!
Thursday
Bumped by Sidney Sussex IV
Bumped by Sidney Sussex IV
Technical pairs work?
Nerves got the better of us today. Christ's ahead were fast and deserved their excellent bump. A bit of a frantic start and before we ever really got it together the six man was off his seat and it was game over. So tomorrow, we row like we row in the warm-up, do a practise start like the one we practised, and make our training count.
Nerves got the better of us today. Christ's ahead were fast and deserved their excellent bump. A bit of a frantic start and before we ever really got it together the six man was off his seat and it was game over. So tomorrow, we row like we row in the warm-up, do a practise start like the one we practised, and make our training count.
Friday
Bumped by Anglia Ruskin III
Bumped by Anglia Ruskin III
This was a lot more like it! Less nervy on the start and we found a good cruising speed and rate. Unfortunately ARU III were out for blood after their unfortunate double overbumping the day before, and they went off like a rocket. Still the crew gave them a good fight, and only conceded just before grassy corner. Let's be even sharper tomorrow and we'll see what we can do.
Saturday
Rowed over
Rowed over
There are a select few members of First and Third who have been Foot of the River, myself and our esteemed secretary being two of them. Welcome to the club, M6!
This term has seen some fantastic results for the crew, including brilliant performances at Nines Regatta and in the Getting on Race. In bumps we never really settled down and produced the results we knew we could. Nevertheless, Saturday's row was by far the best of the week. A smooth start with less nerves meant that we were on station as the crews ahead bumped out, and the rowover was committed and fast with some great lines and strong pushes especially along the reach.
M6 are an extremely hard working crew (how many college M6s train three or four sessions a week with erg tests..) and valuable members of the lower boats squad. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in Michaelmas.
This term has seen some fantastic results for the crew, including brilliant performances at Nines Regatta and in the Getting on Race. In bumps we never really settled down and produced the results we knew we could. Nevertheless, Saturday's row was by far the best of the week. A smooth start with less nerves meant that we were on station as the crews ahead bumped out, and the rowover was committed and fast with some great lines and strong pushes especially along the reach.
M6 are an extremely hard working crew (how many college M6s train three or four sessions a week with erg tests..) and valuable members of the lower boats squad. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in Michaelmas.
I managed to catch the second half of this race, and it looked like some immensely gutsy rowing given there unfortunately wasn't much up ahead to bump. There was an immense push under the railway bridge which seemed quite impressive from the bank. Just unlucky there wasn't much to hit.
Links
Full 6th men's VIII results archive
