First and Third Trinity Boat Club
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The Club's Results

Lent Term 2010

3rd men's VIII

Newnham Short Course (Lower VIIIs)

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Robinson Head (Lower VIIIs)

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Pembroke Regatta (College lower VIIIs)

Semi finals
Lost to Pembroke M3 by 1 length
This was the toughest race of the day, and came after two easy wins in the 1st rounds. Pembroke had won Newnnham Short Course the week before, and had a much quicker start than us.

Our own start was the best of the day, but still left us half a length down. We settled comfortably into race rate at 35, which was the main aim of this round as we'd struggled to drop to a sustainable rate in the earlier rounds. We kept this rate steady all the way down the reach, holding them at exactly half a length overlap. The race was neck and neck under the railway bridge and could have gone either way.

A crab in the final 50 metres coming up to Peter's Posts was the only thing that marked the difference between us and them. They pulled away and crossed the finish line with a length clear on us.

Despite the end result, the race was a good one - at no point did anyone in the crew give up and decide that we couldn't win anymore, and we gave Pembroke their toughest race of the day. We also managed to find our stride quicker, which will be important for Bumps.

Best rowing yet boys. Let's keep it up for Bumps!! (Alex)
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Lent Bumps

Tuesday
Bumped by Emmanuel II
A good start had the lads close fractionally on Queens' before Queens slowly opened the gap. M3 pushed hard and kept it quite neat as Emma II slowly ate up the inches behind them to bump around the Ditch.
It didn't seem panicked and I believe the coming races will be the moments when we fight restore our position by holding out for the boats that Emmma and Queens' bring down for us. (Mark)
Today was the first bumps race for everyone in the boat, and for me as a cox. In that respect, there were likely to be some first-day nerves.

The start was a little scrappy, after we were thrown slightly by the start gun coming a couple of seconds too early. We had a big start, rating about 45 and Emma didn't take any length off us. It took a long time to bring the rate down on the settle call, and we stayed at 39 for about about 40secs before finally settling to race rate. This is something to work on for the next race.

Emma's cruising rhythm was simply faster than ours and they moved up on us under the motorway bridge. After some committed pushes, they eventually caught us just before 1st post.
First day nerves now out of the way. Bring on Thursday. (Alex)
Thursday
Bumped by Christ's II
Today was a really good race and our best rowing yet, but sadly the result doesn't reflect this, proving how hard it is for an M3 boat in the M2 division. We managed to fulfil our main aim from last time (to settle to 34 quickly and hold it there) and we had a determined row through the corners and down Plough Reach.

We kept on station with Emma M2, and I could've sworn we got to within a length of them, but Richard was very conservative on the whistles! A couple of crabs by the plough allowed Christ's to finally get us, but I have no doubt that we could have held them off if we'd made it to the Reach. Hungry for a bump back tomorrow! It's certainly possible. (Alex)
This was a really good effort. Christ's were all over the back of them by the middle of 1st Post Reach, but they dug deep to survive onto the bottom of the Long Reach. We might have got away as well, until a crab in Plough Reach gave away some of the clear water we had opened back up.

Ahead, Emma never opened up until the crab. The boys had closed, and I nearly gave a whistle, but we were on a corner at the time, and by the time we had come out of the corner, having avoided parked crews on either side, the gap had opened slightly. (Richard)
Richard has given most of the facts. I'll just reiterate the sentiment that bankpartying you guys for this race was amazing. A couple of unbelievable pushes out of the jaws of defeat to put half a length or so in it again, and staying within station of Emma for basically the whole thing.

If I'd been whistling, there probably would have been one around First Post corner, but it was difficult to judge and Richard is probably more accurate. This is a brilliant crew, with a great spirit, who rowed a gutsy and impressive race. I'm gutted that it didn't translate into a victory today, but I'm sure their day will come, be it in the next couple of days, or in Mays. (Tom L)
Friday
Bumped by St. Edmund's
What can I say? We started well with the usual combination of power and smoothness, settled quickly to our race rate and kept going for as long as we could.

Unfortunately, this was somewhere in the region of 80m. After I saw them gain substantially on us, I told Alex we needed a push. It came quickly and well with a big increase in boat speed and many screams accompanying it. But in the end there's not much you can do against a surging M1 crew.

After we had conceded and pulled in however, we gave them the cheer they deserved (typical of First and Third's sportmanship and good grace).

I feel bad for the boys. They deserve better than this. They have all put in an incredible amount of effort and sacrifice, and the results don't do them justice.

Well done lads, I'd rather be in a boat with you than anyone else... (Vlad)
They has bigger guns than us. We had better team spirit. (J.A.M. Smith)
Saturday
Bumped by Anglia Ruskin
Again, they had bigger guns.
Not much to it really. We can row better, but they were massive. End result: bumped.
Still, we followed our new race plan to "go mental" and held them all the way to the Plough, giving Eddies something to think about too.
Despite the bump, today was a good day and we managed to spice up the paddle back with a 'how low can you go' on the rate (end result 11.5spm) and a Spartan roar for the marshalling W2 boats, which they seemed to appreciate.

Looking back at this set of Bumps, I think everyone who's ever seen us row would agree that we don't deserve spoons. The commitment (and banter) in the boat has been unfailing, and we are undoubtedly the top M3 crew on the river.
We can be proud of what we've done. Bring on the Mays! (Alex)

1. M3 crew photo

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