The Club's Results
Champion of the Thames Eights Head, May Term 2010
A Head race for eights from the Plough Pub to the Penny Ferry.
Sun 23rd May
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1st men's VIII, Men's 1st Div. Mays
3rd out of M1 boats, raced as time-only
Time: 4:36
Time: 4:36
This race saw our first sustained high rate piece of term. As such parts of it lacked the finesse we had found in paddling and short bursts and we were slightly taken by surprise by the headwind on the reach. However, there was plenty of aggression and it is clear that our technical work is paying off. It was a shame to not be able to field the full crew, but Jon proved an admirable temporary Strawson.
If nothing else, we now have 9 bottles of champs to sustain us on these hot outings.
If nothing else, we now have 9 bottles of champs to sustain us on these hot outings.
Unfortunately the only other serious college scratched, so we were left to race against the clock. We kept the start light and loose rather than unleashing our full power, crossing the timing line at a crisp 48 strokes per minute. After the Wallingford disaster, we had agreed that Natasha would practise getting us round Ditton without using the rudder. Her hands were a little small and unwebbed to secure the best coxing prize, but there was never any danger of hitting the outside bank.
So far so good, but our clock-shaped nemesis hit back on the reach by delivering a sturdy headwind. We didn't quite maintain the precision at the front end, but the aggression was there, and we never let the rate drop below 40 except briefly when Fordy caught a boat stopping crab. Apparently this was due to a progressive rounding error in his optimal blade depth calculations which caused him to attempt to place the top of the spoon 1964.3mm below the surface on stroke 130. This wasn't anticipated in our simulations of the method, the most likely explanation being that we misunderestimated the parameter of thundering awesomeness.
When the results came in we were disappointed to find that we had narrowly missed out on the course record by just 12 seconds, but given that we were a scratch crew with a sub who hasn't rowed for ages and the crab and we hadn't even tried rating above 32 until the day before the race it really isn't too bad, and I'm 110% confident that come bumps we'll be breaking the record and killing their dreams.
So far so good, but our clock-shaped nemesis hit back on the reach by delivering a sturdy headwind. We didn't quite maintain the precision at the front end, but the aggression was there, and we never let the rate drop below 40 except briefly when Fordy caught a boat stopping crab. Apparently this was due to a progressive rounding error in his optimal blade depth calculations which caused him to attempt to place the top of the spoon 1964.3mm below the surface on stroke 130. This wasn't anticipated in our simulations of the method, the most likely explanation being that we misunderestimated the parameter of thundering awesomeness.
When the results came in we were disappointed to find that we had narrowly missed out on the course record by just 12 seconds, but given that we were a scratch crew with a sub who hasn't rowed for ages and the crab and we hadn't even tried rating above 32 until the day before the race it really isn't too bad, and I'm 110% confident that come bumps we'll be breaking the record and killing their dreams.
2nd men's VIII, Men's 1st Div. Mays
3rd men's VIII, Men's 3rd Div. Mays
6th/10 in M3 Mays
Time: 5:15
Time: 5:15
Fastest M3 in our division by a fair bit, but much slower than all the M3s in the division below. This is one of those things that crack me up.
1st women's VIII, Women's 1st Div. Mays
6th
Time: 5:37
Time: 5:37
Unfortunately none of the interesting crews were near us during marshalling, or they may have been more distracted by the lengthy discussions relating to the similarities between myself and a spaniel. They will have no such defence in bumps, and we all know they cannot resist the immensity of my turbochat.
Anyway, as for the race. We've spent a long time working on rhythm, and as such that was much improved, which was good. I did however feel that the commitment to simply hammering the boat forwards during the drive was less there, perhaps due to people being more focussed on the approach to the catch.
We have 15 seconds until we are the fastest. We also have the girls in the crew to do that, and we have the time in which to get that speed. I have 100% belief that this crew will get it done.
Anyway, as for the race. We've spent a long time working on rhythm, and as such that was much improved, which was good. I did however feel that the commitment to simply hammering the boat forwards during the drive was less there, perhaps due to people being more focussed on the approach to the catch.
We have 15 seconds until we are the fastest. We also have the girls in the crew to do that, and we have the time in which to get that speed. I have 100% belief that this crew will get it done.
5th men's VIII, Men's 5th Div Mays
Turboblazed
Time: 5:43
Time: 5:43
With Ironman at two we were always going to struggle, as his suit design is optimized for combat rather than rowing. Were he to deploy the fullest extent of his mechanically assisted turboguns we would have skewed of the start until his rigger detached company with the boat. As such he was forced to row light pressure for the length of the course, perhaps explaining our slow time. However all was not bad, we beat quite a few women, which as a men's 5th crew has to be our primary aim.
In all seriousness, a bit more rhythm, and more pressure through the early stages of the race would have seen us hold the crews around us far more effectively. I'm confident the crew can get the job done come bumps.
In all seriousness, a bit more rhythm, and more pressure through the early stages of the race would have seen us hold the crews around us far more effectively. I'm confident the crew can get the job done come bumps.
As Richard said, Ironman was designed to fly not row, and certainly not encounter water due to rusting issues.
That aside, our start was not great but we hit a really good rhythm in the first section of the Reach. Unfortunately it seemed that we could not believe how good the rowing felt at this stage that we lost it all again, eventually scrambling over the finish.
More training on the cards now.
That aside, our start was not great but we hit a really good rhythm in the first section of the Reach. Unfortunately it seemed that we could not believe how good the rowing felt at this stage that we lost it all again, eventually scrambling over the finish.
More training on the cards now.
Selected Results
College men's VIIIs
Pos Pos in cat Club Crew Cat Time 1 / 49 1 / 10 DOWNING M1 M1 04:33.1 2 / 49 2 / 10 PEMBROKE M1 M1 04:34.0 3 / 49 1 / 2 1ST & 3RD M1 TIME ONLY 04:36.0 4 / 49 2 / 2 JESUS M1 TIME ONLY 04:36.7 5 / 49 3 / 10 ST CATS M1 M1 04:36.9 6 / 49 4 / 10 MAGDALENE M1 M1 04:43.6 7 / 49 5 / 10 TRINITY HALL M1 M1 04:44.7 8 / 49 1 / 10 PETERHOUSE M1 M2 04:45.0 9 / 49 6 / 10 KINGS M1 M1 04:46.6 10 / 49 2 / 10 ROBINSON M2 M2 04:47.7 11 / 49 3 / 10 CAIUS M2 M2 04:48.7 12 / 49 7 / 10 EMMA M1 M1 04:48.8 13 / 49 8 / 10 1ST & 3RD M2 M1 04:48.9 14 / 49 4 / 10 DOWNING M2 M2 04:50.1 15 / 49 5 / 10 SIDNEY SUSSEX M1 M2 04:50.8 16 / 49 9 / 10 CLARE M1 M1 04:51.4 17 / 49 1 / 11 PEMBROKE M2 M3 04:51.9 18 / 49 6 / 10 GIRTON M1 M2 04:52.1 19 / 49 10 / 10 CHRISTS M1 M1 04:56.1 20 / 49 7 / 10 JESUS M2 M2 04:57.2 21 / 49 8 / 10 QUEENS M2 M2 04:58.0 22 / 49 2 / 11 CHRISTS M2 M3 04:58.4 23 / 49 3 / 11 CAIUS M3 M3 05:00.5 24 / 49 9 / 10 EMMA M2 M2 05:00.9 25 / 49 4 / 11 PETERHOUSE M2 M3 05:02.1 26 / 49 5 / 11 CORPUS CHRISTI M1 M3 05:02.4 27 / 49 6 / 11 CLARE M2 M3 05:05.3 28 / 49 10 / 10 SELWYN M2 M2 05:06.8 29 / 49 1 / 6 PEMBROKE M3 M4 05:07.3 30 / 49 2 / 6 EMMA M3 M4 05:08.3 31 / 49 1 / 7 ST EDMUNDS M2 M5 05:10.9 32 / 49 7 / 11 1ST & 3RD M3 M3 05:15.5 33 / 49 2 / 7 PEMBROKE M4 M5 05:18.4 34 / 49 3 / 6 WOLFSON M2 M4 05:19.6 35 / 49 1 / 3 EMMA M4 M6 05:20.7 36 / 49 3 / 7 SIDNEY SUSSEX M2 M5 05:21.9 37 / 49 4 / 6 CLARE HALL M1 M4 05:23.1 38 / 49 8 / 11 QUEENS M3 M3 05:25.4 39 / 49 4 / 7 CAIUS M4 M5 05:27.8 40 / 49 2 / 3 MAGDALENE M4 M6 05:28.5 41 / 49 5 / 6 DARWIN M2 M4 05:28.8 42 / 49 5 / 7 HOMERTON M2 M5 05:29.8 43 / 49 3 / 3 CHRISTS M5 M6 05:31.9 44 / 49 9 / 11 MAGDALENE M2 M3 05:32.3 45 / 49 10 / 11 JESUS M3 M3 05:33.6 46 / 49 6 / 7 CHRISTS M4 M5 05:35.1 47 / 49 11 / 11 GIRTON M2 M3 05:35.2 48 / 49 6 / 6 LMBC M4 M4 05:36.8 49 / 49 7 / 7 1ST & 3RD M5 M5 05:43.1
College women's VIIIs
Pos Pos in cat Club Crew Cat Time 1 / 31 1 / 12 NEWNHAM W1 W1 05:22.4 2 / 31 2 / 12 PEMBROKE W1 W1 05:22.7 3 / 31 3 / 12 DOWNING W1 W1 05:26.3 4 / 31 1 / 6 MURRAY EDWARDS W1 W2 05:29.9 5 / 31 4 / 12 LMBC W1 W1 05:31.7 6 / 31 5 / 12 EMMA W1 W1 05:35.8 7 / 31 6 / 12 1ST & 3RD W1 W1 05:37.8 8 / 31 7 / 12 MAGDALENE W1 W1 05:38.9 9 / 31 2 / 6 PEMBROKE W2 W2 05:41.3 10 / 31 8 / 12 JESUS W1 W1 05:43.7 11 / 31 1 / 6 NEWNHAM W2 W3 05:44.6 12 / 31 9 / 12 CAIUS W1 W1 05:47.0 13 / 31 3 / 6 PETERHOUSE W1 W2 05:48.9 14 / 31 4 / 6 EMMA W2 W2 05:51.5 15 / 31 10 / 12 CLARE W1 W1 05:52.3 16 / 31 11 / 12 CHURCHILL W1 W1 05:52.7 17 / 31 5 / 6 CLARE W2 W2 05:52.9 18 / 31 2 / 6 QUEENS W2 W3 05:53.5 19 / 31 3 / 6 TRINITY HALL W2 W3 05:55.7 20 / 31 1 / 4 SIDNEY SUSSEX W2 W4 05:56.3 21 / 31 6 / 6 DOWNING W2 W2 05:59.8 22 / 31 2 / 4 NEWNHAM W3 W4 06:07.0 23 / 31 12 / 12 JESUS W2 W1 06:08.4 24 / 31 4 / 6 CHRISTS W2 W3 06:09.7 25 / 31 1 / 3 PETERHOUSE W2 W5 06:10.4 26 / 31 5 / 6 1ST & 3RD W2 W3 06:19.6 27 / 31 6 / 6 MAGDALENE W2 W3 06:22.0 28 / 31 3 / 4 MAGDALENE W3 W4 06:27.4 29 / 31 2 / 3 KINGS W2 W5 06:31.2 30 / 31 4 / 4 SIDNEY SUSSEX W3 W4 07:00.7 31 / 31 3 / 3 CLARE HALL W2 W5 07:08.4
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