The Club's Results

We'd had 2 outings together as a crew, one of which was with a sub, and we had borrowed W1's cox for the day, so by W2 standards this was a well prepared boat.

2*2k was an intimidating distance for some of us, and so the focus was to row together and row technically, which we did.

While marshalling for the first race, Bomber nearly fell in the giant muddy hole by the railway bridge. We asked the marshal if we'd get a time advantage for comedy if someone fell in, before Bomber vetoed that idea.

The first race was good. I got to the finish feeling I hadn't pushed enough, but my goal was not to blow up horrifically so I just resolved to fix that on the way home.

On the second race we started winding far too early, and so a tactical crab caused enough of a pause that the second wind up was in the perfect place.

We were punching into a headwind and stream on the way home, and so the increase in effort and power meant we weren't quite as quick as the first.

Charlotte and I were the Bucket Babes for the day, with W2 having inherited Mich W1's panic bucket. We tried to persuade Alex to give us a bucket specific call, and he instead just called '6 and 7' which really wasn't good enough. Unfortunately we've decided to un-panic, and so we're going for a very relaxed stroke rig for the rest of term. RIP Bucket Nov 2023 - Jan 2024

We were in the first division of the day, and so were watching the results page with baited breath to see if we would stay in first.

Unfortunately, Churchill W2 pipped us at the post, with a time 12.2 seconds quicker on the way out, and just 7.4 on the way back to leave a very close finish.

Predictions for Bumps are difficult at this point, however Churchill are far enough away from us that we don't need to worry. Catz and Tit Hall are 3 and 4 places in front of us, and we beat them by 24 seconds, and 1min 20seconds respectively.

Newnham Head this weekend will provide much more data, because the Newnham W3 crew we're chasing have their first race of the term.

Race two was also surprisingly fast. We did not catch any crabs. We moved well. Alex balanced a hot cross bun on the saxboard for the entire race. I'm tired. And a bit ill.

Onwards to Newnham head. Without the fucking bucket I hope.