Having previously lost to Keble marginally (blame the swan, what do you mean we had no technique?!) and then seeing City destroy Keble to become our opposition filled us with partial dread and partial determination. As they rowed past they did look pretty swish...

Nevertheless we paddled at leisure (because the race was 35mins behind by this point already) and were situated expertly into the Embankment Side stake boat despite the growing headwind. The third (and third-best) start of the day set us off well and we settled into our 50 stroke opening sequence, ending slightly ahead once we'd gone past the corner which gave us confidence. The real killer was when we came through the final bridge 600m in where Alex told us to give him a seat. With a lovely echo of a single finish under the bridge, we gave him two. And that was that. Good race, peeps. (Dido Coley)

That sounds of the blades through the bridge was wonderful.
(Exit, pursued by a swan)

Race was won by a fantastic push through the bridge to go from two seats up to four, then five, then six. As Zara (Exit, pursued by a swan) says, the sound of the blades through the bridge was glorious.

Lost a seat or two in the last 150m, but we had built enough of a gap for it not to matter.

(Alexander Watson)

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Final
Lost to Pembroke by 1.25 Lengths

Unfortunate one really. (Exit, pursued by a swan)

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1st women's VIII, College VIIIs

Lost to Keble College by 1 foot in the quarter finals and in the semi finals

Quarter finals
Lost to Keble College by 1 foot

It's all the swan's fault.

An excellent lesson in how not to race a regatta was provided too and allowed us to gather together what scraps of technique we had and apply more effectively. (Dido Coley)

I prefer it when my website nickname isn't accurate.

It wouldn't have mattered had we rowed better. Of course this was all tactical to preserve our legs for the Women's Eights Category.

A swan is a swan is a swan.

(Exit, pursued by a swan)

Fantastic push in the last 100m to gain back 3 or 4 seats, but was too little too late. I was caught out by how short the course was and didn't call the wind until I could see the finish, at which point it was too late. (Alexander Watson)

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Semi finals

(Dido Coley)

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