We have a lot of new boats in need of names. Two new eights, two new sculls, the Light Four and the Coastal Four. Either pick your favourites from the options below (one for each boat), or suggest another.
By the time you read this, it will probably have been confirmed that this year's Christmas #1 is another atrocious offering from the latest winner of X-Factor. But it wasn't always like this: once upon a time, when Snickers were Marathons and a shag was a common cormorant, Christmas #1 records were enduring classics. What's your all-time favourite?
Here In My Heart (Al Martino, 1952)
0%
Answer Me (Frankie Laine, 1953)
0%
Let's Have Another Party (Winifred Atwell, 1954)
0%
Christmas Alphabet (Dickie Valentine, 1955)
0%
Just Walkin' In The Rain (Johnnie Ray, 1956)
0%
Mary's Boy Child (Harry Belafonte, 1957)
0%
It's Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty, 1958)
0%
What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For (Emile Ford & The Checkmates, 1959)
0%
I Love You (Cliff Richard & The Shadows, 1960)
0%
Moon River (Danny Williams, 1961)
0%
Return To Sender (Elvis Presley, 1962)
0%
I Want To Hold Your Hand (The Beatles, 1963)
0%
I Feel Fine (The Beatles, 1964)
0%
Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out (The Beatles, 1965)
0%
The Green Grass Of Home (Tom Jones, 1966)
0%
Hello Goodbye (The Beatles, 1967)
4%
Lily The Pink (Scaffold, 1968)
0%
Two Little Boys (Rolf Harris, 1969)
4%
I Hear You Knockin' (Dave Edmunds, 1970)
0%
Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) (Benny Hill, 1971)
0%
Long Haired Lover From Liverpool (Little Jimmy Osmond, 1972)
0%
Merry Xmas Everybody (Slade, 1973)
11%
Lonely This Christmas (Mud, 1974)
0%
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen, 1975)
36%
When A Child Is Born (Soleado) (Johnny Mathis, 1976)
0%
Mull Of Kintyre / Girls' School (Wings, 1977)
0%
Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord (Boney M, 1978)
0%
Another Brick In The Wall (Pink Floyd, 1979)
7%
There's No One Quite Like Grandma (St Winifred's School Choir, 1980)
0%
Don't You Want Me (The Human League, 1981)
4%
Save Your Love (Renee & Renato, 1982)
0%
Only You (The Flying Pickets, 1983)
0%
Do They Know It's Christmas? (Band Aid, 1984)
4%
Merry Christmas Everyone (Shakin' Stevens, 1985)
0%
Reet Petite (Jackie Wilson, 1986)
0%
Always On My Mind (The Pet Shop Boys, 1987)
4%
Mistletoe & Wine (Cliff Richard, 1988)
0%
Do They Know It's Christmas? (Band Aid II, 1989)
0%
Saviour's Day (Cliff Richard, 1990)
0%
Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Queen, 1991)
4%
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston, 1992)
0%
Mr Blobby (Mr Blobby, 1993)
4%
Stay Another Day (East 17, 1994)
11%
Earth Song (Michael Jackson, 1995)
0%
2 Become 1 (Spice Girls, 1996)
0%
Too Much (Spice Girls, 1997)
0%
Goodbye (Spice Girls, 1998)
0%
I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun (Westlife, 1999)
0%
Can We Fix It? (Bob The Builder, 2000)
0%
Somethin' Stupid (Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman, 2001)
0%
Sound Of The Underground (Girls Aloud, 2002)
4%
Mad World (Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules, 2003)
4%
Do They Know It's Christmas? (Band Aid 20, 2004)
4%
That's My Goal (Shayne Ward, 2005)
0%
Total: 28 members' votes
The lycra debate: it rumbles on
Last week's poll caused more conversation than the usual. Let's have some in depth analysis.
All lycra-based clothing makes rowers of the opposite sex look sexy
29%
All lycra-based clothing makes rowers of the opposite sex look wrong
4%
Tech tops and leggings are one thing, it's all in ones I have a problem with
36%
It's not the material, it's the design: hoops make me look FaT
11%
I won the Fairbairn Cup in 1956 in my single scull wearing cotton slacks and a zephyr
Have you ever been injured whilst training for rowing?
People are always getting injured. It's something that happens a lot and always seems to be at exactly the wrong time. An injured squad member can lose a crew a race (or their replacement win a race...), and it's always devastating to take time out when the club's doing really well.
No, never, I'm an undergrad - you have to be over 20 to start worrying about injuries, right?!
8%
No, never, I warm up properly, warm down properly, miss sessions if I feel ill and always look after myself - my body is a temple!
8%
Yes, I've been injured, but I rowed through the pain/broken ankle (and won the Fairbairns, in my single scull)
16%
Yes, I got injured, but went to the sports injury clinic (Mon, Wed, Fri mornings drop-in clinic at Addenbrooke's physio dept) and they sorted me out
12%
Yes, I rowed through it and made it much worse, I really f**ked myself over for the sake of a couple of minor events and subsequently missed some important races
16%
I routinely get admitted to hospital/row whilst on crutches/train against specific doctor's orders/am called Neil Talbott
12%
I am/was a triallist and we have a squad physio to sort out injuries and everything!
Many FaTties will be training away from the Cam at the moment. Hopefully they are all using respectable kit, but let's make sure....
Dark blue (with or without a gold band)
27%
Black with a dark blue tip and a gold cat and buns
18%
Cambridge blue
0%
Orange
0%
Yellow
0%
Green
0%
Indigo
0%
Violet
0%
Black
9%
White
18%
Pink
9%
Red
18%
Total: 11 members' votes
Are you addicted to rowing?
Many of us find there are times in our lives when rowing becomes a little more important than other things. But are you addicted? Use this well known questionaire to guage your addiction.
Score one or more? You ought to think about Rowers Anonymous...
I feel that I ought to cut down
24%
I get annoyed when people suggest I should cut down
71%
I feel guilty because of the amount I row
12%
I need an early morning eye-opener session just to survive
It's on the warm side at the moment (no doubt by the time you read this it will be raining though) - which of these are part of your strategy for beating the heat?
I don't feel it
5%
I feel it but can we stop all this nambypammby worrying about it
38%
My place of work has air conditioning so ha ha ha ha ha!
29%
I love it and am sunbathing everyday right now
19%
I just take my tie off/dress down
29%
I carry water and/or a fan everywhere
14%
I am carrying ice bricks with me
5%
I'm lounging in front of the tv with the curtains drawn
19%
It's a bit cooler on the river so am spending more time rowing
Now that the Mays are over, May week has just happened, and FaT aren't rowing at Henley (again...), there is plenty of time to revive those vices that you gave up whilst training. Which of them makes you feel most guilty about your hedonistic lifestyle and the way you are treating your finely tuned body?
The CUCBC captains have agreed to change the rules for bumps so that a bump will be awarded before Grassy if the bow ball passes the cox. Which of these is nearest to your view?
It's the right solution to carnage in the gut
24%
There is a problem but this isn't the solution: bigger fines for late acknowledgement would be better
3%
There is a problem but this isn't the solution: banning coxes or somehow penalising offending crews would be better
52%
There is a problem but my solution below would be better
3%
There is not a problem, this is a change which panders to the 'Safety is the 1st Priority' brigade
7%
Bow balls are for wimps.
10%
Total: 29 members' votes
Could you have written a better poll than this one?
With only half an hour left before the deadline there were still no polls submitted. Was this one worth it?
This is probably my favourite poll so far and I am happy with my decision not to submit one
13%
You win some, you lose some
10%
This poll is a pile of poo, but I couldn't think of a better one so have no right to complain
30%
The Big Issue seller outside Sainsbury's could have come up with better
23%
I was looking forward to Favourite T-Shirt Part II
The electronic flag on the CUCBC website may well override/replace the physical flag at Goldie in the near future. It'll be accessible by internet or WAP. Given that the internet isn't yet available in the boat house, will we still be able to find out what colour the flag is?
I have a WAP phone and I'm not afraid to use it!
40%
I think I have a WAP phone but I don't know how it works
Rich and Dan have rowed across the Atlantic and are surely deserving a well-earned break. But once they've rested and feel like doing something extreme again, which of these events or teams should they compete in/for?
As requested a couple of weeks ago in the Deal or No Deal poll.
Giver
77%
Taker
23%
Total: 26 members' votes
What is your greatest fear when rowing on the Thames?
I believe all of these have been encountered by FaT / CU members at some point (with the possible exception of the CowboyNeal option). Which one gives you most nightmares?
When should we schedule the pre-Boat Race pub crawl?
Recent years have seen members of First & Third and Black Prince tour the 10 pubs that overlook the Championship course on one of the days before the Boat Race. There are several possible dates for this in 2006, each with pros and cons. Which should go in the diary?
Saturday 25 March (pro: day of the men's 8s Head so more people than usual in London, with some working up a thirst. Race is at 11:30 so enough drinking time afterwards - just. And no work tomorrow. Con: Lots of other rowers getting in the way)
14%
Sunday 26 March (pro: nothing else going on that day. Con: work the next day, plus will people still be in SW London after watching the race yesterday?)
23%
Saturday 1 April (pro: eve of Boat Race, lie-in tomorrow. Con: clashes with Henley races - Henley lacks sufficient pubs to replicate crawl.)
45%
Sunday 2 April (pro: day of boat race, so lots of people there. Race is late afternoon so could be a crawl with Race in the middle, and bonus pints at the boat club bars. Con: lots of people in SW London. Work the next day.)