With Hertford MIII rowing on tomorrow and Torpids proper starting on Wednesday we have put together a round up of the year so far for HCBC.  Good luck to all the Herford crews racing in Torpids!

The Year So Far

Michealmas term started well with a good number of returning rowers taking part in a training camp before the start of term (minus the three who were training with OUBC and OUWBC at the time). The discovery of a number of experienced rowers boosted both squads allowing for full 8’s of senior rowers to be put out from the start of term. We held our traditional season launch in the first weekend of term and we had a great turnout with a large portion of both days being fully booked. We had such a high number of women turn up and want to continue rowing it led to some difficulties finding time to get them all on the water! We were able to enter three women’s and one men’s crews into Christchurch regatta. They showed true grit and determination to all get through to the Friday where unfortunately they all bowed out. This did not subdue the atmosphere at Christchurch regatta dinner where a hard terms worth of rowing was put to bed. Outside of the novices hard work the women’s squad returned to Autumn Fours with the plan of defending their title from last year. After a strong run to the final they came against a University College crew who were just too strong on the day.

Our returning rowers worked hard to build a platform to take into Hilary term and the shortened run in to Torpids. We returned fresh from the festive break to find the Isis flowing fast and the rain falling. With no prospect of the river dropping from Red Flag we loaded our boats onto a trailer and spent the week at Eton Dorney. On the first day the mens senior squad arrived to find the mythical (at Dorney anyway) calm and sunny day. It soon dawned on them they had an Olympic venue to themselves, cue social media gloating. Unfortunately, conditions returned to normal once the rest of the club were able to make it there. Camp ended back in Oxford with the dreaded 2k test rearing its head

2015 -16 Coaching Team
We have taken on three new coaches this year:
W1: Caroline Barnes – Hertford Alumni and Women’s Captain at City of Oxford Rowing Club
W2: George Chapman – Learnt to row at Oriel College
M2: Simon Kirk – Learnt to row at Peterhouse College Cambridge, City of Oxford Men’s senior squad
Also two volunteer coaches:
Chris Edwards-Earl (men’s squad) – Learnt to row at King’s College School Boat Club, coached at St Ignatius College, Sydney, Edinburgh University Boat Club
Noam Angrist (women’s squad) – Learnt to row at high school, coached Brookline High School (US), founded Amphibious Achievement mentorship programme.

Graham Topping and Chris Dalley continue to coach the Men’s Senior Squad.

University Trialists
Two of our club members are through to the final selection of OUBC and OUWBC crews to race Cambridge on the 27th March 2016. HCBC grown talent Thomas McGregor returned to the Blues after competing as Spare Pair last year, after competing in 4’s Head of the River he rowed at Bow in the losing crew at Trial 8’s.

Emma Lukasiwicz has joined Hertford this year having rowed previously at Harvard as part of their successful Lightweight squad. She is studying for an MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation. She stroked an IM1 4+ at 4’s Head of the River before stroking the eventual second place crew at Trial 8’s.

Steve Crabb

HCBC President 2015-2016