Summer Eights 2019 is finally here: This is what went down on the first day of racing!

M1: Rowed over 3rd MDiv2

Cox: Abbi Colwyn

Stroke: Harry Connor

7: Danny de Rozairo

6: Antonis Dimopoulos

5: Philipp Schelhaas

4: Rohit Vijjhalwar

3: Brian Josephson

2: Patrick Austin

Bow: Fritz Björklund

Here we were, Eights week, it comes around fast doesn’t it? Being an inexperienced crew and not having raced much against other college crews this term, we came into the day nervous as to how we would match up at the top of Division 2.

These nerves weren’t helped by a stop start warm up as a result of traffic from the previous division. However we got a few practice starts under our belt and paddle nicely to the bungline in good time.

After slightly messy first couple of strokes, we whipped the rate up to 41 on the build, easily stretching away from a slow Worcester behind us who were quickly snaffled by a strong looking Queen’s crew. With no immediate pressure on us, we gradually settled at 36/7 and, despite a scrappy patch through the gut, set off in pursuit of LMH down the Greenbank spurred on by the support at Longbridges

We rowed very nicely to Univ, holding the rate easily and keeping it clean. Unfortunately however LMH had stretched out their lead. Coming past Univ, we heard the Klaxon go as the result of problems lower down in the div and held it hard (unlike some of the crews around us…).

We are very happy with our performance today. After some of the struggles we have had this term, the knowledge that we can hold our own at this level is a massive confidence boost.

Tomorrow we are being chased by a fast Queen’s crew who will be aggressive from the off. We know we are are going to have to start quick and then let our second half speed take us to the finish, potentially giving us a shot at LMH.

W1: Rowed over 12th in WDiv1

Cox: Jack Yates

Stroke: Katie Donahue

7: Harriet Thomas

6: Kate Furber

5: Issy Dodds

4: Kaja Fenn

3: Alison Carrington

2: Ellie Van Vogt

Bow: Penny Hyde/Susie Webster

The week of promised Pimms, barbeques, and topping up of the unisuit tan lines got off to a rather dreary start with grey skies and drizzle, but this this wasn’t to put the W1 girls off the excitement of the race. A speedy warm up on the ergs saw us swiftly out and onto the water to maximise our time before the start. Pick drill, paddle, bursts and starts. We were quick, we were set, but could we use this when the pressure was on at the time when it was needed? The five minute gun. We were spinning onto our bung line ready to de-kit and send jelly babies and high fives down the boat, accompanied by some nervous chatter. The one minute gun. Three deep breaths and we were in the zone. 10… 9… 8…… BANG! And we’re off. A well-rehearsed start sequence lifted the boat quickly off the start line and chasing down towards Oriel, but too soon we started to feel the wash sent down from the eleven crews up ahead of us. Being used to the space, calm and cut glass of the Radley stretch of the river this took us unawares and an element of panic began to creep in. This led to some scrappy rowing from a usually polished team and unfortunately the distance we were gaining on Oriel wasn’t enough to match their marching into Johns and the two crews bumped out ahead of us coming under Donny Bridge. Commotion up ahead of us was accompanied by cries from the bank of ‘Oriel MOVE’, but a skilful swerve and knife edge racing line from the all-important brains of the boat saw us manoeuver away from the mayhem and on to clear water ahead. With fewer puddles from splashy starts being sent our way and fresh legs coming out of the gut, we began to relax into our rhythm and feel the acceleration of the boat beneath us. A power ten and posture reset saw us back onto form as we sped along Longbridges powered by the support of those who braved the drizzle and then we were out onto Boathouse Island. From the bank we could hear our coach shouting that the race wasn’t over yet and that we were going to prove ourselves to the line chasing a tiring Magdalen to the last. The weeks of practice in the erg room and on the water showed themselves in style as we finished just a quarter of a length behind the girls in stripes, a crew that had started three bung lines ahead of us! While we reflected on our row through breathless cheers to the Magdalen crew, we finished, it is safe to say, proud of our crew and excited for three more days of tearing up the Isis. With the “Thursday nerves-day” out of the way we look forwards to coming back for more, speedy, classy rowing… and hopefully the sun will come to join us too!

W2: Bumped by Regents Park to end 8th WDiv4

Hertford W2 Summer eights 2019

Alison MacArthur
Rosie Bound
Maddy Cuzra/Imogen Harter-Jones
Elizabeth Bennett/Lucy Oswald
Rebecca Simpson
Rebecca Nicholls
Georgie Lang
Lizzy Skells

With several novices joining W2 this term and having to learn to row in just 5 weeks it’s been hard work preparing for eights but the crew are ready to give it their all! We are in Div 4 and aim to maintain our position in fixed divs for next year and as always get as many bumps as possible. Our overarching aim however is to recover from our disastrous ‘tree bump’ incident at torpids BUMP BOATS NOT TREES!

M2: Bumped by Queen’s M2 to finish 2nd in MDiv4

Cox: Naomi Housego-Day

David Angiolini

Leo Santoso

Joel Buzzard

Matthew Waters

Brooke Johnson

James Parr

Tetsuro Ono

Ivo Ligeti

Race report M2: M2 had a fast start, despite some blades washing out from nerves, and we were heading towards the gut at unprecedented speeds. What would have been a winning boat any other day wasn’t a match for the big boys of Queens II behind us who gained on us fast, with overlap by the start of the gut. With our motto “no contact no concession”, two power tens and some tight steering, we held them off until nearly the exit of the gut, before an inevitable concession with half a boat length’s overlap. We cleared quickly, and with the boys in no mood for a hold it hard we did “slightly” bank the boat, but no harm done! Feeling positive and excited for another day’s racing tomorrow, where we’ll be looking to bump St. Peter’s II and make it back into division 4! These boys are fast and definitely a crew to watch!