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M1
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Wednesday: Bumped First and Third M1
M1 had a focussed row down to the start, Arav, our cox proclaiming that we were “peaking” with our paddling as fast as it had ever been. As we lined up, Gripper (coaching) told us that he would not cycle past Ditton, so we had better catch FaT by then.
A fast start saw us take half a length out of FaT in the first 15 or so strokes. Queens behind us seemed to go wide of the start, and that was the last I remember considering them during the race. Our first call to hit our race rhythm saw the rate staying high at 40 or so, not getting quite the speed we might. A second call took us down onto race pace at a 36. With the rudder just beginning to come on for first post corner, we got our first whistle.
Hard legs for 15 strokes down the gut was not as tidy as it might have been, but as we came round into Grassy we won two whistles. At this point from the bank we heard that FaT were closing on St. Catharine’s and that we needed to hit them or risk losing them. This unfortunately turned out not to be the right thing for us to hear, and we tensed up, and lost length.
As we moved into Ditton corner, however, three whistles came and shortly after we gained overlap. Despite his promises to the contrary, Gripper followed us around onto the reach and screamed for us to finish it then and there. The corner took its toll on us and Trinity, moving straight, managed to move back out to two feet of clear water.
As we too cleared the corner though, we managed to get back into a better rhythm and moved back into overlap, and after what felt like an age rowing in boiling water, the call came to hold it hard having made the bump.
Archie Wood – Men’s Captain
Thursday: Bumped St Catharine’s M1
After a day 1 in which we knew we could have rowed better, M1 were gunning to break the new opponents early with relative safety with FaT behind. After a clean start even with the outflow pushing us around, we hit our stride and held station to First Post. FaT moved on us slightly but there was nothing to worry about. Our bends were tight and rowed sharply and Plough Reach saw a big push that got us from one whistle to 2 or even 3 by Ditton. Onto the Long Reach and with Catz firmly in our sights, we steamed on. Catz moved across to escape and with M1 holding their line, we waited until half a length of overlap before steering for an inevitable bump. Man that felt good. Onwards and upwards!
Arav Gupta – M1 Cox
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M3
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Wednesday: Bumped St. Catharines M4
An eventful day to say the least! After having painstakingly attached the Pembroke GoPro to the bows of our boat, we were determined to get a bump to see it put to good use. The gun went off, and we blazed out of the start, moving up to a length off of Catz after our start sequence. We hit our stride, and were moving on them every stroke as we came under the motorway bridge, until suddenly there were calls of “Hold it up!” from Kev and Gripper on the bank – Catz appeared to have stopped, and we were on course to plough straight into their (now almost stationary, due to a boat-stopper crab) boat. In the name of safety, we did as instructed and held it up, resulting in us stopping tantalisingly short of physical contact on their boat. Despite us kindly avoiding the impaling of their cox, Catz decided that they weren’t conceding, and started to row on, so we quickly regrouped ourselves and restarted.
We had been rowing for what can only have been 15 strokes when, with a strange sense of déjà vu, we again heard calls of “Hold it up!” from the bank; Dawin M3 had failed to clear the river, and carnage had ensued, resulting in a klaxoned division. A tense wait followed, whilst we waited to hear from the umpires about what was going to happen. It was eventually decided that the whole division would re-row, so we dutifully span, and rowed back down to the lock, mentally preparing to do it all again.
Whilst sitting on our station, one of the Chief Umpires came over and informed us that, due to the fact we had held it up for reasons of safety, and given it would have been an inevitable bump had we continued rowing, we would be awarded a technical bump on Catz. We let the rest of the division restart, before celebration and greenery ensued. Hopefully our first bump of many this week – let’s just hope the others are less chaotic!
Izzy Stone – M3 Cox
Thursday: DOUBLE OVERBUMPED Emmanuel M4
Words just cannot describe how phenomenal today’s row was. We knew it would be a tough day, with a surprisingly fast Hughes M3 boat in front of us, chasing Homerton, who were falling down the river: we were going to have to bump before they did. The cannon went, and we set off, settling into a good stride. Unfortunately Hughes, as predicted, bumped out in front of us. A tense moment of steering through ensuing carnage followed, but we managed to get through unscathed! A few strokes later, and the pair of boats in front of that bumped out too. There was a feeling of defeat in the boat as we rowed past Churchill and Emma, now pulled into the side of the bank; the Emma IV crew, who started 5 boats ahead of us (11 1/2 lengths) were no-where to be seen. I refused to let us accept defeat there and then, so called the power back up, and had a strong row through the gut. As we rounded Grassy corner, I caught sight of Emma IV up by the plough, and determination set in. We were going to get this bump. We chased them hard down plough reach, with words of encouragement from Kev, Gripper, and Greg on the bank. As we rounded ditton, we heard “You’re 4 length off them” – we had until the railway bridge to make it. As we moved down the reach, we were gaining on them, but not fast enough, with still over 2 lengths to go by the railings. By this point, I could see the Emma crew’s faces, and the panic clearly setting in in their boat, so called for the hardest 20 strokes of M3’s lives – this took us to the pink house, and we finally got the whistle we’d been waiting for. As soon as the whistle blasted shrilly through the air, we really started moving, the distance between us dropping every stroke. Two whistles followed, quickly followed by three. We had 10 strokes to the finish – would we be able to do it? Finally, an image that will forever remain in my mind, as the railway bridge loomed over us, the Emma cox turned and conceded, as our bow struck their rigger. 3 strokes from the end of the race, and we’d done it. A double overbump. I am so, so proud of all the guys in M3: it would have been so easy to admit defeat, and settle for a rowover, but they put in a truly epic row, and were rewarded phenomenally. Now onwards and upwards for the rest of the week!
Izzy Stone – M3 Cox
Friday: Bumped Clare M4
In comparison with yesterday’s row of epic proportions, today’s row was over in the blink of an eye. We were chasing Clare M4, a mixed crew on for spoons, racing in a wooden boat. Anton, the Clare boatman came over to us before the start of the race, and we agreed that, to avoid potential damage to boats and people, they would steer to the left, we would steer to the right, and they’d concede without contact. The cannon went, and we powered away from our station. We hadn’t even finished our start sequence before there was overlap, and within 15 strokes, the Clare cox conceded. Unfortunately Jack crabbed as we were holding it up, meaning we spun into their boat, and ended up losing our bow ball – so much for no contact! We had a good, technical row home, and are all looking forward to the last day of racing tomorrow!
Izzy Stone – M3 Cox
Saturday:Bumped Darwin M3
As Darwin had been bumped by Corpus the day before, we knew that it was unlikely they’d have a chance of bumping back before we caught them, so were feeling confident going into the last day of racing. The start cannon went, and we were off, settling into a good stride. We soon had whistles on them, and despite some slightly dodgy steering from me, which resulted in a little blade clash with the bank, overlap and the bump soon followed, before first post corner. BLAADDDESSSSS!!! Greenery ensued, and the flag was hoisted – such a phenomenal feeling rowing home, with everyone along the bank cheering our achievements. Overall, M3 went up 8, and had a brilliant time doing it. I only hope that next year’s M3 can continue to build on the success of this year, so we can work our way back up the charts, to our rightful place back in division 4.
Izzy Stone – M3 Cox
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