Archive

This page contains a complete record of any news item or race report ever posted on the website.

Lent Bumps 2014 W2 Day 4

Submitted by Rhiannon Cogbill on Sun, 02/03/2014 - 13:34

Rowed over

We were chasing Sidney today, who we had managed to gain on in sixes earlier in the week so we knew we could get them. We thought it would be a longer race than yesterday, but we were ready to grind them down. Unfortunately just after the start, incompetence above us struck AGAIN with Queens catching a boat stopping crab and Sidney getting them back before the motorway bridge. Just our luck!

We powered it down for the overbump, but unfortunately they bumped out too. Nevertheless we had an extremely strong row-over, with CamFM pointing out that we ‘have really good technique, unusual for their division’.

Up one this week is a great result but not one which reflects the speed and strength of the crew. Every day but one W2 experienced the misfortune that sometimes comes with being in a lower division, yet the crew stayed positive and strong. The fact that a boat never came within a length of bumping us is pretty solid and a better representation of W2 this Lent. Everyone involved should be really proud of their performance this term; the team has gelled really well together & developed into brilliant rowers. Bring on Mays!

Lent Bumps 2014 W1 Day 4

Submitted by Sarah Lucas on Sat, 01/03/2014 - 18:55

Rowed-over

Aware of the dangers of being complacent in bumps, we arrived for the last day prepared for a challenge from Newhnam behind us. There was one question large in everyone's minds however. We had rowed over on the first day, suprising everyone, and bumped Pembroke on the second, a crew who on paper 'ought' to have been faster. Then we had bumped Newnham, an even tougher prospect. But could we get Caius?

Unfortunately the answer to that was no. For the first part of the race our attention was occupied by Newnham behind us, who had gained rapidly off the start. They got to within (a generous) two whistles, but again we proved ourselves the tougher crew, forcing them back to a length as their sprint faded. A superior line round Grassy saw them fall away to two lengths, after which we focussed on Caius ahead.

Despite a hard row, we never got within station of them, so it seems we may have reached our level this Lents. We can hold our heads up high with a result of 8th on the river, the highest W1 has been in since 1998.

Lent Bumps 2014 M1 Day 2

Submitted by Chris Eddy on Fri, 28/02/2014 - 11:37

Bumped Clare I

Day 2 was, on paper, an easier race than day 1, but that certainly didn't help with the nerves. That said, the row down and practice start were much more confident, perhaps boosted by yesterday's success. 

Off the start, Trinity Hall were held pretty much on station, and there they stayed, fluctuating slightly between station and a length until they went slightly too wide round Ditton - Kings came up the inside and edged them sideways into what was for us a highly distracting (although entertaining) crash on the outside of the corner. Clare ahead absolutely flew off the start, and edged out to two lengths (worryingly close to Girton) but tired somewhere around first post where we began to reel them in. Back on station through Grassy, and perhaps just inside round Ditton we made a push on the reach and gradually caught up to canvas and eventually nudged them gently for the bump. Full credit goes to Clare for a great race - they never gave up, even from 3 or 4 feet of overlap.

The outlook for the rest of the week looks reasonable (despite the rain) - Girton on day three were nearly caught by Clare, although it might be a case of whether we can catch them before they catch Peterhouse in front.  

See the action from Alistair's perspective below.

Lent Bumps 2014 W2 Day 3

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 28/02/2014 - 17:14

Bumped Clare Hall I

We knew that Clare Hall W1 were a weak crew: they had slipped into the division by default (rather than the Getting-on-Race) and were consequently looking set for spoons. Catz W2 arrived hyped at the boathouse, knowing that it was now our turn to take them down. But we weren’t complacent: the row down was nervous with everybody focused and being encouraged to smile by the bank party!

We arrived as the second crew at the start and were surprised that there were no other crews in sight. Then eventually we saw a stream of boats coming down the Cam, far in the distance, all following Clare Hall. They were looking a weak crew, but we showed them no mercy.

We had strokeside pressure off the start, with the draw, wind, and lengthen sequence going to plan and whistles coming within the first 20 strokes. We stayed calm under the pressure, following the good rhythm set by stroke and continued to push hard onto them. More whistles came, and we bumped before the motorway bridge!!

CONGRATULATIONS to the ex-novices for their first ever bump and to everyone for keeping their heads in the game even in all the excitement. It wasn’t the hardest fought bump, but it’s still a big achievement and well deserved by all.

Tomorrow we’re chasing Sidney Sussex W2 (who we nearly over-bumped in sixes), so although it might be a longer race, we are hopeful for a strong end to the four days.

Massive thanks to our amazing sub Sarah Kidd for rowing us to victory today J

#W2NEVERLOSE

Lent Bumps 2014 W1 Day 3

Submitted by Sarah Lucas on Fri, 28/02/2014 - 21:18

Bumped Newnham

A textbook first division bump today. Pushing swiftly off Pembroke we began to grind Newnham down through First Post Reach, gaining our first whistle coming out of First Post Corner. A stronger crew ahead than yesterday meant the whistles were longer in coming, but aided by good lines and rock-steady psychologies we edged methodically closer and closer. By Ditton Corner we had continuous whistles, and stepped up a gear to finish the job as we came onto the reach. A hard fought bump, and a deeply satisfying one.

Lent Bumps 2014 M2 Day 3

Submitted by Simon Wright on Fri, 28/02/2014 - 21:20

Bumped ARU I

After a day off, M2 were back today, and up against the first boat from Anglia Ruskin and the incessant rain. After a long wait at marshalling due to some carnage in the women's division (we're looking at you, W2!), we pushed off and had a solid if unspectacular row to the start. Watching ARU crab on their practice start definitely gave me a little bit of confidence.

After being pushed out slightly late due to some erratic counting, the start was a bit scrappy, but there was a much better attempt at a stride than in the previous two races. Emma were pushed off into the distance, and the whistles came thick and fast from ahead, one off the start, two into the corner, and we finally landed on their stern coming out of the corner. A job well done.

Tomorrow we face by far our sternest test of the week in Hughes Hall M1.

Video of the first minute of the race:

Lent Bumps 2014 M1 Day 3

Submitted by Chris Eddy on Fri, 28/02/2014 - 23:10

I was severely tempted to write this report in the style of Clare boat club's account (here) but that would have been to mock what was actually a fantastic bumps race. Having ground Clare down to a nailbiting bump on the reach yesterday, we knew they wouldn't go away, but we were unprepared for the sheer ferocity with which they came. We feel (and I'm sure Anton and his bell will disagree) that the Clare bank party were highly optimistic, but it is certain that they gained more than a length before first post, helped by some short, nervy rowing from us. That said, we pulled ourselves together, and as Clare started to tire we held ourselves firmly at a canvas round the corner.

However, as always in bumps there was another side to the story. Up ahead, Girton who had performed such heroics against Clare on day 2 to give us time to help them out, had held us between station and a length for the whole of first post reach, when 'something' happened. I heard later that 3 of the Girton rowers stopped rowing, all I knew at the time was a shout of 'half a length' (no time to raise whistles to mouths) and suddenly a shunt, a yelp of pain, and cries of 'hold it up'. The Girton cox apparently took the full force of our bowball in her back - for which we apologise and sincerely hope she's ok. 

We could debate in great detail whether the outcome of the race could have been different had Girton not slowed (Were we holding Clare, who deserve full credit for an unbelievable start? Were they blowing up, or just gathering themselves for a final push?) but in the end that's bumps for you... The words 'got away with it' were heard, whispering on the wind, but we knew that anyway. We go into day 4, up 3, chasing a falling Peterhouse. 

Lent Bumps 2014 W1 Day 2

Submitted by Sarah Lucas on Thu, 27/02/2014 - 19:19

Bumped Pembroke

A short, clinical bump for W1 today. Queens' behind us proved even less than a threat than yesterday; moving slightly onto us off the start, they were pushed off and held comfortably on station for the remainder of the course. We got our first whistle on Pembroke half way down First Post Reach. By building onto each successive whistle we quickly closed the gap and bumped on First Post Corner. For four members of the crew it was their first bump - congratulations!

Lent Bumps 2014 W2 Day 1

Submitted by Admin on Wed, 26/02/2014 - 01:14

Technical Row-over

For the majority of the crew this was their first bumping experience, and it was pretty much over before they knew it had begun. After a solid row down and arriving as one of the first boats in our division we knew it was game on. We were being chased by Darwin W2 (who after an abysmal spinning performance were looking weak) and chasing Queens’ W2.

We had a calm and collected push off, setting us up with a good line for the start. The cannon blasted and we smoothly powered into our draw, wind and lengthen sequence and then straight into a strong power 10. We were already pushing onto Queens’, and Darwin were a speck in the distance…surely whistles were only seconds away?

But then…disaster struck in the form of incompetence. In a bump several places ahead of us the crews had failed to pull into the side meaning that the rest of the division were held up and awarded technical row overs. Frustrating result, but we will use the saved energy to smash into Queens’ tomorrow!

Lent Bumps 2014 M2 Day 1

Submitted by Simon Wright on Wed, 26/02/2014 - 07:54

Overbumped Peterhouse II

It had been a good if frustrating term for M2 - a division win at Winter Head-to-Head and a solid showing at Newnham Short Course had been balanced by terrible weather cancelling all the other races and a lot of training.

We arrived confident, having beaten both of the crews in front handily at Newnham 3 weeks before. However, this is bumps, and nothing goes to plan. The start was predictably terrible (the cannon is so loud!), and we made almost no inroads into Clare during the start sequence. Once we did start to move it was too late, 5 strokes later and they had bumped Selwyn. Overbump time!

It's fair to say there's a small bit of history behind this chase of Peterhouse, and so a few cries of "remember last year...don't let it happen again!" from the bank lifted the crew, as did the news that Peterhouse had hit the bank on the inside of the gut. They were back up to speed by Grassy, but the deficit had been reduced to about two lengths. We moved just inside station coming around Ditton, and then pushed for the whistle out of the corner. At this point two and three whistles followed rapidly, the bump coming shortly after the railings. It was an overbump a year in the making, and sweet revenge for the three rowers returning from last year's crew.