St Catharine's College Boat Club

Lent Bumps was a very successful week for M1. We went up 3 places to 8^th on the River which is the highest position we have been in Lent Bumps for over 25 years.

Day one saw us chasing FaT (Trinity) while we were being chased by Queens’. We knew it was going to be a tough chase, but we thought we could get them over the course. Unfortunately, Clare didn’t get the memo and FaT caught them after 500m meaning our only hope was the over bump on Peterhouse. We managed to slowly close on them in the strong headwind as we pulled away from Queens’ behind. Sadly, we didn’t quite manage to make up the 6 and a half lengths needed for the over bump despite a very strong row and coming within 1 length by the end of the course. Despite our hopes of blades being lost on day 1, we were confident we could have a successful week after a strong row over.

On day 2 we were chasing Clare and being chased by Trinity Hall.  After a slow start we gave away about half a length to the crews either side of us but as we hit our rhythm our superior boat speed showed, and we began to close. Having seen them get caught very quickly on Day 1, we were hoping for a quick bump and by First Post corner we were half a length off. Ahead of us though, FaT bumped Peterhouse who had crabbed and were unable to clear in time, meaning our race had to be stopped. After some confusion it was decided that were going back to the start for a re-row.  Despite being wet and bit cold we got ourselves into a similar position 2^nd time round. Clare made us work for it but we ground them down and got the bump on Ditton corner with Trinity Hall nowhere near us.

On Day 3 we got our 2^nd chance to get Peterhouse, this time only needing to catch 1 and a half lengths for the bump. Given our performance on days 1 and 2 we were fairly confident of catching Peterhouse without much bother from Clare behind with the wind at the lowest level of the week. Despite Clare closing a little on the start we rowed well and this time got the bump in good time at 1^st post corner despite a late concession from the Peterhouse cox.

The wind returned on day 4 and we needed to catch Christ’s to go up 3. After our best start of the week we consistently walked into them. They really put up a fight on the plough reach, taking the rate up in a last-ditch attempt to get away from us but we stayed on our strong rhythm in the headwind and managed to keep closing despite rowing directly into their wash. We finally got the dump around Ditton corner to round off a successful week.

It all started with a life jacket...

We couldn’t have known on the row down to our starting post that the forgetfulness of an LMBC cox would cause us so much drama! In position at station 14, the canon blasts and Catz W1 were off with a very strong start sequence.

Not long after, the density of shouts and whistles up-ahead signalled that chaos was coming yet Catz were undeterred, we were ready to storm straight through it. We were gaining on Tit Hall when disaster ensued. Churchill drifted across the river in the wind after being bumped out and, with another boat already parked at the bank on the other side, there was no way for us to get through.

The next thing we know, Sid had to call for us to “Hold it up!”. The race was over. Or was it...?! The pile-up of boats under the motorway bridge was all caused by Maggie forgetting their lifejacket. Because Maggie weren’t allowed to race, all Pembroke had to do to secure a technical bump was to row past Maggie’s starting station. However, this wasn’t communicated to Girton who saw Pembroke pull in and thought that they had crashed. Thinking they had bumped Pembroke, Girton stopped rowing meaning that then Churchill had to stop so as not to plow into Girton. This then meant that Tit Hall bumped Churchill, who didn’t get out of the middle of the river in time, thus causing Catz, Queens’ and Caius to have to hold it up.

After 10 very tense minutes of waiting for the umpires to deliberate the chaos that had just occurred, they finally made a decision - Catz, Queen’s and Caius were going to re-row. We made it down to our new starting station and prepared for part 2.

This time we were racing at the head of a 3 boat sandwich and the only way to come out victorious was to row over. The second race began and all 3 crews surged down the Cam. After a minute or so the distance between the boats had shortened. From the bows it looked as though Queen’s were closing in on us. It was time for some drastic action. “POWER 4!!” Catz summoned all their might to push away but with Caius hot on Queens’ tail they were not letting us get away that easily.

Catz W1 were definitely not ready to be bumped on the first day of racing and as Sid heroically called for 2 more power 4s, Catz soared ahead down the river, pulling away from Queens’. Coming round Ditton corner, Caius bumped Queens’ and the race was finished. But the drama didn’t end there... On the row home we unexpectedly received the call, “Build it up to race pace...Ready...Go!”. Downing M1 were charging down the river in the next division and we had only just gone past the P&E. A short burst to the Green Dragon to get off the race course and then the last of the day’s drama was over.

A chaotic first day for Catz W1 but nevertheless a great row and we are excited to see what the rest of the week brings!

After the canons began the first day of Lent bumps, the first for all in the Catz M3 boat, we powered through the length of the course. Despite comfortably holding off Wolfson M2, Queens M3 eluded us, alas.

Knowing that Wolfson would be going for the kill, day two saw the introduction of a new call, for emergency use only. With “power 10” lacking the urgency for escaping a bump, “ATOMIC 10” saw us break away from Wolfson’s half-length whistles, and they shrunk away along the reach. Once again, we rowed over.

Day three brought us low; Queens successfully bumped Kings M2 down into our division, and we hoped to have them in check. Wolfson truly emptied the tank however, and even our atomic call was no deterrent, we were bumped. Friday will be a day of rest, and on Saturday, the final day, we will tame the Wolf(son).

- Nathaniel Tye

Catz W2 were the first boat to nab a bump for the boat club this Lent Bumps- and a short but sweet one it was too! Their bump featured a brilliant start sequence and a successful rythm change before they overtook Christ with impressive speed. Celebrations followed with the obligatory foliage in hair and photos to prove it happened.

The second day of bumps for our girls saw a row over chasing Corpus W1. This day too also saw a brillant race start and our girls kept Corpus in their sights for the whole race. W2 battled mother nature down the reach not bowing down to the gusts she blew.

With a bump and a succesful grassy under their belt, our W2 are a boat to watch for the final days of bumps. We promise they will be a formidable force.

Yeah Catz!

-Charlie Lamb

The 2017/18 academic year has been historic for the Women’s side of St Catharine’s College Boat Club, with unprecedented success and a record 4 women’s boats entered into May Bumps. Having lost their position in the W1 division to a strong Homerton crew in 2017, W1 embarked upon the 2018 Mays Campaign with conviction, and their sights set on regaining their place amongst the top 17 boats on the Cam. The crew put in work on and off the water, with 7 sessions per week involving a tough erg regime and focussed outings on the river.

W1 placed first in the W2 division of Spring Head to Head, early on in Easter term. This win spurred the crew on in their training, and having overcome illness and injury the crew felt excited to line up along the Cam on the first day of May Bumps. Day 1 saw a quick and clinical bump on Magdalene W1, placing the crew in sandwich boat position. After a row over behind a strong Homerton crew, W1 prepared to row twice again on the Thursday. Starting at the top of the W2 division, a strong row over ensured a chance to catch Jesus W2 at the bottom of the W1 division. W1 caught JCBC quickly and secured their place in the 1st division. With a quick Trinity Hall crew bumping to the top of the second division, the pressure was on as W1 set out in a quick sandwich chasing Queens’ W1. With an excellent row St Catharine’s held off Trinity Hall and all three crews rowed over. Although pleased to have not been caught, W1 entered the final day of Bumps with confidence that they could hold off Trinity Hall and a new-found focus and excitement at the thought of catching Queens' W1. A quick start and a steady grind saw W1 slowly gain on the QCBC boat, and with grit and determination, W1 secured the bump on the reach. Up three, and securely in the first division, Catz W1 showed that a crew can be greater than the sum of its parts; a credit to the hard work and commitment of all 8 rowers, cox and coach!