Easter Rowing So Far

For most, Lent Bumps puts an end to rowing for a good month or two. But for the real hardcore boaties out there, it just doesn’t stop. From Cardinals to Kingston, The Tab takes a look at all the recent rowing action.

Week 8 saw a small field contest the annual Second Trinity Challenge Sculls, a 2.6k Head Race exclusively for small boats. After a quiet year so far, LMBC dominated proceedings with victory for Will Gray in the single sculls and Matt O’Connor and Steve Purvis in the pair.

This sniff of success however, has slowly but surely elicited the standard Johnian reaction of extreme arrogance and thoroughly pissing everyone else off. If you don’t know what I mean, check out the LMBC thread on the messageboards. Dubious chat. Thing is, I know you wind people up on purpose, and it works, so fair play to you.

End of term revelry resulted in high spirits for Catz Cardinals on the Thursday, an event which always attracts rowing just as interesting as the fancy dress. This year, however, some Mathmos decided they’d ruin everyone’s fun (sound familiar?) and put in a ridiculously strong boat, featuring such names as Coker, Strawson and some rather good girls too. Danny ‘Man-Mountain’ White, Part III Mathmo, was less than modest about the win:

“Today, we have shown that students of Mathematics are not only intellectually, but also physically, superior to all others.” What a nerd.

Then it was on to Women’s Head of the River on the Tideway. A shock result saw Pembroke W1 – fastest college and 90th overall – topple FaT, though a blade-tangle in the case of the latter no doubt slowed them down. Sidney had a good result too, beating both Clare and Christ’s and showing they’re a lot more than fittest boat of the term.

Aside from LMBC and their ejector-but-he-wasn’t-actually-ejected crab at Hammersmith Head, the men’s crews warmed-up for Head of the River (next Saturday, on the Tideway) at Kingston Head. Despite a reshuffle owing to Lents stroke Gonzalo Garcia’s (great name, had to write it) rib injury, FaT were once again the pick of the college crews, dipping two seconds under the 16-minute barrier. Pembroke, Catz and Jesus were all within 4 seconds of them though, setting up the possibility of some real competition at HORR.

Next weekend also marks the Henley Boat Races, as the Lightweights and the women take on their Oxford counterparts. Then, of course, it’s the big one. April 3rd, 4.30 p.m. Miss it at your peril.

The Tab will be giving you all the Boat Race build-up as well as covering the Lightweights and Women’s races at Henley.