May Bumps: Final Day Round Up

JONNY SINGER looks back at the final day of May Bumps, division by division, with the final analysis.

college rowing may bumps 2011 Rowing

It’s been an incredible four days of rowing on the Cam. From the very first race on Wednesday until the last boat crossed the line on Saturday there has been drama everywhere. Both headships changed, we had crashes (both on the water and the site), loads of bumps, and even a few overbumps.

Today there were blades and spoons a-plenty, and despite fewer bumps, a lot of excitement.

The Big Picture: Caius held off Downing to hold onto the headship, as they did at Lent Bumps, and that has to be the biggest story. Downing W1 were imperious again in the Women’s headship, while Downing II became the highest ranked second boat having bumped FaT.

In terms of team performances Newnham and Catz were fantastic again, whilst Murray Edwards (albeit with only two boats) had the incredible record of 100% blades. Every single First and Third boat fell today, to leave them with a team total of -25, unbelievably disappointing from them, while LMBC did at last manage to record some positive bumps today (still ending on -19 across 8 boats).

Division by division here’s our account of the final day’s racing, and the overall results.

M1:

1 Caius BLADES
2 Downing
3 Catz +1 BLADES
4 First and Third -1
5 Pembroke
6 Jesus
7 Lady Margaret
8 Queens’
9 Fitzwilliam
10 Magdalene
11 Clare
12 Tit Hall +1
13 Emmanuel -1
14 Christ’s
15 Churchill
16 King’s
17 Robinson
18 Downing II

Blades: Caius,  Catz
Spoons: NONE

Analysis: Caius held on to the headship, as predicted, but not without a stiff challenge from Downing. Who knows what would have happened if they’d had more than one crack at it. Catz proved with their bump that they were one of the fastest crews around and deserve their blades. With almost all the other crews rowing over it seems fair to say that this division had found it’s stable standing order.

W1:

1 Downing BLADES
2 Pembroke
3 Christ’s
4 Newnham
5 Emmanuel
6 Jesus
7 Clare +1
8 Lady Margaret -1
9 Queens’ +1
10 Caius -1 SPOONS
11 Trinity Hall +1
12 First and Third -1
13 Magdalene +1
14 Catz -1
15 Churchill +1
16 Girton -1 SPOONS
17 Selwyn
18 Peterhouse

Blades: Downing
Spoons: Caius, Girton

Analysis: Downing were great at the top again, while Caius’ women were not able to live up to the standard set by the men’s boat. The fact that no boat bumped every day is an indication of just how competitive this division was. In the end the surprise on the final day was quite how much activity there was, and the best action was undoubtedly between Newnham and Christ’s, Newnham so close to the bump which would have earned them blades.

M2:

1 Downing II +1
2 First and Third II -1 SPOONS
3 Girton
4 Homerton +1
5 Peterhouse -1
6 Lady Margaret II +1
7 Selwyn -1 SPOONS
8 Caius II
9 Jesus II
10 St. Edmund’s
11 Sidney Sussex
12 Wolfson
13 Pembroke II +1 BLADES
14 Anglia Ruskin -1
15 Corpus Christi +1 BLADES
16 Darwin -1 SPOONS
17 Christ’s II
18 Queens’ II

Blades: Pembroke II, Corpus Christi
Spoons: Selwyn, Darwin

Analysis: Downing II pipped FaT II to the title of highest ranked second boat, as expected, while LMBC II improved to seal spoons for a very disappointing Selwyn. Congratulations must go to Corpus and Pembroke on their blades, while the boats in the middle of the division all looked very solid and settled in their rowovers. Competitive if not the most exciting on the final day.

W2:

1 Peterhouse +1
2 King’s -1
3 Pembroke II
4 Sidney Sussex +1 BLADES
5 Emmanuel II -1
6 Murray Edwards +1 BLADES
7 Jesus II -1 SPOONS
8 Fitzwilliam +1 BLADES
9 Robinson -1 SPOONS
10 Newnham II +1 BLADES
11 ARU -1 SPOONS
12 Homerton +1
13 Darwin -1 SPOONS
14 Clare II +1
15 LMBC II -1 SPOONS
16 Hughes Hall
17 Downing II
18 Trinity Hall II

Blades: Sidney Sussex, Murray Edwards, Fitzwilliam, Newnham II
Spoons: Jesus II, Robinson, ARU, Darwin, LMBC II

Analysis: I picked Sidney W1 for blades on day one, and they never looked like disappointing, the fastest boat in the division. Peterhouse did well and will start next May as the head of the division after a good row today. Murray Edwards picked up a very early bump for their blades, and Fitz also mightily impressive.

M3:

1 Queens’ II
2 Clare II
3 St. Catharine’s II +1 BLADES
4 Emmanuel II -1
5 Hughes Hall +1 BLADES
6 Selwyn II -1
7 Peterhouse II +1 BLADES
8 Lady Margaret III -1
9 Robinson II +1 BLADES
10 FaT III -1 SPOONS
11 Trinity Hall II +1
12 Magdalene II -1 SPOONS
13 Fitz II
14 Churchill II
15 Girton II +1
16 Emmanuel III -1
17 King’s II +1
18 Caius III -1

Blades: Catz II, Hughes Hall, Peterhouse II, Robinson II
Spoons: Fat III, Magdalene II

Analysis: The most controversial of all the divisions throughout, it was fitting that this one ended with Caius III crashing. Since they collided with FaT III before the first race the two have had a terrible time of it, and Caius III will start next year in M4. Hughes Hall were the most impressive of the boats how go blades, while King’s II had a really good day across the two divisions.

W3:

1 Trinity Hall II
2 Corpus Christi
3 Wolfson +1 BLADES
4 Caius II -1
5 Christ’s II +1
6 Queens’ II -1
7 Girton II +1
8 Magdalene II -1 SPOONS
9 Selwyn II
10 Pembroke III
11 Catz II +1
12 First and Third II -1
13 Emma III +1
14 Clare Hall -1
15 Newnham III
16 Murray Edwards II +1 BLADES
17 St Eds -1
18 Sidney Sussex II

Blades: Wolfson, Murray Edwards II
Spoons: Magdalene II

Analysis: Most of the drama in this one came at the back. First Emma III denied Newnham III their chance of blades by bumping Clare Hall, just when it seemed that they would be bumped. Clare Hall and Newnham missing out on blades, while Sidney II, in the sandwich thought at one point about an overbump. Murray Edwards II sealed blades to keep up the club’s 100% record, while Wolfson were quick to pick up theirs as well, easily catching Caius II.

M4:

1 King’s II +1
2 Queens’ III -1
3 Pembroke III +1
4 Wolfson II -1
5 Clare Hall
6 Downing III +1
7 Darwin II -1 SPOONS
8 Jesus III
9 Clare III +1
10 Selwyn III -1
11 Catz III
12 Tit Hall III
13 St. Edmund’s II +1
14 First and Third IV -1 SPOONS
15 Jesus IV
16 Christ’s III +1
17 Corpus II -1 SPOONS
18 Magdalene III

Blades: NONE
Spoons: Darwin II, FaT IV, Corpus II

Analysis: No blades in this division just goes to show how up and down it was. King’s II finally overcame Queens’ after a tense battle yesterday, FaT IV became another Trinity boat to get spoons, while both Jesus boats were close to blades/spoons, and both missed out.

W4:

1 Sidney Sussex II +1
2 Jesus III -1 SPOONS
3 Addie’s
4 Homerton II +1
5 Darwin II -1
6 Christ’s III +1
7 FaT III -1
8 Fitzwilliam II +1
9 Churchill II -1 SPOONS
10 Hughes Hall II
11 Peterhouse II +1
12 King’s II -1
13 Selwyn III +1
14 Queens’ III -1 SPOONS
15 Pembroke IV
16 Clare III
17 Jesus IV +1
18 Trinity Hall III -1

Blades: NONE
Spoons: Jesus III, Chruchill II, Queens’ III

Analysis: Again, no blades, and a quick look at today’s race tells you all you need to know about the bottom women’s division. Only three boats rowed over, and Jesus IV found out how much easier it is to bump when you actually show up. Trinity Hall returned to the bottom of the pile with a sad inevitability.

M5:

1 Magdalene III +1
2 LMBC IV -1 SPOONS
3 Homerton II +1 BLADES
4 Christ’s IV -1
5 Sidney Sussex II
6 Pembroke IV
7 Hughes Hall II +1 BLADES
8 First and Third V -1
9 Robinson III +1
10 Churchill III -1 SPOONS
11 Sidney Sussex III +1
12 Caius IV -1 SPOONS
13 King’s III +1
14 Jesus V -1 SPOONS
15 Queens’ IV +3
16 Girton III +1
17 Fitz III -1 SPOONS
18 Addenbrooke’s -3

Blades: Homerton II, Hughes Hall II
Spoons: LMBC IV, Churchill III, Caius IV, Jesus V, Fitz III

Analysis: Spoons for another LMBC boat, and another Caius failure (not as rare as you’d think given their first boat’s success). Some very quick crews near the top for a division such as this, while Sidney III achieved their third bump, alongside a technical row over on day two, meaning that they went a combined distance of less than 1km in the whole of May Bumps. Addies overbump by Queens’ IV summed up their week nicely. Poor.

M6:

1 Queens’ IV +1
2 Pembroke V -1 SPOONS
3 LMBC V
4 Lady Margaret VI +1
5 Christ’s V -1
6 Magdalene IV
7 King’s IV
8 Downing IV
9 Emmanuel IV +1
10 Clare IV -1
11 Churchill IV
12 Corpus Christi III +1
13 Girton IV -1 SPOONS
14 Selwyn IV +1
15 Downing V -1 SPOONS
16 Queens’ V
17 Hughes Hall III
18 Sidney Sussex IV SPOONS

Blades: NONE
Spoons: Pembroke V, Girton IV, Downing V, Sidney IV

Analysis: As ever a slightly mad division, King’s IV were the most unlucky boat of the day, as they just failed to catch Magdalene IV. Another really good race, which really demonstrated the strength in depth of so many colleges. Sidney IV’s spoons were a fair reflection on the slowest men’s boat out there.

So, after four days, 40 races,  27 sets of spoons and 17 crews earning blades, May Bumps 2011 are over. Congratulations to all the crew who achieved blades, and thank you to all of you who followed the event with The Tab.