The highlights and lowlights of Cambridge Lent Bumps 2024, as told by Rowbridge posts

Lent Bumps is a whirlwind for every crew, no matter the outcome. The extreme weather, the drama, the strategy, all lead to an intense week on the river, where your degree takes a hit and your body is so physically tired you struggle to make it up a flight of stairs on the following Sunday. Keeping up with the results and drone footage (huge thanks to William Connolley from all college rowers) can only get you so far; to hear from the rowers themselves, where better to head than Rowbridge. Here are the posts that best summarise the week’s events.

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

All successful Bumps campaigns start off with a good hype video, and there were some absolute zingers this year. Even though the Caius M1 rowed over for three days before being bumped by the mighty Magdalene M1 on Saturday, they are have held third in the division, which isn’t too shabby.

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

William Connolley’s Youtube channel has been serving college rowers once again, and this time he had a drone (!!!!). Sharing the link to the footage of your crew to the family Whatsapp chat is only natural at this point, so fantastic is the camerawork (and commentary).

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

Another great service to the rowing community is the CamFM Bumps coverage; between the live riverside reporting, and the first provisional results to be released after the race, they are an ever-present force on the river at this point (CamFM scratch crew for Mays??).

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

I don’t know how I feel about this one. To many of us, it’s much more than just college rowing – it’s the hours of sleep sacrificed, the supo deadlines missed, the guilt of skipping social events or missing hanging out with your friends, all for a college-level sport. However, the investment from both the college boat club committees, and the colleges themselves, demonstrates the intense effort and pride that goes into entering and racing Bumps twice a year. Having said all that, I totally agree that kindness goes a long way, especially after four or five days of physical exhaustion and lack of sleep – after all, we all share the same small piece of river!

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

This is the best Rowbridge post of all term. The relationship between cox and crew matures over time, like fine wine, or rather, like the BCD port that doesn’t go down as easily as you were hoping. Big shout out to all the women’s crews this term for a spectacular and dramatic Bumps – with the only overbump of the week coming from Queens’ W1 on Fitz W1 on Friday. We had a fab week ladies xoxo

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

Speaking of drama, I love a good revenge bump. The strategy and mental strength involved in believing your crew is fast enough to bump back a crew (that caught you the previous day) is immense, and I am in awe of everyone involved in revenge bumps this week. Special mention goes to the Emma M2 and Pembroke M2 triple revenge bump!

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

Circling back to the ultimate Bumps coverage duo – all I have to say is, we’re all patiently waiting…

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

Headship in both the men’s and women’s div 1 was retained for the entire week, by Maggie (St John’s) M1 and Jesus W1. The hardest thing about this must be the idea of rowing over every day, which just seems too exhausting even to think about right now. The thing is, for men’s May Bumps, Caius has headship, with Maggie right behind them!… the drama is tantalising (I will see you all there).

Image credits: Rowbridge Reborn via Facebook

It has to be acknowledged that Bumps is as dangerous as rowing can get; for a start, coxes put their spines in the firing line in terms of being whacked by an incoming boat, and the physical and mental intensity of the racing can leave you really struggling by the time Saturday comes around. Having said that, I haven’t met anyone who would have it any other way. See you all at May Bumps!

CamFM provides live coverage of all divisions of Lent and May Bumps. Results and rules of Bumps can be found on the CUCBC website.

Feature image credits: William Connolley via YouTube