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Only a shipwreck can deny Oriel their crown
It will take a massive shipwreck which indeed almost happened last year, for Oriel to lose their crown in the Oxford summer eights which start today. The head crew have a formidable engine room with an Olympic silver medal winner, Mahoney, at six and the Blues, Conington and Head. Also with the Oriel eight are Pitt, a Goldie oarsman, and Todd, who has rowed for Isis.Keble in second place could well be in danger from Christ Church. Keble are without the services of their resident Blues, Moran and Diserens. Christ Church are stroked by a Blue, Richard Emerton. Magdalen, too, will be looking for promotion from their seventh position with Andrews, a Blue, on board together with two Isis oarsmen, Potts and Clay.
Another ambitious eight this year is Pembroke, but to achieve their ambitions they will have to catch New College before New College overhaul Wadham today. Altogether there are 141 eights entered including 45 women's eights in four divisions. Racing starts at noon and division one complete the day at 6.30 pm.
High stream on Isis brings cut in Eights
Summer Eights it is not. The stream of the Isis was so high in Oxford that the organizing committee had to reduce the entry and fifty-six crews were eliminated for safety reasons.The Thames Water Authority asked the university boat club to cancel the event, saying that less experienced coxswains could end up with their crews over the weir; but a compromise was reached yesterday by shortening the course and reducing all divisions from 12 crews to eight plus the sandwich boat.
In division one the top four rowed over, with Oriel well in command at the head and Keble in second place holding their own against Christ Church. Balliol surrendered to Lincoln with the sandwich eight, New College, demoting Exeter after unseating Wadham at the top of division two. Oriel, with a quality line-up, look set to hold their headship for the third successive year.
A surprise in the women's division one was Linacre overhauling Jesus, whose No 5, the American Blue, Sue Morgan, jammed her seat. Jesus, however, are expected to bump back today.
St Hugh's were technically bumped by St Hilda's when they stopped, thinking they had overhauled Wolfson; but the Wolfson cox vigorously denied the acknowledgment of a bump. Somerville rowed over as head crew.
The stream was particularly fast off the start and at least three crews in the lower divisions went out of control, hitting the bank. However, considering the conditions, the organizers and crews bravely made the best of their problems, although, if the river rises any more, the event could be abandoned.
Oriel hold lead again and look unassailable
Oriel, with a four-length gap over Keble, rowed over for the second successive day as head crew looking unassailable in the Oxford Summer eights. There were two casualties in the top division, St Edmund Hall succumbed to Lincoln and Magdalen moved up at Balliol's expense early on.At the top of the women's chart, while Somerville rowed over as head crew, St Hilda's threaten, overhauling Wolfson yesterday, to move into third position and leaving only Wadham now between them and the head crew. Jesus regained their stature with no accidents on board yesterday and overtook Linacre, who bumped them on Wednesday.
Optimism soared with the news that the Oxford summer eights might revert to their intended form by today. The Isis has dropped and undergraduate officers are hopeful that they will be able to reinstate the 56 crews lopped off the chart on Wednesday when the river was unsafe.
Crews who have rowed in the past two days will, in this case, retain their places on merit.
Oriel better than ever
By a Special CorrespondentAs the Oxford University summer eights gain momentum so too do Head of the River Oriel who looked better than ever as they retained the headship for the third day running on the Isis yesterday. They pulled away early and although Keble got closer than they did the day before the dark blue blades of Oriel never looked in danger of being pulled back.
Oriel faultless in fourth victory
By a Special CorrespondentOriel treated a large crowd to another faultless exhibition in the Oxford University Summer Eights as they rowed over for the fourth successive year on the Isis yesterday.