Torpids 1922

BUMPS CHARTS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Christ Church 47 43 New College 2 New College 40 42 Magdalen 3 Magdalen 38 36 Worcester 4 Worcester 29 35 Christ Church 5 Balliol 27 31 Balliol 6 University 20 23 Brasenose 7 Corpus Christi 18 16 Merton 8 Brasenose 18 14 University 9 Merton 14 14 St John's 10 St John's 14 13 Corpus Christi 11 Keble 9 9 Trinity 12 Queen's 9 9 Queen's 13 Trinity 8 9 Wadham 14 Wadham 7 7 Keble 15 Oriel 6 6 Pembroke 16 Exeter 6 5 Lincoln 17 Lincoln 5 4 Oriel 18 Pembroke 4 4 Exeter 19 Hertford 3 3 Hertford 20 St Catherine's 3 2 Jesus 21 Jesus 2 1 St Catherine's 22 S.E.H. 1 1 S.E.H.

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg Brasenose 2[ 2] 7[ 1] 3.50[ 1] Worcester 2[ 2] 6[ 2] 3.00[ 2] Balliol 2[ 2] 5[ 3] 2.50[ 3] Pembroke 1[12] 4[ 4] 4.00[ 4] Wadham 2[ 2] 4[ 4] 2.00[ 4] New College 2[ 2] 4[ 4] 2.00[ 4] S.E.H. 1[12] 1[ 7] 1.00[ 7] Trinity 1[12] 1[ 7] 1.00[ 7] Merton 1[12] 1[ 7] 1.00[ 7] Queen's 2[ 2] 1[ 7] 0.50[ 7] Magdalen 2[ 2] 1[ 7] 0.50[ 7] Lincoln 2[ 2] 0[12] 0.00[12] St John's 2[ 2] 0[12] 0.00[12] Jesus 1[12] -1[14] -1.00[14] Hertford 1[12] -1[14] -1.00[14] Keble 2[ 2] -3[16] -1.50[16] Corpus Christi 1[12] -3[16] -3.00[16] University 1[12] -3[16] -3.00[16] Exeter 1[12] -4[19] -4.00[19] Oriel 1[12] -4[19] -4.00[19] St Catherine's 1[12] -6[21] -6.00[21] Christ Church 3[ 1] -10[22] -3.33[22]

Notes

• 6 days: Thu 23 Feb – Wed 1 Mar 1922
• The Times Fri 24 Feb contains a photograph captioned: Exeter (in foreground) after having bumped Balliol (left) in the Second Division of the Torpids at Oxford yesterday.
• Reports in The Daily Telegraph are only slightly different from those in The Times so are not included here.

• The Times Wed 22 Feb (from 'our Special Correspondent')

  The Torpids at Oxford will be begun to-morrow, and there appears to be every prospect of an interesting week. The standard on the whole is higher than it has been in the last three years, and though there is probably no crew so fast as the Christ Church crew, which stayed head last year, there are no bad crews in the First Division. There are, indeed, many which have a very taking style.

  Groundwork appears to have been well taught everywhere, and this is rather surprising, inasmuch as the existence of two University crews, instead of the usual one, has diminished by some dozen the number of regularly available coaches. The best points about the various crews seen is the number of oarsmen who have learnt really to swing from their hips, and the good blade time which so many crews are keeping.

  Hitherto it has always been customary for freshmen who have rowed in Trial Eights and have not been included in the University crew to row in their College Torpids, but last summer it was decided that all who rowed in Trial Eights should be disqualified from doing so, and this should have meant a fall in the standard, for a stylist from Eton or Shrewsbury at stroke, six, or seven in a torpid will often have a most beneficial effect on a crew. There are two Salopian freshmen rowing at bow and six in the Brasenose Torpid who did not row in Trial Eights — Bennett and Armitage — and it appears that in consequence Brasenose may see an end to their run of bad luck since the war. Brasenose are a neat crew, and they appear to have pace also.

  In spite of there being other good crews near the top of the First Division, I do not think that Christ Church should be displaced. They are well together, and their blade work is neat. Their swing also is good, so that they should be able, with the advantage of clear water in front of them, to keep away from any other crew. New College, who start second, are the most likely of the first four boats to lose their place. They are very neat and well together for a torpid, but appear to lack stamina and life. Behind them are Worcester, who made so many bumps last year. Though not as neat as either New College or Christ Church, they are at the moment the fastest crew on the river. They are a heavy crew with plenty of drive, and their pace almost inclines one to believe in the Worcester system of using short oars for fixed-seat crews. The next crew are Magdalen, who seem to be faster than they were last year, and it is by no means inconceivable that both they and Worcester will catch New College. Magdalen are a clumsy crew, but they have in their boat several of their Henley crew, who did so well against the Norwegians in the Thames Cup. Corpus are a neat and workmanlike crew, but scarcely so powerful as they were last year. Among the other likely to do well are Queen's, Keble, and Pembroke. Magdalen, Christ Church, and New College also have good second crews, of which the first two are in the First Division and likely to remain there.

• The Times Fri 24 Feb

  Thirty-four boats had entered for the Torpid Races, which were begun at Oxford yesterday. There was some keen racing, and 10 bumps were recorded. The details were :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting :— St. John's II, Hertford I, St. Catherine's, Keble II, Wadham II, Jesus, Brasenose II, Christ Church III, Queen's II, Worcester II, Lincoln II, St. Edmund Hall. St. John's II were displaced before reaching the Long Bridges by Hertford, but it was not until reaching the Hertford Barge that Keble II made their bump over St. Catherine's Jesus were quickly bumped by Brasenose II. While the boats lay to after the bump Brasenose II were run into by Christ Church III and sunk, and before Christ Church could get clear Queen's II. rowed past them. St. Edmund Hall placed Lincoln II at the bottom of the list by bumping them at the Green Bank.

  Second Division
  Order of starting :— St John's I, New College II, Trinity, Queen's I, Keble I, Oriel, Exeter, Balliol II, Wadham, Lincoln I, Pembroke, Hertford I. St. John's were handicapped by having a new man at No. 7, but they struggled on as far as the Long Bridges before they were bumped by New College II. Exeter were under a similar handicap, and were bumped by Balliol II at the Willows.

  First Division
  Order of starting :— Christ Church I, New College I, Worcester I, Magdalen, Balliol I, University, Corpus Christi, Brasenose I, Merton, Magdalen II, Christ Church II, New College II. The leading boat maintained its position without difficulty, but New College I could not escape from Worcester, who bumped them, after a fine race, at the Magdalen Barge. Brasenose bumped Corpus Christi near the Long Bridges, and Christ Church II., who broke a stretcher on the way to the starting place, were bumped by New College II.

• The Times Sat 25 Feb

  The attendance at the Torpid Races at Oxford yesterday showed no falling off from that of the day before, although the weather conditions were not so good. There was again some very exciting racing, particularly in the struggle between Christ Church and Worcester for the Headship, of which the former were deprived almost on the post. There were 10 bumps again recorded, of which five occurred in the First Division. The details were :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting.— Hertford, St. John's II, Keble II, St. Catherine's, Wadham II, Brasenose II, Jesus, Queen's II, Christ Church III, Worcester II, St. Edmund Hall, and Lincoln II. St. Catherine's were bumped by Wadham II near Long Bridges, and Christ Church III were quickly bumped by Worcester II near the Free Ferry.

  Second Division
  Order of starting.— Christ Church II, St John's, Trinity, Queen's, Keble, Oriel, Balliol II, Exeter, Wadham, Lincoln, Pembroke, and Hertford. St. John's bumped Christ Church II near the Boathouse, Balliol II bumped Oriel shortly after passing the Free Ferry, and Lincoln were bumped by Pembroke near Saunders Bridge. A most exciting race for the greater part of the course between Exeter and Wadham finished with the former escaping defeat by a foot.

  First Division
  Order of starting.— Christ Church, Worcester, New College, Magdalen, Balliol, University, Brasenose, Corpus Christi, Merton, Magdalen II, New College II, and St. John's. Worcester slowly but surely gained on the leading boat from the start, and a keen race followed until, amid intense excitement, Christ Church were bumped within a boat's length of the post. New College experienced another defeat, Magdalen bumping them at the Green Bank. University were caught by Brasenose along the Willows. Corpus Christi were bumped by Merton at the Free Ferry, and Magdalen II were bumped by New College II near the Boathouse. The races will be continued to-day.

• The Times Mon 27 Feb

  There was again a big crowd of spectators on Saturday at Oxford on the third day of the Torpids. Although there was some close racing there were not so many bumps as on either of the two previous days, the total being but six, two in each division. The results were as under :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting.— Hertford, St. John's II, Keble II, Wadham II, St. Catherine's, Brasenose II, Jesus, Queen's II, Worcester II, Christ Church III, St. Edmund Hall, Lincoln II. Hertford were a good distance away from St. John's until near the Green Bank, when two "crabs" were caught within the space of a few seconds, and this enabled St. John's to obtain their bump near the New Cut. Brasenose II bumped St. Catherine's soon after passing the Freewater Stone. The St. Catherine's coxswain failed to acknowledge the bump, with the results that his boat was sunk.

  Second Division
  Order of starting.— St John's I, Christ Church II, Trinity, Queen's, Keble, Balliol II, Oriel, Exeter, Wadham, Pembroke, Lincoln, St. John's II. Christ Church II were bumped for the third time, Trinity overtaking them near Talboy's Barge; Keble reached the post with but about two feet to spare in front of Balliol II, and Wadham bumped Exeter near the Long Bridges.

  First Division
  Order of starting.— Worcester, Christ Church I, Magdalen I, New College I, Balliol I, Brasenose, University, Merton, Corpus Christi, New College II, Magdalen II, St. John's I. Worcester, who had gained the headship of the river on Friday, maintained that position without difficulty, finishing with rather more than their starting distance in front of Christ Church. University failed to keep clear of Merton, who bumped them at Long Bridges, and Corpus Christi were bumped by New College II near the Freewater Stone.

  The races will be continued to-day.

• The Times Tue 28 Feb

  The Torpid races were continued at Oxford yesterday in very rough weather. Although there were no bumps in the First Division, seven were made in the other two Divisions. The details were :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting :— St. John's II, Hertford, Keble II, Wadham II, Brasenose II, St. Catherine's, Jesus, Queen's II, Worcester II, Christ Church III, St. Edmund Hall, Lincoln II. Brasenose gained steadily on Wadham from the start, and, increasing their efforts after passing the Long Bridges, obtained the bump along the Green Bank. St. Catherine's were bumped for the fourth time, Jesus running into them at the crossing, and near the same spot Queen's II were bumped by Worcester II.

  Second Division
  Order of starting :— St John's I, Trinity, Christ Church II, Queen's I, Keble I, Balliol II, Oriel, Wadham I, Exeter, Pembroke, Lincoln I, St. John's II. A fine race between Christ Church II and Queen's resulted in the former boat being bumped at the end of the Green Bank. Balliol II had a harder task in bumping Keble, which they did not accomplish until reaching the Cherwell. Wadham were close up to Oriel at the Boathouse but, having to swing out to avoid the boats in the bump in front of them, they got their bump opposite the Magdalen Barge. Pembroke bumped Exeter near the Free Water Stone.

  First Division
  Order of starting :— Worcester I, Christ Church I, Magdalen I, New College I, Balliol I, Brasenose I, Merton, University, New College II, Corpus Christi, Magdalen II [and St John's]. St. John's [? presumably Worcester] finished more than their starting distance clear of Christ Church I, and New College I were hard pressed by Balliol I.

  The races will be continued to-day.

• The Times Wed 1 March

  The Torpid races were continued at Oxford yesterday in greatly improved weather conditions. The racing, more especially in the Second Division, was very keen, and altogether eight bumps were made during the afternoon. The details were :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting :— St. John's II, Hertford, Keble II, Brasenose II, Wadham II, Jesus, St. Catherine's, Worcester II, Queen's II, Christ Church III, St. Edmund Hall, Lincoln II. Brasenose II bumped Keble II near the Long Bridges; Wadham were but three yards away from Jesus at the finish; and St. Catherine's were bumped for the fifth time by Worcester II at the Free Ferry.

  Second Division
  Order of starting :— St John's I, Trinity, Queen's I, Christ Church II, Balliol II, Keble I, Wadham I, Oriel, Pembroke, Exeter, Lincoln I, St. John's II. St. John' I reached the post with only two yards to spare, but Christ Church II were bumped by Balliol II at the Free Water Stone. Wadham bumped Keble a short distance farther on, and near the same place Pembroke bumped Oriel, while Lincoln bumped Exeter at the Green Bank.

  First Division
  Order of starting.— Worcester I, Christ Church I, Magdalen I, New College I, Balliol I, Brasenose I, Merton, University, New College II, Corpus Christi, Magdalen II, St John's I. Worcester I were able to take matters easily as Christ Church were bumped by Magdalen at the Red Post. New College II obtained their fifth success by bumping University at the Willows.

  The races will be concluded to-day.

• The Times Thu 2 March

  The Torpid Races were concluded at Oxford yesterday. Eight bumps were recorded, making the total for the six days 49. The results were as follows :—

  Third Division
  Order of starting .— St. John's II, Hertford, Brasenose II, Keble II, Wadham II, Jesus, Worcester II, St. Catherine's, Queen's II, Christ Church III, St. Edmund Hall, and Lincoln II. Brasenose II bumped Hertford opposite their own College Barge, Worcester II bumped Jesus near the Long Bridges, and St. Catherine's were bumped by Queen's II at the Free Ferry.

  Second Division
  Order of starting .— St John's, Trinity, Queen's, Balliol II, Christ Church II, Wadham, Keble, Pembroke, Oriel, Lincoln, Exeter, and St. John's II. Trinity were within a quarter of a length of St. John's at the finish. Balliol II bumped Queen's at the Magdalen barge, Christ Church II were bumped by Wadham near the Freewater Stone, Pembroke bumped Keble near the Long Bridges, and Oriel were bumped by Lincoln near the Boathouse.

  First Division
  Order of starting .— Worcester, Magdalen, Christ Church, New College, Balliol, Brasenose, Merton, New College II, University, Corpus Christi, Magdalen II, and St John's. Worcester easily maintained their position at the head of the river. Merton were handicapped by having a new stroke, and at the Cherwell were bumped by New College II.

  During the racing New College II headed the list with six bumps; five each were made by Balliol II and Brasenose II, and four each by Wadham, Pembroke, and Worcester II.

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