Torpids 1959

BUMPS CHARTS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Balliol 63 69 Balliol 2 Queen's 60 60 S.E.H. 3 Christ Church 55 57 Christ Church 4 S.E.H. 49 48 Magdalen 5 Worcester 46 48 Queen's 6 Magdalen 43 42 St John's 7 St John's 38 38 Oriel 8 Exeter 38 37 Worcester 9 Hertford 35 32 Lincoln 10 Oriel 34 32 New College 11 St Peter's 30 30 Exeter 12 New College 27 27 Hertford 13 Merton 27 26 Merton 14 Pembroke 26 26 University 15 Lincoln 26 26 St Peter's 16 Brasenose 21 22 Wadham 17 University 20 21 Pembroke 18 Wadham 19 18 Trinity 19 Jesus 16 18 Brasenose 20 Trinity 16 17 Keble 21 Corpus Christi 15 16 Corpus Christi 22 Keble 14 13 St Catherine's 23 St Catherine's 13 12 Jesus

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg University 3[ 1] 10[ 1] 3.33[ 1] Keble 3[ 1] 6[ 2] 2.00[ 4] S.E.H. 3[ 1] 6[ 2] 2.00[ 4] Wadham 2[10] 5[ 4] 2.50[ 2] New College 2[10] 5[ 4] 2.50[ 2] Balliol 3[ 1] 5[ 4] 1.67[ 6] Trinity 2[10] 3[ 7] 1.50[ 7] Merton 2[10] 3[ 7] 1.50[ 7] Oriel 2[10] 1[ 9] 0.50[ 9] Lincoln 3[ 1] 1[ 9] 0.33[10] Corpus Christi 3[ 1] 0[11] 0.00[11] Christ Church 3[ 1] 0[11] 0.00[11] Queen's 2[10] 0[11] 0.00[11] Magdalen 2[10] -1[14] -0.50[14] St John's 3[ 1] -2[15] -0.67[15] St Catherine's 2[10] -3[16] -1.50[16] Worcester 1[23] -3[16] -3.00[20] Hertford 2[10] -4[18] -2.00[17] Brasenose 2[10] -5[19] -2.50[19] St Peter's 3[ 1] -6[20] -2.00[17] Jesus 2[10] -7[21] -3.50[21] Pembroke 2[10] -7[21] -3.50[21] Exeter 2[10] -7[21] -3.50[21]

Notes

• Wed 18 – Sat 21 Feb 1959
• The Times Mon 23 Feb includes a photograph taken from near the OUBC boathouse, looking upstream towards barges moored along side Christ Church meadow, captioned: "Racing in progress during the last day of the Oxford Torpids."

• The Times Wed 18 Feb

  Little enthusiasm for Torpids — rowing poor through lost training

  Oxford University Torpids, with 54 crews in five divisions, will be begun to-day with the first race at 1.30. Though there are one or two fair crews, the standard of rowing is poor, and for this there are some obvious reasons. It is a general opinion that this may be the last year of the Torpids and there is certainly not much enthusiasm. With the floods and fog at the beginning of the term at least a week of training was lost and this is reflected in much of the rowing, Influenza, too, has been disruptive and caused late changes in personnel.

  Queen's will start head but their hopes of staying there are not bright. On practice times Balliol, who are now second, are the fastest crew on the river and to-day they should displace Queen's without much difficulty. Worcester, starting third, are in a precarious position as behind them they have Christ Church and St. Edmund Hall. St. Edmund Hall look better than most crews and their chances will depend on their ability to race all the way. If they can catch Christ Church to-day they could be in a position to challenge for the headship on Saturday. In the second division the best crews seem to be St. Peter's Hall, Lincoln, and University. University use their legs well, a virtue which is missing in many crews.

  To-day's order of start will be:—

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 18 Feb, By A. T. M. Durand

  Present series may be the last — No Really Class Crew

  Interest in the Oxford Torpid races, which start this afternoon and continue until Saturday, is enhanced by the possibility that this may be the last occasion this event, which dates from 1838, will be rowed in its present form.

  It is tempting to suggest that the form of the crews rowing this year provides a strong argument for the advocates of abolition or reform, but it would not be entirely fair to do so.

  Although there is no crew of any real class, the average is rather better than might have been expected, in view of the difficulties which have been caused during the short training period by floods, fog and illness.

  Queen's Start Head — Look in Danger

  Queen's, who start head, look to be in some danger from Balliol, while Christ Church and St Edmund Hall seem promising.

  Not the least interesting crew is Christ Church III, which is composed of members of the college Rugby club, and also C. L. Grimes, the Olympic gold medallist.

  It is good to see Grimes back on the river even in company which, while no doubt congenial and willing, is scarcely of Olympic quality.

• The Times Thu 19 Feb

  Ideal weather for Torpids — Balliol go Head of River

  Conditions could not have been better for rowing on the first day of the Torpids at Oxford yesterday. There was no wind; with no rain for a month there was little stream and for the first time for a month there was warm sunshine. On the whole there was some good racing with 16 bumps made in the five divisions. As was expected Queen's lost their place at the head of the river when Balliol bumped them coming out of the Gut.

  Worcester, Christ Church, and St. Edmund Hall had an exciting three-sided battle. Christ Church must have been intensely relieved when they caught Worcester along the Green Bank. When they made their bump they were themselves in dire peril as St. Edmund Hall were only a few feet away and gaining with every stroke. Hertford fell quickly to St. John's who made their bump at the concrete bridge. New College were gaining on Oriel along the Green Bank, but they faded away and Oriel finished their full distance in front. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 19 Feb

  Balliol return to lead

  Balliol regained the head of the river position they lost to Queen's two years ago when they gained their revenge yesterday, the first day of the Oxford Torpids. Queen's were caught as they came out of the Gut.

  This year's racing may be the last but there was still the usual keenness among the top crews in Division I.

  The racing went according to expectations with Worcester going down to Christ Church who made their bump along the Green Bank, just in time as St. Edmund Hall were perilously close.

  Christ Church and St. Edmund Hall are both in a position to move to the top of the division and the headship could easily change again before the races end on Saturday.

  Fifty-four crews took part and the number of bumps, 16, was much lower than usual. Conditions on the Isis were better than they have been for a long while. Bumps: [...]

• The Times Fri 20 Feb

  Many bumps in Torpids — Balliol threatened by Christ Church

  Balliol had an easy journey at the Head of the River when the Torpids were continued at Oxford yesterday. They were able to paddle home easily after Queen's had been caught by Christ Church along the Green Bank. Christ Church nearly made their bump coming out of the Gut, but they steered wide and had to go another 200 yards before they finally achieved their objective.

  Balliol, with Christ Church now behind them, will not find things so easy to-day, and St. Edmund Hall, having caught Worcester yesterday along the Green Bank, should easily deal with Queen's today, to get another chance of making a bump on Christ Church, which they just failed to do on the first day. In addition to Balliol, the only other crews in the first division not to be concerned with bumps, either for or against, were Magdalen and New College.

  Lincoln are doing well, catching Pembroke, at the top of the second division, they put themselves safely into the first by bumping Merton. St. Peter's Hall had an unfortunate day in the second division. Soon after the start two of the crew parted company with their slides, and it was easy for Wadham to make their bump. In the third division Lincoln II made heavy weather of catching Magdalen II. Three times along the Green Bank they tried to make their bump and misjudged it but, just below the University boathouse they managed it at the fourth attempt. Twenty bumps were made yesterday, bringing the total to 36 for the two days' racing. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 20 Feb

  Christ Church may challenge Balliol

  Christ Church moved to a position to challenge Balliol for the head of the river position when the Oxford torpids were continued yesterday. There were 20 bumps. [List of bumps]

• The Times Sat 20 Feb

  First question answered — Balliol still head of Torpids

  There was a sharp wind across the river at Oxford yesterday. It dropped for the last division, but is some explanation of the number of bumps, 21 in all, recorded in the day, when one would have expected the number to decrease.

  The first question of this year's Torpids was, barring accidents, settled when Christ Church failed to bump Balliol at the head. Coming out of the Gut the House [Christ Church] were challenging, but Balliol were cool, and, rowing with confidence, drew away steadily, so that by the Boathouses there was a length and a half of clear water between them, and at the finish the distance was two lengths. Unless they make a mistake Balliol should not be displaced to-day.

  To-day's interest will centre on whether St. Edmund Hall will bump Christ Church. One expects them to, and quite quickly, for they are probably the fastest crew at Oxford and bumped Queen's well before the Gut. Worcester and Magdalen had a good race. In the Gut Magdalen began to close up, and by the O.U.B.C. Boathouse there was less than a canvas of clear water. Here Magdalen spurted ineffectively and Worcester seemed to draw away. It looked even as if they might escape, but the effort was too much, and Magdalen secured their bump in good time. [Bumps Chart].

• The Daily Telegraph Sat 21 Feb

  Balliol still ahead

  Balliol were never pressed by Christ Church, and comfortably held the head of the river position on the third day of the Oxford University torpids yesterday. Bumps: [...]

• The Times Mon 23 Feb

  Balliol Head of the River — triumphant week in Torpids

  Four days without snow, rain or frost — indeed, sometimes there was sunshine — meant unexpected but welcome good weather for the Oxford University Torpids which finished on Saturday. The crews seemed to appreciate it, too, for there was some lively and exciting racing.

  If Balliol had any doubts about their ability to keep away from Christ Church and hold their place at the head of the river, they were soon dispelled. Coming out of the Gut Balliol were nearly two lengths ahead, whereas Christ Church must have been aware that in a few strokes they would be bumped by St. Edmund Hall, a bump which had been deserved on the first day and which, if it had happened then, might have altered the whole shape of things. Now it can only be a matter of conjecture whether, given the chance, St. Edmund Hall would have caught Balliol.

  Rose four places

  For Balliol it was a triumphant week. The first boat regained the place it had lost to Queen's two years ago; the second took the lead among the second crews; and the third kept its place at the top of the third boats. The first crew were solid workers who used their legs and kept their blades covered, which is more than can be said of most other crews.

  If any of the deposed Queen's first boat are reading classics they will now appreciate the sense of Virgil's words on the descent to Avernus. In turn they fell to Balliol, Christ Church, St. Edmund Hall, and Magdalen. Yet their prospects need not seem too bleak, as their second boat was one of the few to rise four places.

  On Saturday 18 bumps were made, bringing the total to 75 for the four days. The Balliol crew was:— [as below]. [Bumps Chart].

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 23 Feb, by A. T. M. Durand

  Balliol keep the lead — St. Edmund Hall 2nd in Torpids

  Oxford Torpids, which have possibly been held in their present form for the last time, ended on Saturday with Balliol retaining the headship they won from Queen's on Wednesday.

  St. Edmund Hall, who finished second, catching Christ Church, would certainly have challenged Balliol strongly if they had had a chance to do so. These two crews were the fastest.

  Magdalen did well to go up two places to finish fourth, while the fortunes of New College, who also made two bumps, seem at last to be reviving.

  Lincoln Move Up

  Lincoln, with four bumps, raised themselves from the second to the first division. University went up three places. Keble, who also made three bumps, have the satisfaction of no longer being the lowest of the first crews.

  Queen's, Hertford, St. Peter's Hall and Jesus, all of whom went down each night, had a diastrous week.

  There were 18 bumps on the final day, bringing the total for the four days to 75. Saturday's bumps: [...]. [Finishing Order].

  In other news ... [1959]

  February 16

  Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba.

  February 16

  A blizzard causes a massive power outage in Newfoundland.

  February 17

  Vanguard 2, the first weather satellite, is launched to measure cloud cover for the United States Navy.

  February 18

  Jesus Sosa Blanco, a colonel in the Cuban army of Fulgencio Batista, is executed in Cuba after being convicted of committing 108 murders for Batista.

  February 18

  Women in Nepal vote for the first time.

  February 19

  The United Kingdom decides to grant independence to Cyprus.

  February 20

  The Canadian Government cancels the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow interceptor aircraft project.

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