St Catherine's College Rowing Society
[PWC
Vice Presidents: Don Barton, Richard Peters,
Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE, Ben Sylvester.
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Newsletter#2, Hilary Term, 2003 (29th March)

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Contents

Links

St Catherine's College
Oxford University Rowing Clubs
St Catherine's College Boat Club
St Catherine's Rowing Society

Introduction

The Pembroke Men's 1st boat being towed away after Wednesday's racing. Starting 2nd on the river, they hit the bank after breaking their rudder string, so dropped to bottom of the division. Torpids rules are harsh that way.
[Pembroke VIII]
Despite the wet start to the term we almost had a full-scale Torpids for the first time since 1997. Unfortunately (or perhaps not, considering the fortunes of Catz crews this year) it started raining again during the week and, with a rising stream, Saturday's racing was cancelled. Not that it affected the mood at the Rowing Society dinner, of course. My attempts to contact members of the Boat Club of 30 years ago seem to have drawn a blank, the early 1970's appearing to be our equivalent to the Dark Ages, but there's more news of alumni from '82/83.

Results

Isis Winter League Race 2 (23rd Feb)
Time Position
Men's I 4:30 14th/38
Men's II 5:33 35th/38
Women's I 5:01 6th/35
Torpids (5-7th March)
Wed Thu Fri Finish
Men's I = -2 -1 9th Div I
Women's I = -1 = 2nd Div I
Women's II = +1 -2 10th Div III
Men's II +1 -4 -2 3rd Div V

Men's Boat Club Report

Dan Robson, Men's Captain

Torpids this year was the first time that most of our squad had taken part in bumps racing due to the cancellation of Christ Church Regatta as well as Torpids last year, which was not ideal in preparing a defence of sixth position on the river. The loss of three places is disappointing, but bumping Pembroke [Well, sort of ... see opposite figure caption] did go some way towards making us feel better about the final results. I think that Torpids has been a valuable learning experience for the novice rowers, who had until then had no racing experience at all. Sessions at Dorney Lake, funded by the Rowing Society, at the start of term proved very useful in getting people back into rowing after the vacation - the crowded Isis on a winter morning is rarely a fun place to be.

The boathouse balcony during Torpids. Photo: Mike Bull
[Boathouse Balcony]
Next term should be a successful one for Catz crews. With a number of experienced rowers returning to the squad we are expecting to field three strong VIIIs, and the continuity of coaching with Mike Curtin will prove valuable in allowing us to hit the ground running when Trinity term begins. Those of us staying in Oxford over the vacation are training for City Bumps, where we hope to enter two crews. This should be good preparation for Eights, and very helpful in being able to analyse what areas we need to improve upon.

Good luck to current and recent members of SCCBC racing in the Head of the River Race (Matt Denmark, Alasdair Howie and John Goldfinch), Simon Risoe in the Henley Boat Races, and Matt Smith in the Boat Race. On behalf of the whole men's squad I would like to thank the Rowing Society for their continued support, and the provision of the Torpids Dinner - certainly the best meal in Hall all year.

Women's Boat Club Report

The Women's 1st Torpid at the Rowing Society Dinner: Back row, left to right: Erika Johnson, Pia Talbot, Lyndsey Highton, Emily Foy, Laura Goodsir, Carolyn Heidrich, Fiona Howarth, Front:Susannah Fisher, Marc Coutanche, Laura West. Photo: Carolyn Heidrich
[Women
Laura West, Women's Captain

This term the women's squad has laid strong foundations for the future as well as enjoying some very exciting racing! Torpids results were very pleasing, with the second eight bumping St Peter's on Thursday, and although the firsts were caught by Merton on the same day, they showed themselves to be a force to be reckoned with on Friday as they took an easy half a length of them before the division was klaxoned. [The division was stopped after the bow-girl of one of the lower crews crabbed and ended up in water]

Despite the fact that both boats lost one place, the performance of both crews is particularly impressive considering that many of them were competing in bumps racing for the first time. I am confident that next term the squad will be able to build on the training done this term, and that we will be able to field stronger and more experienced crews in Eights. Although I hope to stay an active member of the club, due to work commitments I will not be continuing as women's captain. Erika Johnson, this term's vice-captain will take over, and I am confident that she will do a great job.

The 2003 St Catherine's Torpids

Men's 1st Torpid Men's 2nd Torpid Women's 1st Torpid Women's 2nd Torpid
B Dan Robson B Alex Wagner BErika Johnson B Kay Moon
2 Nick Heiney 2 Brian Richardson 2 Pia Talbot 2 Amy Daniels
3 Kevin Mack 3 Chris Thomas 3 Carolyn Heidrich 3 Jordan Gillman
4 Eric Witt 4 Charles Perrins 4 Susannah Fisher 4 Julia Morinis
5 Bradford Stewart 5 Gino Cheng 5 Fiona Howarth 5 Emma Willis
6 Paul Whitehead 6 Florian Endter 6 Emily Foy 6 Jillian Dungan
7 Alex Russell 7 Daniel Gallagher 7 Lyndsey Highton 7 Katharine Pierce
S Alasdair Howie S Joe Wilson S Laura Goodsir S Kristen Underhill
C Mike Coppelov C Ben Gander C Marc Coutanche C Dan Robson

News from Alumni

Chris Ilett (M.78)
I know that I rowed in 82/83 because I have recently put it in my CV, and my CV never lies. Yes, after 10 years as a director at ICIS, flogging software to power stations and BNFL, I have sold up and moved on. I am now a freelance consultant and have just got my first contract (phew). So beware, my CV could even now be winging its way across the internet towards you. NB. if you are an unlucky recipient, the CV is best read sitting down with a stiff drink in one hand and the sick bucket close by.

Richard Pullinger (M.80)
1984 Graduated in Biochem, 1989 Qualified in Medicine at St Mary's, London, 1993 Member of Royal College of Physicians, 1994 Married Angie, 1995 Fellow of the Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine, 1998 Isobel Born, 1998 Consultant in Emergency Medicine John Radcliffe Oxford, 2000 Clinical Director, Emergency Department Oxford, 2000 Lucy born, 2002 James born.
I'm working a lot. Having fun. Cycling a bit. Running occasionally. Climbed Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro. Would be good to meet up with the 1981-4 club and perhaps paddle some more!

Robert Trythall (M.80)
At the age of almost Vet C (next year) I am still rowing. I caught the rowing bug at Catz, and haven't stopped since. These days I do a lot less than I used to, I have a sculling boat that is collecting dust, and I am now an ARA qualified coach. Should be down at Tideway this year for both the Saturday and Sunday with Aberdeen Boat Club. It is funny, but having rowed on the river Dee, the Isis is TINY by comparison. Having slowed down on the rowing front I am running a lot these days. Completed my first (and last) marathon last year - 3hrs 11 mins (in Berlin). Could hardly walk the next day and stairs were impossible. Discovered how useful disabled ramps can be! I have lived in Aberdeen for more than 10 years now, and am currently working for BP as the production geologist on the Andrew Field. Married to Shona (native Aberdonian) and living in Banchory, so I guess I will be in NE Scotland a while longer!

Liz Oxenbury (M.80), now Liz Ilett
You know where I am and what I am doing, why should anyone else be interested? Actually I'm looking for a PhD at the moment, better late than never. Can't remember rowing, did I really? Have a rowing machine, New Yr idea is to increase fitness but am beginning to think it is not good for me at my advanced age.
You will note from the above that I have absolutely nothing whatever to say in a newsletter to people I don't know - reassuring to find I am as antisocial as when I was young. You should try Ros, she'll be more co-operative I'm sure [I did, she was]
PS I still have 3 daughters whose ages I can't remember off-hand. Is this helpful?

Catherine Corcoran (M.81)
[received Dec 2002] I'm quite proud of myself this year because I've worked hard at my scuba diving and qualified as a Dive Leader, Divemaster and Open Water Instructor. I've enjoyed the diving, but Alistair's fed up with all my wet rubbery gear hanging up around the house. I must be getting old because next year Cara hopes to go on to take a degree in photography. This is just as well since I've told her that I'm leaving home when she's 18! Alistair & I hope to leave the country to find somewhere warmer, calmer and more beautiful to live when Cara starts university. We'll probably end up in New Zealand.
[Added Jan 2003] I'm still working as a McTimoney chiropractor now, but my flight to New Zealand with Alistair is booked for Oct 7th 2003.

Helen Sagar (M.82), now Helen Sergeant
Living in Wimbledon - 2 children, Emily 4 and Henry 6. Putting my degree to good use as a full time mother! This enough? Humour somehow does not roll off a keyboard for me as it seems to for you ... I think I need gin ...

Zan Marquis (M.82)
After I left Catz in 1984, I went to Stanford Business School and then worked in acquisitions. Now I am in the real estate development business, and I do my rowing in a sea kayak. I am living in LA, married with 5 children.

Keith Pritchard (M.82)
I had only just recovered from the depression of my recent 40th birthday when Anu sends me an e-mail telling me that it was 20 years ago that I rowed at Catz ... talk about kicking a man when he's down ...
So what have I done with my time since leaving college ? Various jobs in the city, no where near as interesting as the research I did at Oxford (thin veneer for rowing, cricket and coaching the Catz women's crews) but financially a lot more rewarding. I married Katrina (Burrell as was - ex women's 1st VIII - I knew my time coaching the women's crews would pay off) and have two monsters, Adam who's nearly 6 and Jessica who's 8 going on 18.
Any spare time I have between work and family I spend running, having been dragged into several challenges from other ex-boaties (Paul Miron (M.84), James Sergeant (M.84), Jem Brown (M.83) and even Anu joined us in the Windsor half marathon). These challenges culminated in Paul, Jem and I running the London Marathon last year and despite vows of 'never again', Paul and I are both entered into this years marathon as well. James hasn't yet been allowed to enter a marathon - this is what you get for marrying the men's 1st VIII cox (Helen Sagar) I might suggest to Anu that we add a 'pictures' section to the alumni news. I think the directors of Bunzl would be interested in a few pictures I have of their financial director with an 'anatomically shaped' piece of rubber strapped to his head at one boat club dinner ...

Mark Walker (M.82)
I spent five years (86-91) in the US doing a PhD in Astrophysics, then went to Sydney for my first job, liked it and stayed. I'm now an Aussie! Sport is pursued very vigorously here, but I have to admit that I've long since given up rowing - too much of a commitment. I'm not married - too much of a commitment. And I don't own any real estate - too much of a commitment. I think I've used up all my commitment on my job: I'm still in research, and I'm directing my energies towards developing an understanding of what the Universe is made of. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it :))

30 Years Ago ...

[Torpids Bumps History] The '73 Torpid reached no.5 in Div I, which is the highest starting position ever achieved by any St Catherine's men's crew, but the summer was not so successful. As mentioned in the introduction, I have not (yet) received anything from those who rowed that year so the following are extracts from the Boat Club history. Even allowing for inflation, it would be reasonable to claim that the Rowing Society has had a significant impact on the Boat Club's finances.

Michaelmas Term, 1972

The Captain [Roger Bricknell] congratulated the 1st VIII on its unparalleled success in Restricted [Wide shells, originally meant as a replacement for clinker-built boats in Novice events. St Catz had one such VIII, James James Morrison Morrison Weatherby George Dupree - signwriting came cheaply in those days - and later a coxed IV, V.J.K. Brook] VIIIs event in the Christ Church Regatta - this was the third year running this event had been won by Catz. In the summer the first VIII had equalled the course record at Hereford in the Senior C event.

The Treasurer's report [John Whorwood] was given. We still had debts of £50, with £10 in the bank. In future any Boat Club finances will be strictly cash with order. A motion that 1st VIII members should pay 50p each for freshers' sherry was passed (just!). [Eights Bumps History]

Trinity Term, 1973

The Captain then gave his report. In Torpids the 1st VIII were reasonably successful, making one place (up to 5th in Division 1) and losing it the next day. The 3rd VIII made a very creditable effort. The Second VIII worked hard and rowed over on two days. However, on the final day the cox was unable to avoid Timms [Long Bridges] raft - despite shouts from the bank of 'Rudder! Rudder!' to which he replied, 'It's full on!' (wrong way round, though). In Eights the 1st VIII went down 3, 2nd VIII down 2 and 3rd VIII down 4.

Coming Up ...

In the next newsletter there will be reports on the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Races, also could anyone rowing in the HORR or Veterans Head please let me know how they got on. On the historical side, we'll be covering the 1962/63 Boat Club, when Will Pavry was Captain. Looking through the crew lists, (www.atm.ox.ac.uk/rowing/rscrews/rscrews1963.html) I recognise a few names so, please let me know what you are up to now, any reflections on rowing in that period (if you can remember that far back, just after the last ice-age wasn't it?) and send in any good photos in electronic form. As ever, contributions, from alumni of other years also welcome.

Diary

Anu Dudhia (email: dudhia@atm.ox.ac.uk )