River conditions have generally been good so far this year, with only a couple of days closure due to high stream (although the wind's been more of a problem), and Catz crews have been active in both IWL events run so far this term. There's a report on the current progress of our crews and the coaching situation, which hopefully is now resolved.

In the archives we turn to the events of 15 years ago which was certainly one of the Boat Club's more 'character-forming' years, several of those characters also contributing to the News from Alumni section.

There's also news of our OUBC triallist, whom I seem to have completely overlooked in the last newsletter.

Isis Winter League C, 23rd January
Time	Crew	Class
4:59	M1	6th/34 M8
5:48.5	M2	28th/34 M8
6:27	W1	17th/25 W8

Isis Winter League D, 6th February
Time	Crew	Class
4:26	MA (M1)	6th/53 M8
4:28.5	MC (M1)	7th/53 M8
5:00.5	MB (M2)	35th/53 M8
5:46	WA (W1)	17th/33 W8
6:09	WB (W1)	24th/33 W8

The Men's 1st VIII racing in IWL-D

The men's 1st Torpid seem to be progressing well-enough, boating a couple of novices who've earned their places over more experienced oarsmen. They also have the benefit of an experienced cox, Theresa Kevorkian, who was also acting as head coach last term.

The men's 2nd Torpid have also settled into their training fairly quickly, ably guided, in both senses, by ex-captain Phil McCullough.

The Men's 2nd VIII racing in IWL-D.

The Women's 1st VIII racing in IWL-D.

The women, on the other hand, have once again pressed the Boat Club 'Reset' button. It's only two years since they completely dominated the local racing in Michaelmas and Hilary term, but, in rowers' lives, that's now effectively two generations ago. Even with two good novice eights from last term to draw from, the new coach is going to have her work cut out getting them up to competitive speed.

There are also women's 2nd and men's 3rd boats, both of which will have to qualify through Rowing On if they are to participate in Torpids.

Early in the term the 1st boats had planned to spend a day training at Dorney Lake. The bus was booked, the Lake was booked, the boats were loaded ... but the boatman who was towing the trailer couldn't get his car started so the whole thing had to be cancelled. The last time I'd been set to go down to Dorney to coach we found the lake frozen over. In my absence, Catz crews have had successful trips there, so maybe it's just me.

However, with a couple of IWL events on the Isis, there's been plenty to keep people interested. With some crews doubling-, or even tripling-up, but other crews (usually those training off the Isis) not competing, as a rough guide you'd expect crews to finish somewhere around their Torpids position on the river. Incidentally you can find videos and more photos of the Catz crews racing on the RS web-site.

Torpids 2011: 1st Divisions
Wednesday start order and last year's change
Men's Div I			Women's Div I
1. Christ Church	=		1. Magdalen	+2
2. Pembroke	=		2. St Catherine's	-1
3. Magdalen	=		3. S.E.H.	+2
4. Balliol	+4		4. Christ Church	-2
5. St Catherine's	-1		5. Oriel	-1
6. Oriel	-1		6. New College	+1
7. Hertford	+4		7. Queen's	-1
8. St John's	+1		8. Wadham	+3
9. Wadham	+3		9. Balliol	+1
10. Worcester	+4		10. Osler House	-2
11. L.M.H.	+2		11. Pembroke	+1
12. New College	-6		12. Keble	+3

Below are details of the divisions expected to feature our crews. For supporters who can make it to the river, there should be hot drinks and food available at the boathouse.

Torpids 2011: Wednesday Start times
Crew	Div	Pos	Time
Men's 1st	I	5	5.00pm
Women's 1st	I	2	4.30pm
Men's 2nd	V	8	1.00pm
*Women's 2nd	V	?	12.30pm
*Men's 3rd	VI	?	12.00pm
*Subject to qualifying in Rowing On

For those who can't I hope to be e-mailing out the usual evening round-ups and putting up photos on the RS web-page. You might also like to keep an eye on the OURCs 'live-bumps' service.

For a few years previously, the Rowing Society had been paying for a coach for the men's 1st boat, with mixed results, but that year it was decided to switch to funding a women's coach, Susan Erb (of Wolfson College) being both willing and available. With Matthew Pinsent also on hand to help, this was rewarded with immediate, and spectacular, success. The men endured an unhappy Torpids but, by the summer, and with a heavily reinforced 1st Eight training at Radley and a 2nd Eight made up of mostly ex-1st Torpid oarsmen, things were also turned around.

Off the river, work finally started on the new boathouse at Long Bridges, the culmination of many years of effort by members of the Rowing Society and College. Matthew Pinsent performed the ceremonial laying of the stone on the Saturday of Eights, although Catz crews continued to boat from the old OUBC boathouse until the following year.

Newsletter, 17th March, 1996

[Adrienne Gumm]: The women's boat club has been very successful this term ... The 1st Torpid were expecting to row over every day as would anyone in the top half of Division I, so bumping up three places and ending Torpids Second-on-the-River was a proud moment for us all and especially myself.

[Dom Layfield]: As I am sure you are all by now aware, this term has not been one of unbridled success for Catz men. The 1st Torpid fell four places, and the 2nd five.

The failure of the 1st boat was not, as those of you who attended the Rowing Society dinner will have heard me remark, due to lack of determination or commitment. Our slightness of stature (with certain notable exceptions) might have proved a problem, but we trained hard, and ultimately I do not feel that our lack of success could fairly be attributed to lack of strength or fitness. Generally, our greatest deficiency was lack of experience, a situation not improved by the cancellation of the external events we entered I think the fact that we fell four places rather belittles the quality of the crew, and mention in our defence, that three of the four crews that bumped us won blades.

The 1996 Men's 2nd Eight who gained 7 places and were the most successful crew in that year's Eights. B: Andy Rushton 2: Dom Layfield 3: Carl Mossfeldt 4: Christopher Walsh 5: Oliver Jones 6: Matthew Holdcroft 7: Jerry Bretherton S: Richard Law C: Howard Cohen The camera on the back was for a documentary being made on Summer Eights in which Matt Holdcroft featured. Ollie Jones went on to row for Isis and Richard Law with the Oxford Lightweights.

The 1996 Women's 1st Eight who won blades, rising to 2nd on the River. Back: Matthew Pinsent (coach). Standing, left to right: Rebecca Killick (3) Cheryl Hardy (6) Sarah Jones (cox) (& 'Tigger') Emily Lloyd (5) Emily Skor (2) Daljit Gill (4) Bluebell Martin (7) Heather Booth (B). Front: Emily Dana (S) and Susan Erb (Wolfson) (coach). The photo is taken in front of the old OUBC building (now replaced by the Univ boathouse).

Newsletter, 18th June, 1996

[Adrienne Gumm]: As you will know from our press coverage the Women's 1st VIII got 1st Division blades, bumping Somerville, Pembroke, St Hilda's and New to reach 2nd place from 6th. The 2nd and 4th VIIIs bumped up 3 places each, the 4ths managing a bump on the 3rd VIII in the process!

[Anu Dudhia, Ed.]: Some more stats for the week: the Women's 1st VIII are now at their highest ever position in Summer Eights and, to match the 'quality', this was also the first time Catz has ever had 4 women's crews competing in bumps (no one else managed more than 3 this year). The men? Well, their 3 crews merely averaged a gain of 4 places each, but it was nice to see so many members of the well-hammered 1st and 2nd Torpids now doing their share of the hammering as the 2nd and 3rd Eights. Overall, Catz crews gained a total of 19 places, which was also more than any other college.

Another 'first' this year was the women's late-night redecoration of Donnington Bridge ('Tiggers have two speeds: fast and faster!') - apparently spending two hours in the middle of the night with paint, rollers and bike lights does wonders for crew-bonding - and a more modest effort from the Men's 2nd VIII [Modest, perhaps, but persistent. It's still all-too-visible] which is something I'd rather not talk about. I suppose I could change my name.