Newsletter#1, Hilary Term, 1999 (7th February)

Thoughtfully, the College has recently provided two brand new ergs in the squash courts to replace the rather clunky old models that had been there for the past 10 years. Gone is that satisfyingly loud howl of the spinning flywheel that told everyone else in the building that you were heroically erging away upstairs. The new Concept Model C design issues little more than a muted swishing noise no matter how hard you pull. I suppose these are aimed at the 'leisure fitness' market: the old Model B ergs were never that popular because the noise drowned out the inspirational background music which seems to be a necessary part of everyone's 'workout' in these trendy modern gyms. Talking of which, I note that there is now a mineral water dispenser in the Catz weights room, although I'm assured that this is only because it was a cheaper option than having real plumbing put in.

Did everyone watch the film 'True Blue' on TV over the New Year? You may recall the American rebels trying to persuade Dan Topolski that training indoors on ergometers was much more modern and civilised than having the crew running up and down muddy hills in the rain (had these men never heard of the expression 'character-forming'?). Dan may have won that particular battle, but the American viewpoint won the war, and nowadays Catz men's boat club happily pull away at the ergs for an hour at a time. I imagine it would be for even longer were it not for the technical limitation of having to stop after an hour to change the tape over. I'm not sure what the women have been up to, but I notice that Emily Woodeson, the women's captain, is doing rather well in the JCR 'Custard Pie' elections, so I reckon she's been driving them pretty hard.

Some additional entertainment has been supplied by some members of St Edmund Hall Boat Club, who attempted a furtive early morning paddle while the Isis was closed: part of a doomed attempt to move a boat down to the Radley stretch where they could train beyond the reach of the long arm of Oxford University Rowing Clubs. Neither the OURCs Committee nor their fellow Isis-bound Captains were amused, and, following a Captains' meeting, the current situation is that all S.E.H. crews are barred from this year's Torpids and demoted six places in next year's. Is it just me, or does that seem just a tad harsh? Incidentally, for viewers of True Blue, Captains' meetings aren't actually held in oak-panelled rooms any more: nowadays they take place in the distinctly ungothic surroundings of the Bernard Sunley Lecture Theatre, in Catz.

The Red Flag was finally lowered at the end of 3rd Week with Peter Murphy, the men's captain, winning this term's sweepstake. Touchingly, it never occurred to the women's captain that there might be any connection between this financial windfall and a recent surge in her own Custard Pie poll-rating. Here are the present 1st Torpid line-ups, *showing ex-1st Torpid/Eight:

Of the newcomers to the Men's 1st Torpid: James coxed last summer's 2nd Eight while Matt won his blades in the 3rd Eight; and Martyn's improved a bit since appearing in last year's 4th Torpid. Nelson and Greg are both visiting Americans with previous rowing experience. In the women's crew: Catharine rowed in last year's 2nd VIII, Alison in the 3rd Torpid and Jen, Sarah and Sandra are novice freshers. The women are coached by Jo von Maltzahn from Oxford Brookes and I'm coaching the men at the moment.

Torpids is the usual Wednesday to Saturday of 7th Week (3rd--6th March). The women's 1st Torpid start 2nd in W.Div.I, rowing at 4.30 pm each day, and will be chasing Osler-Green. The men's 1st Torpid start 2nd in M.Div.II (or maybe 3rd if sanity prevails and S.E.H. get reinstated) rowing at 4 pm each day and chasing Wadham. Just like last year, then. Our 2nd Torpids also have places in the fixed divisions: the men rowing in M.Div. V (2 pm) and the women in W.Div. III (1.30 pm). Other crews will have to qualify. Racing starts at noon each day, finishing with the Men's 1st Division at 5.30 pm. As last summer, I'll try and send out summaries of each day's racing to everyone on the Rowing Society's list of email contacts.

Thanks to everyone who's helped out so far with crew lists. Still a lot of gaps, though. Here's a list of the crews since 1946 for which we need further information (OK from '95 onwards):

1994: 2nd & lower Torpids, Men's 3rd Eight
1993: 2nd & lower Torpids, Men's 4th Eight
1992: 2nd & lower Torpids
1991: 2nd & lower Torpids, both 4th Eights
1990: 2nd & lower Torpids
1989: M 4th & W 2nd Torpid, Women's 3rd Eight
1988: 2nd & lower Torpids, Men's 5th Eight 
1987: M 2nd & lower Torpids, all W Torpids
1986: M 3rd & all W Tpds., M 4th & low. Egts
1985: Men's & Women's 3rd Torpids 
1984: Men's 3rd Torpid & Women's 2nd Torpid
1983: All Women's Torpids 
1982: All W Torpids, M 5th & lower Eights
1981: All Women's Torpids 
1980: Men's 3rd Eight
1979: Men's 1st Torpid, all Women's Torpids 
1978: All Torpids
1977: All Torpids, Women's 2nd Eight 
1976: All Tpds, M 2nd & low. Egts, all W Egts.
1975: All Torpids & Eights 
1974: All Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights
1972-3: All Torpids 
1971: OK
1969-70: All Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights
1968: All Torpids, 2nd Eight 
1967: All Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights
1962-66: All Torpids
1961: 2nd Torpid 
1957-60: OK 
1956: All Torpids, 3rd Eight 
1954-55: All Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights 
1953: 3rd Eight 
1952: 1st Torpid 
1951: 2nd Torpid 
1950: 4th Eight 
1949: OK
1947-8: All Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights 
1946 2nd & lower Torpids, 2nd & lower Eights 

Diary dates

3rd-6th March: Torpids
    6th March: Rowing Society Dinner & AGM
   28th March: The Henley Boat Races (Women's & Lightweights', 2pm onwards)
    3rd April: The Boat Race 
26th-29th May: Summer Eights
     29th May: Eights Week Buffet Supper 
     30th May: Reunion of '49 crews, Regatta arranged by City Barge

Links

St Catherine's College

Oxford University Rowing Clubs

St Catherine's College Boat Club

St Catherine's Rowing Society