World Championships (Poznan, Poland), 23-30 August
Andy Triggs-Hodge (M.04)	GBR 2-	2nd

On the Saturday of Eights a selection of veterans of the 1948 to 1950 period attended an enjoyable dinner in the Senior Common Room, hosted by the Master.

On the Sunday morning some of them rowed an eight in order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the record year of 1949 when all three eights recorded six bumps - something we believe has never been done before and cannot be achieved again because of the reduction of Eights `week' from six days to four.

Those rowing included A P Downing (3rd eight) and G N Sworder (1st eight) plus W C Wright (1950 1st eight); the numbers were made up by captains and ex-captains of St Catherine's and by members of G N Sworder's family. The two coxes were C G Kaye (2nd eight) and K Hack (1948 1st eight). On the bank were supporters A C Hancox (1950 1st eight), A W Simpson (2nd eight) and A R Katritsky (3rd eight). Sadly eight of the veterans are known to have died, plus two coaches; five veterans have lost touch. Six veterans sent their best wishes, including G Garton who was captain in 1949 and B F Sylvester. We still hope to celebrate the 70th anniversary in 2019!

Women's VIII, left to right: Cynthia Grover (M.77), Gail Wiggins (M.78), Gill Smith (M.75), Rachel Slade (M.80), Julie Deacon. Also present: Belinda Bawden (M.76) and Ros Temple (M.81).

I must admit, when Anu first mentioned the boat club of ten years ago along with my name I thought he must be joking. Was it really that long ago? And this is despite the fact I went to a ten-years-since-matriculation reunion last autumn. The little grey cells are on the way out already, it seems.

Anyway, I had the good fortune to start rowing in 1998 under the 'inspirational captaincy' of Pete Murphy, a very successful year of 3 sets of blades for the men's Boat Club. Astute (and even not so astute) observers could see the smile on Pete's face when he uttered those words, and what he actually meant was that he'd been blessed with a load of experienced (final year!) oarsmen. They packed out the first VIII and most of the second VIII besides, so I was one of only two novice rowers still involved come Summer Eights. That left me with a 50/50 chance of being landed with the captaincy. Geoff Bryant didn't plan on rowing the following year anyway, but Pete assures me I was always his first choice.

By Trinity term things were looking up considerably as the first VIII added Matt Smith in the stroke seat, a position he had just filled successfully for Oxford as the youngest oarsmen ever to win the Boat Race. We were also joined by Richard Law from the lightweights and suddenly anything seemed possible --- even a bump or two at Summer Eights. Unfortunately events conspired against us and an ill-timed klaxon on day 1 robbed us of our chance to get away from the advancing Lincoln. Arguably the fastest boat on the river with three Blues, they came up and caught us pretty quickly on day 3.

Still, I claim as my protégés a f uture boat captain Matt Denmark and Oxford lightweight Michael Bull. Not such a bad year after all.

I have just spent the last two days in Washington DC on business and hanging on the wall in a tiny small snug off the main bar (!) of the Fairfax at Embassy Row Hotel I came across a blade awarded in 1950 to the Catz Third Eight who achieved 8 bumps. It appears to be the genuine article. I have no info as to how it came to be there.

I attach photos: not great quality as done on my cellphone. It hung above a Cambridge college blade: so they got the precedence correct at least!

The blade from the 1950 3rd Eight, in the bar of the Fairfax in Washington DC.

The 1950 St Catherine's 3rd Eight. From left to right, back row: Yinka Olumide (4), B. P. Green (3), Alex Currie (2), Ian Heslop (bow), middle: David Daniell (6), John Bradshaw (str), Donald Barton (coach), Leslie Phillips (7), Desmond Hackett (5), front: Raymond Taylor (cox)

Wish I could help, but all the crew seem to have disappeared without trace. As you know, five members of the 3rd VIII read theology - which must have been another record of sorts. I met Yinka Olumide - one of the theologians - in Nigeria ca. 1964; he had then given up the cloth and was a big noise in the national broadcasting corporation.

Framed photograph of the 1907 St Catherine's Torpid. The crew is listed as Bow: G.E. Scarlin, 2: J.H. Spear, 3: R.A.E. Pooley, 4: W. Lawton, 5: H.E. Hale, 6: O. Jones, 7: A.E. Minard, Str: H.S. Pugh, Cox: R. Ross.

Right hand photo, at the Start, near Haystacks Corner.

We know very little of this period of our history, it's the Boat Club's equivalent of the Dark Ages, so this photo, with names and faces, represents quite a find. J.H. Spear is the only one who was previously listed in our database, as rowing in the 1909 1st VIII.

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