Olympic Regatta, Eton Dorney, 28 Jun - 4 Aug
Men's Coxless Fours
1st	GBR	Andy Triggs Hodge (str)

British rowing has a particularly good Games. With crews qualified in 13 out of the 14 events (all except the women's single sculls), every crew reached its final, 9 of those won medals, and 4 of those were gold. Their official target had been 6 medals of any colour, so British Rowing's management could be forgiven a certain jauntiness as they walk into their next funding discussions with UK Sport, perhaps pausing for a consolation pat on the back for the tearful swimming rep just coming out the door (target: 5 medals; achieved: 3).

The first of 29 British gold medals in the 2012 Games went to the women's pair. It came on the first day of the rowing finals but, by now, the 5th day of the Games and the press had been getting worried (leading James Cracknell to tweet: Don't panic - The rowers are here!). It was also Britain's first ever Olympic gold for women's rowing.

The view from the top of the stands as the GB Women's Double cross the line to take gold.

I was in the stands on the Friday to watch Katherine Grainger in the women's double scull. Following silver medals in the last three Games, she was top of everyone's 'deserves to win' list. The crowds had already been loud during the earlier races - the sculler from the Niger in the Men's F-final being particularly well supported - but the volume went up to '11' as the A-final of the women's doubles came past. The TV coverage just doesn't give any idea of the sheer noise! Not that they ever looked to be in need of any encouragement.

While those two crews had been unbeaten all season, and therefore 'expected' to win gold, Andy Triggs Hodge's men's four had lost to the Australians in their last competitive race before the Olympics. Saturday's TV coverage started with Matt Pinsent down at the start doing a hushed commentary while the men's fours prepared to race behind him, with GB in the lane nearest the camera. If that wasn't tense enough, once the race got underway it remained nail-bitingly close, with GB leading the Australians but never by much. However, once they reached the last 500 m, and the packed grandstands, there was never going to be any other result. So Andy Triggs Hodge successfully defends his Beijing title.

The final GB rowing gold came later that morning, very much a 'bonus' gold from the women's lightweight double who'd really only hit top form at these Games.

You'll note from the table listing Catz medallists over the past 6 Olympiads that these are all men. Our own Jo Gough was part of the first British women's crew ever to qualify for an Olympic final back in 1988 in Seoul, where they finished 6th. Since then, several Cambridge women have won Olympic rowing medals but so far, I believe, none from Oxford University.

Catz Olympic Rowing Medallists
2012	London	GOLD	Andy Triggs Hodge	GBR 4-
2008	Beijing	GOLD	Andy Triggs Hodge	GBR 4-
		SILVER	Colin Smith	GBR 8
2004	Athens	GOLD	Stephan Moelvig	DEN Lwt 4-
		GOLD	Matt Pinsent	GBR 4-
2000	Sydney	GOLD	Matt Pinsent	GBR 4-
1996	Atlanta	BRONZE	Rupert Obholzer	GBR 4-
		GOLD	Matt Pinsent	GBR 2-
1992	Barcelona	GOLD	Matt Pinsent	GBR 2-

Rowing was one of the very first extra-curricular activities adopted by members of the Delegacy for non-collegiate students, having begun in 1874. Indeed it can be claimed that 'St Catherine's' as a name was first adopted by the rowers.

The St Catherine's College Rowing Society was formed in 1984, in response to a request from the Boat Club for alumni assistance in the purchase of a boat for the women.

The main purpose of the Rowing Society is to ensure a regular source of income to enhance the College's provision for rowing and its reputation as a rowing College. In addition, it seeks to generate a congenial relationship between current and former rowers. Rising costs necessitate external sponsorship and the Society has been instrumental in securing these, most notably, over many years and presently from the accounting and business advisory firm PwC.

In early years the Rowing Society devoted its energies to the Long Bridges Boathouse project. St Catherine's joined a consortium of five colleges and a community boat club to redevelop the site of the old Hertford College boathouse. A combined appeal by the College and the Rowing Society raised £ 150 000, St Catherine's share of the development costs. The Boathouse was officially opened on 26 April 1997.

For those who recall only a Barge, a marquee, or just a shared boat rack, the boathouse represents a magnificent facility, with storage for a fleet of boats, a clubroom, changing room and a viewing balcony.

The Society also channelled contributions from its alumni members towards the cost of Arumugam building and new quad. This was recognised in the form of two College residential rooms set aside for Captains of Boats.

St Catherine's reputation as a rowing College has risen steadily over the last 40 years or so. After gaining its first representative in the University Boat Race of 1967, the College has produced a steady flow of University representatives, both men and women. Several of those, again both men and women, have gone on to represent their respective countries in international events and at the Olympic Games.

The Society continues to contribute to the cost of new boats and to finance coaching and training costs for College oarsmen and women.

In 1951 the Captain of Boats, Vic Bunting, decided to enter an eight for the Thames Cup event at Henley Royal Regatta, St Catherine's first appearance there for many years. We mustered a reasonably good crew comprising 7 of the previous term's 1st VIII plus two from the second boat. Training for Henley continued on the Isis after the end of term, with some outings on Port Meadow and below Iffley and Sandford locks. For the week before the regatta we migrated to Henley --- or, more accurately, to a farm about 2 miles west of the town, opposite Wargrave. Here some of us slept in a hired caravan, the rest in an adjacent barn or in the open air.

We trained hard every day, and relaxed in the evenings swimming in the river, walking into Henley and the Catherine Wheel - then a proper pub - or generally horsing around. We were mostly ex-servicemen, so older than today's students. Sadly our last few days of training failed to show any improvement, despite a change of stroke - this itself pretty demoralising. We were drawn against Reading RC, and beaten in the preliminary heat.

At the time we had recently adopted the technique devised by Roy Meldrum, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge. Following his precepts and coached by him, Lady Margaret Boat Club (i.e., St John's College, Cambridge) won the Grand in 1951 at what seemed a leisurely and elegant paddle. Cambridge, similarly coached, won the Boat Race by 12 lengths, thrashed Harvard and Yale on their home waters, and became European Champions in the same year.

The Meldrum 'style' was characterised by a long accelerating stroke with an exaggerated lie-back, prolonged until the hands were fully away, giving a misleading impression of languor. It was a delight to see.

The 1951 St Catherine's Henley Eight: Tom Gray (B), Victor Bunting, Robert Wedderburn, Walter Welburn Tony Hancox, William Wright, Donald Barton, Geoffrey Sworder (str), Graham Kaye (cox).

Neil Chugani (M.87)

I'm still at it [coxing] - I was in the Molesey VIII with three Olympic Gold medallists aboard which came 27th in the Head - not bad for a bunch of old-timers who paddle once a week and have an average age in the 40s. Later this year we'll contest Masters VIIIs at the Head of the Charles in Boston (we did so in 2009 and came third).

And at long last I am earning my umpiring spurs and am on course to get my British Rowing Umpire's Licence by the end of the year.

Update: Molesey won the Masters Category. Apart from Neil the crew contained two other Catz alumni: Matt Pinsent and Rupert Obholzer

Frances Burge (M.96)

I encountered Fran at City of Oxford Regatta this summer, rowing in an Abingdon women's VIII which I was asked to cox at late notice. Our first race was started by a trainee umpire serving his apprenticeship: Neil Chugani.

It was a difficult birth, with delays over financing and the big winter freeze of 1961. Nowadays commuters and graffiti artists love it, but local opinion remains divided.

Men's Div 6 approaching Donnington Bridge last summer. The recommended racing line is to pass under the under the lamppost on the left.

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