In this Issue ...

If you're driving up for Eights Week, we'd generally recommend the Abingdon Rd Park & Ride and walking from there.

From the President, Tony Hancox (M.49); Chairman, Bruce Mitchell (M.54) and the RS committee: Chris Talbot (M.62), Anu Dudhia (M.77), Kevin Skinner (M.77), Angela Kukula (M.86), John Mitchell (M.89), Jen Atkinson (M.89) and Emily Woodeson (M.97)

This year's Henley Boat Races were rowed in rough conditions with a stiff cross-tail wind. Oxford achieved a clean sweep, winning all five races although often by small margins. Nevertheless, it means that Oxford has now won all three women's boat races for three years in succession.

Isis continued the dark blue winning streak in their contest with Goldie and the Boat Race itself looked to be going the same way until a sequence of blade clashes in which Oxford definitely came off worst. However, it must be said, having got ahead, Cambridge did look very impressive.

We had a single participant in this year's Boat Races: Colin Smith, the freshman stroke of the Blue Boat. Originally from Zimbabwe, he is a former GB Junior and U23 International with a couple of Henley medals already under his belt. Paul Holland, from Princeton, was selected for Isis but missed out due to an unfortunately-timed bout of the flu. Both will be rowing in our 1st Eight.

The Henley Boat Races, 21st March
Men's Lwt Reserves	Oxf	Canvas	5:45
Women's Reserves	Oxf	1/2 L	6:15
Women's Lightweights	Oxf	3/4 L	6:08
Women's Blue Boat	Oxf	4 L	6:06
Men's Lightweights	Oxf	1/2 L	5:36
The Tideway Boat Races, 28th March
Men's Reserves	Oxf	1 1/2 L	18:42
Men's Blue Boat	Cam	6 L	18:47

The City Bumps, 24th April
St Catherine's Women's IV
Race	Result	Details
1	-2	bpd by Linacre & City of Oxford V
2	-	bpd by OxILP, bpd Wolfson II
3	-	bpd by Exeter, bpd City of Oxford V
2	-	bpd by Univ, bpd St Hugh'
Finished no.5 in Div II

City Bumps

One of the various St Catz women's crew combinations racing in City Bumps: Kassy Long (bow), Carolyn Aler, Dominique Bouchard, Katharine Pierce (str), Marc Coutanche (cox).

The City of Oxford Rowing Club have recently revived their 'Town Bumps' races. The event is held at the start of Trinity Term so also provides an opportunity for College crews to get in some early practice. The rules are basically the same as for Torpids (i.e., if you get bumped you're still racing) but for coxed fours rather than eights, and all four races are held on the same (rather long!) day.

There are a total of 7 St Catherine's crews entered for Eights, although only 4 of these crews have places in the fixed divisions. This represents our largest entry since 1998.

Men's 1st Eight	Women's 1st Eight
B Nick Heiney	B Kassy Long
2 James McInerney	2 Emma Willis
3 Dan Blakey	3 Carrie Shuckerow
4 Evan Burfield	4 Lydia Hutchinson
5 Justin Puleo	5 Lauren McGuirl
6 James Woodrow	6 Jen May Lee
7 Paul Holland	7 Carolyn Aler
S Colin Smith	S Katharine Pierce
C Alastair Ross	C Ben Gander

The men's 1st Eight have the advantage of a number of returning University squad rowers and spares so, on paper at least, should be significantly faster than Torpids and the 2nd Eight also benefits from the knock-on effects. The trouble with all these high-powered rowers is that they do tend to have other rowing commitments which has made it difficult to get the full crew out. The women 1st and 2nd Eights are largely unchanged since Torpids, but should have the benefit of an extra term's solid training.

There was a bit of a problem over entries this year. Now that the whole operation is computerised, the entries system automatically switched off the second the deadline has passed. This left several captains (including our own Men's Captain) in the embarrassing position of not having quite got around to entering anyone. Call me a luddite, but it all seemed so much simpler in the old days when there was a human being collecting entries and occasionally applying a bit of timely common sense.

Eights will be run from 26th-29th May. On Wednesday-Friday racing starts at noon with the last division at 6.45pm, however, as in previous years, racing on the Saturday will be one hour earlier.

Eights 2004: Wednesday Start times
Crew	Div	Bungline	Time
Men's 1st Eight	I	11	6.45pm
Women's 1st Eight	I	7	6.15pm
Men's 2nd Eight	IV	5	3.30pm
Women's 2nd Eight	IV	6	2.55pm
NB: on Saturday all divisions race 1 hour earlier

If our lower men's crews row on they will be probably be competing in Men's Div VII (12.00) although our women's 3rd Eight could either be in Div V (1.45) or VI (12.35).

In 1958/59 the Boat Club had just moved into a new barge, acquired from Balliol, which was to serve as its club house until the end of the 1970's. The last of the College barges moored along Christ Church Meadow, it eventually fell into disrepair and was sold off, never to be seen again. Or so we thought.

This was also the first year that Christ Church Regatta was run, although it is not clear when it was transferred to the Isis.

Excerpts are from two contemporary College publications, and the Rowing Society chairman also sends his recollections. Frank Gignac, another member of the 1959 1st VIII, contributes to the Alumni News section.

Members of the 1959 1st Eight on the bow of the barge. Standing, left to right: C.A Berry, W.J. Compton, C.E.C. Greely, H.D. Moore (cox), G. M. Smart, R.I.F. Roughley (Capt), F. T. Gignac; seated: M.N. Read, B.E. Mitchell.

The Wheel, 1958-59

In the 'Christmas Pudding Races' the novices stayed the course while better men fell out of the heats - and in one case out of the boat. Hilary term brought a new boat, named All Rabbit's Friends and Relations [This was the last clinker purchased by St Catherine's, and continued in service until 1988 when it was sold to St Hilda's]. It was launched by Mrs. Bullock [The wife of Alan Bullock, the last Censor of St Catherine's Society and the Founding Master of St Catherine's College].

1959 St Catherine's Association News Sheet

The Boat Club had an interesting and, on balance, a creditable year. In the November regatta, an innovation organised by Christ Church, and rowed on Long Reach by Port Meadow, St Catherine's in the novice Eights beat Pembroke easily, but lost to Oriel. In Hilary Term, with a new barge and a new boat, the First Torpid, being bumped by Keble and bumping Jesus, kept its place. The Second Eight nearly caused a sensation on the last day. Having already lost three places, the St Catherine's crew threatened a double over-bump on Jesus II, five places ahead.

From Bruce Mitchell (M.54)

Attendees of 59 Beer and Blade dinner. Back row: O.V. Volkonsky, P. Hanley, C. Armstrong. Middle row: P. Groves, A.P. Waller, P.H. Broadbridge, C. E. G. Greely, M. N. Read, J. P. Taylor, H. B. Wise, C. Nomura. Front row: W. J. Crompton, G. M. Smart, R. J. F. Roughley, Dr. G. Garton, B. E. Mitchell, A. L. C. Bullock, H. D. Moore, Dr. E. G. Phillips, J. Lipscomb.

The crew outside the barge was the 1959 first VIII. We had bumped St Peter's Hall and, Exeter. I remember on the Friday of Eights week we were involved in a near collision in the Gut. Cox had to take evasive action and blades hit the wall including mine which was knocked out of my hands. That marked the end of our attempt to win our blades, but we did get the third bump on the Saturday on Wadham.

Most of the crew went on to row in the Thames cup at Henley but we were knocked out on the first day. However, the attempt was worth while because I remember that we thoroughly enjoyed all that Henley had to offer for the rest of the week.

We tended to enjoy life to the full in all the crews I rowed with, hence the photograph of the Beer and Blade which was founded by the first crew I rowed with - the 1957 second Torpid, which I fear was better at dinner than ever it was on the river.

Barge Handling

For sale - a genuine College Barge. One careful owner, plus St Catz Boat Club.

In the next newsletter, we'll have reports on Eights and a feature on the Boat Club of 55 years ago (48/49) when Geoffrey Garton was Captain (not a bad year, I gather). So if you rowed in that year, please send me something for the Alumni News section. News and contributions from alumni of other years also welcome.

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