In this Issue ...

There was some modest success in Eights with three of our four crews going up - certainly an improvement on Torpids. The boathouse buffet lunch on the Saturday of Eights seems to be increasingly popular and included the presentation of this year's Ben Sylvester Award. The man himself appears in the events of 55 years ago and there's a look ahead to another of our Vice-Presidents' holiday plans for the summer.

Anxious moments on the Friday of Eights as members of the Women's 2nd Eight watch their male counterparts fighting to hold off Worcester II (see under `Results')

Katharine Pierce, Women's Captain

This term saw a better performance from the Catz women's squad than last, though we have mostly our 2nd Eight to thank for that. With crews selected early on in the term, they trained hard, and stretched their novice legs to row over twice and bump twice. Our 1st Eight kicked the term off with City Bumps, where we learned that our start was awful but that once we recovered from it we were able to row down some good crews, chasing St Hugh's for an overbump 10 meters before the finish, our crew's favourite race to date. Eights was a bit of a disappointment for us. With a small crew we didn't have the power we needed to avoid early bumps. Well tried to our 3rd Eight, mostly novices, who didn't manage to qualify, but show potential for next year. We then took a IV, selected from our 1st Eight, to compete in Women's Henley. We had a good row but some bad luck and didn't manage to qualify.

I would like to thank the Boat Club and Rowing Society for making this such a wonderful year for me. Your dedication to the sport of rowing and personal commitment to each other makes the ups and downs of captainship entirely worthwhile. To the 1st VIII, you have become my best friends. Rowing with you this year was a privilege. I look forward to building on the hidden accomplishments of the Catz Women's Boat Club next year, and moving on to deserved success.

Dominique Bouchard (Lincoln), coach of the Women's 2nd Eight.

The Women's 2nd Eight who gained two places making them not only Catz most successful crew of the week but the most successful crew of the past two years.

The Men's 1st Eight warming up on Thursday (no, that's just the way the boat's rigged!)

The Men's 1st Eight spent most of the week chasing Hertford, closing rapidly off the start but, frustratingly, unable to make the bump. Eventually Lincoln fell into place on the last day. The 2nd Eight, containing half of the 1st Torpid, bumped Queen's II on the first day but could make no further progress and spent the last two days fighting to hold off Worcester II. The 3rd Eight, due to various organisational problems, didn't have an outing until the week of Rowing On, so no surprise when they failed to qualify. There was also a 4th (Rugby) Eight, who seemed to be fast enough to qualify, but fluffed it on the day.

In Oriel Regatta, the Rugby VIII made the final of Novice VIIIs but obviously lacked that big match temperament. In the Men's Sculls, Justin Puleo showed how it should be done and registered Catz' first win of the year.

The 1949 St Catherine's VIII which won the Junior Eights event at Marlow Regatta. From left to right, back row: Victor Bunting, Robert Wedderburn, Ben Sylvester, Arthur Simpson, front: Ian Barker, Geoffrey Sworder, Graham Kaye (cox), Donald Barton, Trevor Coulson. This crew contained members of the 1st and 2nd Eights, both of which attained 6 bumps, as did the 3rd Eight.

Since the end of WWII the 1st Eight's only movement had been to drop one place to 29th on the river. Even the '49 1st Torpid had dropped one place. So, while success had been long awaited, it seems to have arrived rather suddenly in the summer of '49 which is arguably the most successful term of St Catherine's rowing in its 130-odd year history. In those days bumps were run over 6 days (Thursday to Wednesday, with Sunday a rest day, naturally), so blades were harder to come by.

Members of the 1949 Boat Club at their 50-year reunion. Kenneth Hack (cox), Geoffrey Sworder (str), Peter Thallon, Derek Pollon, Don Barton, Ben Sylvester, Derek Bullivant, Norman Fost, Tony Hancox (bow).

1949 St Catherine's Association News Sheet

An extraordinary year in the history of St Catherine's demands for once that the Society take precedence of the Association in the starting of this `News Sheet'. We quite seriously challenge any Oxford man to produce evidence that ever before in the history of the University has any Boat Club achieved the marvellous record of eighteen bumps in the Eights, six by each of the three boats. Bump suppers, too, are rare in our annals, and yet this is not all. Though Henley exceeds in glamour in the rowing world, we rightly rejoice that at Marlow Regatta our boat won the Junior Eights Challenge Cup.

Dan Robson receving the award from Bruce Mitchell, Chairman of the Rowing Society.

The Benjamin F. Sylvester, Jr medal is given annually to the member of the Boat Club who has most significantly contributed to enhancing the rowing life of St Catherine's College, Oxford. The 2004 medal has been awarded to Dan Robson.

Starting as a novice in 2001, Dan has both coxed and rowed in the 1st VIII. He was Men's Captain last year and is this year's President. Normally just an honorary title for ex-captains, Dan's Presidency has been a little more active than most. As one nominator put it:

`Whenever the captains or vice-captain have questions about anything, we go to Dan. Whenever we need a substitute rower, a coach, or a cox for an outing, we know we can count on Dan to be there. Before Trinity term, Dan said he didn't have time to cox since he had exams. A couple of days later I saw him at the boathouse in a lifejacket holding a cox box.'

2004 Olympic Games

In the next newsletter I expect there will be something to say about the Olympics, Don Barton has sent a short tale of a rather long outing down to Reading in the summer of 1950 and there will be a review of the Boat Club of 10 years ago (1994/5, when Hassan Ahari and Cheryl Hardy were Captains). News from alumni from that time and other '49ers would be particularly welcome.

Emilie Harris

Katharine Pierce, Women's Captain, writes:

Eights this year was a more somber occasion than in the past. Emilie Harris, a good friend to all and rower in the women's 3rds, died in a bike accident Wednesday, the 26th of May. A minute of silence was held along the Isis for her, following women's Division 1 the next day. She will be sorely missed by the Boat Club and the whole Catz community.