Newsletter#1, Trinity Term, 1997 (11th May)

First of all, overleaf is the belated bumps chart from Torpids - The Times didn't print one this year so I've spent the intervening period figuring out how to produce my own. Apart from avoiding any argument over copyright, my version has additional merit of being entirely accurate.

During the Easter vacation we had the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Races. The men's Boat Race was, as usual, tipped to be close (well, they would say that, wouldn't they?). Unusually, it actually was close, with the Cambridge crew hanging on to Oxford like a bad smell all the way around the outside of the Surrey bend before finally nosing ahead past Chiswick Eyot and going clear to win by 2 lengths. The Tabs' successful 'crowding' tactics provoked some comment from the gentlemen of the rowing press (who are, notoriously, almost as biased as I am), together with a question over exactly how many umpire's warnings a crew could receive before being disqualified. Perhaps those irritating towpath-tourists who regard it as the height of wit to shout 'In ... Out ... In ... Out' at passing crews may now vary their repartee and start shouting 'Cambridge! ... CAMBRIDGE!! ... Cambriiiidge' every stroke instead, with intonations varying from imperative, to threatening and, ultimately, forlorn pleading. Rupert Obholzer, umpiring the Isis-Goldie race, had rather fewer problems as Goldie beat Isis by their customary huge margin: 6.5 lengths. Those of you who remember the hue and cry following Mr. (now Dr.) Obholzer's parting gesture after stroking the '91 Oxford Boat to victory may be interested in his reported words of advice to the two crews in his charge: 'Just don't do anything silly after the finish'.

At the Henley Boat Races, Cambridge once again took a clean sweep of all the women's events (for the 5th time in the last 6 years), although with much-reduced margins: their Blue Boat won by 1.25 lengths, Blondie by 0.25 length, and the Lightweights by a canvas (Oxford having led for all but the last 10 strokes). Bitter disappointment for the Oxford crews to come so close yet still lose, but at last they seem be doing the right things and plan on sticking with the same coaches next year. Once again it fell to the Oxford Men's Lightweights to prevent a light blue, er, whitewash - they controlled the entire race to beat Cambridge by 1 length, which counts as fairly decisive by lightweight standards (these races usually are close). As an aside, the Cambridge Lightweight President, Tom Killick, is the brother of Becky who, until this term, has been a regular member of the Catz women's 1st VIII. Sad to say, she decided to put family loyalties first and supported the Cambridge crew on the day. Emily Lloyd, rowing no.5 for OUWBC, was Catz' only representative in this year's Boat Races. However, Ollie Jones and Jon Haynes rowed for Cherwell (Heavyweight 3rd VIII) and Nephthys (Lightweight 2nd VIII) respectively, in the Head of the River Race.

This term both the Catz men's and women's 1st Eights were a little late in settling as various people 'considered their options', but the probable crews for Eights Week now look like:

Both crews went to Wallingford Regatta last weekend (end of 1st week): the women as an VIII and the men as two IVs. It was valuable race experience, but perhaps another week's training beforehand would have been useful. We were warned by one of the more 'blokeish' marshals that any official wearing a blazer was likely to be in a foul mood on account of the previous day's election results; I just hoped they didn't realise that Peter Mandelson is one of our alumni. Next weekend both Eights are racing at Coate Water Park (near Swindon). The Women's 2nd Eight has also been entered - I think it will be the first time we've ever sent them outside Oxford.

Summer Eights will be from 28th-31st May. The Women's 1st Eight are starting 2nd in Div.I at 6.15/5.15 (remember that racing is one hour earlier on the Saturday of Eights), once again chasing Osler-Green for the Headship. The Men start 4th in Div.II at 5.45/4.45, chasing Wadham. The Men's 2nd Eight (6th in Div.IV at 4.05/3.05) and 3rd Eight (4th in Div.VI at 2.20/1.20) also have places in the fixed divisions, while the Women's 2nd Eight will have to Row On on Friday 23rd May to resume their place in Div.IV (1.10/12.10). Any other Catz crews succeeding in Rowing On will probably be placed in the lowest divisions, i.e. Women's Div.V (12.00/11.00) or Men's Div.VIII (12.35/11.35). And as if all that excitement weren't enough for one day, a (brief) Rowing Society AGM will take place on Saturday at 6.45pm in Room D of the Bernard Sunley Building, nicely filling the gap between the end of racing and the start of the Buffet.

By now you should have received the College Spring Newsletter (not to be confused with these Rowing Society newsletters - the College newsletter is the one that occasionally interrupts all the rowing talk to introduce a few rowing photos as well). Please note that you should apply for (free) tickets if you want to visit the new boathouse during Eights Week, especially on the Saturday afternoon. There will also be a marquee on the adjacent land, for which no ticket is required, although some College identification might be useful, e.g. a Rowing Society membership card, tie or badge.

We still have around £18,000 to raise towards the cost of the boathouse (which is why it is rather bare inside). If you are interested in making a contribution but haven't quite got around to it yet, Margaret Simon at the Development Office (01865 271760) will be delighted to hear from you. As part of the fundraising effort there will also be a raffle on the Saturday of Eights, for which some tickets have been enclosed. If you want to be entered for the raffle in absentia, please post a cheque (payable to the 'St Catherine's Rowing Society') plus the filled-out tickets to the Secretary, Chris Talbot, at 34 Birkdale Rd, Bedford, MK41 8AX.

Anu Dudhia (e-mail: dudhia@atm.ox.ac.uk)

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