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Newsletter#1, Trinity Term, 1999 (2nd May)
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Another painful defeat for Oxford in the Boat Race (3 1/2 lengths), all the more so since they were regarded as pre-race favourites. I expect there will be some fall-out from that one, although I hope it doesn't mean that selectors now just equate taller = better (speaking personally, you understand). Just to rub it in further, Goldie beat Isis by 1 1/2 lengths, perhaps an even bigger upset. Ed Foster was rowing no.6 in Isis. To celebrate the 170th Boat Race, the editor of the ARA Almanack asked Richard Law (Catz captain 96/97) to write an article describing the influence that the OUBC has on Oxford College rowing. Having read the article, I suspect Richard put 'loyalty' before 'reality'. In a companion piece, the captain of Downing College didn't go out of his way to paint CUBC in such a positive light.
The previous Sunday, at Henley, the women's Blue Boat had also been favourites (for once), but another combination of getting it wrong/Cambridge getting it right on the day meant going down by a length to their 8th successive defeat, and inheriting the burden of Oxford's longest current losing streak. Which means (paying attention?), at least, that Osiris finally beat Blondie (1 1/4): their first victory since 1989. The women's lightweights also won, by 1 1/2 lengths, thus have the longest current winning streak of any Oxford crew with a grand total of two successive wins! The men's lightweights also won, rounding off Oxford's best ever performance at the Henley Boat Races with 3 wins out of 4. One can't help feeling that this year it should have been 6 out of 6, though. Having endured many years on the Henley bank surrounded by noisy and irksomely smug Cambridge supporters, after the first two races this year went to the Dark Blues it was refreshing to hear one Oxford man say rather more loudly than was strictly necessary 'I don't know why we bother to race these Cambridge people - they're crap!'. Unfortunately, the women's Blue Boat race came next.
This year Ben Brookes became the first Catz man to win the Lightweight Boat Race:
'Having rowed last year in Nephthys (Lightweight second boat) and watched an unexpected OULRC defeat in the boat race, I started this year with considerably more hunger for a seat in the top boat. When the provisional crew was announced in Spain, I was placed in the six seat, which at first I found intimidating, due to the obvious quality and experience of the crew. With good performances at Burway Head, Reading Head, by the time we decamped to Henley, crew confidence was high.We normally reckon on buying a new VIII every 3 years with the cost split 50-50 between the Rowing Society and the College. However, thanks to the generosity of our new sponsors, Madge Networks, we've brought the new men's VIII forward a year. It's another Janousek, named Whisper Who Dares (from A. A. Milne's 'Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Christopher Robin is saying his prayers!', after which point numerous other would-be poets have branched off into their own unauthorised versions. Still - excellent name! I wonder who thought of it?). Pending the official launch ceremony (date to be determined), they're just sort of trying it out, now and then, like, to check it still works. So that the women don't feel left out, a sharp eye for a bargain led the acquisition of a second hand set of Ultralight cleavers for the women's 2nd VIII (basically the same blades as the 1st VIII): since they are now up amongst other college 1st VIIIs, they might as well look the part. At the end of 1st Week, the current 1st VIIIs are (*previous 1st VIII):'Cambridge Lightweights have always been known for their power and aggression in the first 500m, thus our focus all year was to be the quickest crew ever off the stake-boat. If we could hold them at this stage, or even take a seat or two, our higher base speed would then allow us to move ahead in the last half of the race. This confidence in our ability was demonstrated in the sharpness of our warm-up on race day, despite the tricky tail-wind. Having arranged ourselves on the stake-boats, both crews were ready to race; a mere 5 1/2 minutes, a little over 200 strokes would decide the outcome of 6 months training.
'Our start was clean, but not outstanding due to the rough water. By the minute, we were still even. As we settled after the bow-six push, we hit a good rhythm enabling a long and powerful stroke. The tabs were obviously struggling to stay with us; their rate was two pips higher and their rhythm less efficient. Our push at Fawley took us ahead by clear water which increased to half a length of clear water by the finish post.
'This year's victory increases the tally of OULRC victories to 3 in the last 4 years. If the quality of coaching from which the crew benefited this year continues, the club may well enjoy similar success in the next few years.'
| Men's 1st Eight | Women's 1st Eight |
|---|---|
| B Peter Murphy* | B Clarissa Edwards |
| 2 Paul Hearn* | 2 Ceri Collingborn |
| 3 Paul Halfpenny* | 3 Sarah Boddy* |
| 4 Ben Manners* | 4 Catharine Hornby* |
| 5 Geoff Baker* | 5 Alison Davidson* |
| 6 Ben Brookes* | 6 Florence Williams* |
| 7 Greg Lee | 7 Emily Woodeson* |
| S Rob Kesterton* | S Jane Golley* |
| C Peter Morland | C Cath Ellicott |
The men are a mixture of last term's 1st Torpid and last summer's 1st Eight, while Greg's legitimacy, as a 'Visiting Student', should become clear after next week's Captains' meeting. Coxing the men's 1st VIII in summer term is always something of 'a challenge'; on the other hand Pete Morland has a reputation for being seriously laid-back, so it'll be interesting to see what gives. They have an Oxford Brookes oarsman called 'Dan' coaching them this term, but apparently they're not on surname terms yet.
The women have lost four from their Torpid, but Jane returns to the stroke seat after a year off, and bow-pair and the cox come from the 2nd Torpid. Jo von Maltzahn (Oxford Brookes) continues to coach and is joined by Ben Brookes. Planned regatta excursions before Eights include (possibly) Bedford Amateur on 15th May and (probably) Coate Water Park on 22nd.
For Eights Week (26-29th May) it looks like there will be just enough crews to fill our places in the fixed divisions (3 men's VIIIs and 2 women's VIIIs), but no more. Racing will be from noon until 6.45pm Wed-Fri, 11-5.45pm on the Saturday, and once again I'll try to send out reports each evening to everyone on the email list. We're having another think about how best to juggle the catering and crew requirements at the boathouse (bear with us - we're all new to this, remember) but there will be the usual College buffet for students, alumni and guests on the Saturday evening. This year the alumni events will continue over to the next day, details of which should be enclosed with this newsletter. If there is sufficient demand, I shall also endeavour to organise an outing for alumni to coincide with the Gaudy (probably late afternoon, before the Gaudy itself). Contact me if you're interested.
Anu Dudhia (email: dudhia@atm.ox.ac.uk)
St Catherine's College Boat Club
St Catherine's Rowing Society