Eights 1962Eights 1962
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New Mood of Oxford College Crews
Gloomy prophecies of a general relapse of Oxford rowing after the unhappy experiences of the last two Boat Races maye well be dispelled by the Summer Eights which will be begun today. It would perhaps be putting it too strongly to say that rowing on the Isis seems to have woken from a bad dream, but it is certainly true that the shock and bewilderment of two months ago has given way to a new mood of enthusiasm and confidence.It seems, too, that some lessons have been learnt, for all the crews are working for the long and solid finish which was so conspicuously absent in this year's University crew, and in this the Blues, who have returned to their college crews, have been setting the example. Spades are not on the Isis this year, or at least relegated to second eights. For the first eights Trad is back in the form of oars of conventional pattern. One may point out that if spades have any useful application — as many well qualified coaches think, both here and on the Continent — they should surely be at their best in short distance bumping races. But the reaction is symptomatic and probably inevitable.
Keble are the outstanding crew although, for them, the prospect of the headship is still at least a year ahead. With four Blues, including G. V. Cooper, and no weak links, they should be the best Oxford college crew since Trinity in 1949. At the moment towpath gossip is more interested in their shortcomings than in their merits, but this should not worry them, as the merits are very real.
Balliol also have a sound crew with plenty of strength, though without Keble's wealth of talent, and for the time being, at least, they may reckon Keble men among their strongest supporters, for unless they can catch Magdalen, St. John's, and Merton in succession they may jeopardize Keble's chance of coming within striking distance of the headship for next year. Lincoln have not stood so high since 1868, and their crew is worth its position. One can hardly see them going higher, but if they find Balliol behind them on Saturday there is certainly no better stroke than C. M. Davis to get them home.
Christ Church, in a beautiful new lightweight boat, built by their own boatman, Mr. G. Harris, certainly have a turn of speed. But they do not look to have either the length or the cohesion to gain the headship. St. Edmund Hall, though not quite so strong or experienced as in the past two years, nevertheless have more length and solidarity and should hold their place, though this is a difficult prediction as they were training at Henley until a few days ago.
Lower down New College have a much stronger crew than recently, and with the new president, T. W. Tennant to help them, they may well regain the first division. Jesus, Oriel, and University should also go up. At last year there will only be 11 crews in each division instead of the usual 12, because of the bridge building at Donnington Road. [Order of Start]
The Hall can land Treble — Weak opposition in Summer Eights
St. Edmund Hall are expected to complete three years as head of the river in the Summer Eights which start at Oxford to-day.It must be said that their task is made easier by the weaknesses of their pursuers. As usual the Hall have been practising away from the Isis, but a fleeting glimpse of them on home waters on Monday sufficed to show a well-drilled, fit, crew who command a high rate and with orthodox blades they are rather longer than of late.
Some of the lessons of this year's Boat Race appear to have percolated already to the colleges. Most crews seem to be trying, if with mixed success, to hold out the finish.
With the exception of P. C. D. Burnell (Magdalen), who is beset by the imminent trials of Schools and marriage, all the 1962 Blues are rowing, as is G. V. Cooper (Keble) from 1961. It is therefore disappointing to report that the general standard is not high.
Races against Jesus — Beaten this year
Confidence in the Hall springs more from what one has heard than seen. Last year, before Eights they raced Jesus (Cambridge) at Henley and beat them by two lengths. Ten days ago, in a similar match, they lost by three-quarters of a length.But Jesus this year are being spoken of in hushed whispers, whereas last June they were no better than average. It may well be that the Hall's more recent performance was the more creditable.
Christ Church, behind them, are in a specially light boat built by George Harris, their waterman. They may threaten as far as the Green Bank but they shoot their slides and lack the uniformity they showed in the Fours.
Lincoln, third, are stroked by C. M. Davis and have had the invaluable assistance of Finlay Best. They are long and smooth, and have, as usual, made some very creditable bricks with a minimum of straw, but it seems doubtful whether they can hope to do more than hold their place.
Merton (fourth) have some of the straightest backs seen for many years and a fixed-pin rattle to match. They are, however, on swivels and may be in danger from a rough but energetic St. John's, who have come up from 25th since 1957.
Norwegian Sweaters — un-Balliol rowing
Lower down are Balliol (seventh), resplendent in Norwegian sweaters, and rowing too in an unusually un-Balliol manner, and Keble (ninth), who have but one junior trialist to break their array of Blues and trial caps.They must be expected to continue the ascent they began in 1958 but will need to find more stride if they are to justify their paper strength at Henley.
New College, with the new president, T. W. Tennant, at No.6, start in the unsalubrious atmosphere of the second division, and if they cannot employ their talent to secure a maximum must surely abandon all hope of a revival.
There will be eight divisions, and St. Edmund Hall, Balliol and Keble each have six crews. A further 14 eights entered but failed to "get on". [Starting Order]
Eights Week Handicap — Green Bank denied to spectators
Spring came to Oxford yesterday for the opening day of the Summer Eights, a welcome change for the not very numerous spectators. But for the serious followers of rowing, as opposed to the social visitors, the Eights unhappily are no longer easy to watch. Cycling is not permitted, and for the first time in my memory, access was denied this year to the Green Bank, whence it has always been possible to watch the racing from below the Gut all the way to the finish. Now there seems to be no possibility of seeing more than a brief stretch of the river.Christ Church left nothing to chance and made their bump on St. Edmund Hall near the pink post, well out of my field of vision. Having thus gained the headship on the first night they should have no difficulty in holding it. St. John's bumped Merton, also well down the Green Bank. But Magdalen held off Balliol rather longer than expected and were finally caught opposite the Balliol barge. Queen's, unlucky in their starting position, inevitably fell victim to Keble. Trinity made a valuable bump on Hertford, thus placing two crews between themselves and New College, who made an early bump on Worcester. [Bumps Chart]
Oxford, WednesdayChrist Church soon depose St. Edmund Hall
Christ Church caused at least one prophet to eat his words by depriving St. Edmund Hall of the Headship in the Summer Eights here to-night, without much apparent difficulty. As I have heard more than once, they row far better than they paddle and that, after all, is the crux.As the two crews emerged from the scaffolding of the Donnington Bridge the Hall were 40 to the House's 38 and these ratings remained unvaried to the end. Two rather optimistic guns signalled a half-length interval in the Bay and at the Stone the Hall suddenly became scrappy.
There were only feet in it through the Gut and on the Green Bank the Hall cox made for the refuge of the towpath. Harrod continued on his course and the crews were almost level when contact was made just below the Pink Post.
Lincoln were some way back with Merton another three lengths away. St. John's overlapped the latter at the Long Bridges and spurting to 36 made their bump halfway up the Green Bank.
Slow Starters — Half length caught up
Balliol are slow starters and at the Gut were still half-a-length behind Magdalen, rowing them down opposite their own boathouse. Keble concluded a brief argument with Queen's under the Bridge.This meant that only Lincoln and Brasenose completed the course, for Trinity caught Hertford on the Green Bank, though Hertford were within inches of Brasenose at the time. The five first division bumps brought the day's total to 31.
The second division produced no surprises. Trinity, who were still striking 41 well above Donnington Bridge, were well away from Jesus, but behind them New College ran into Worcester below the Freewater Stone.
Oriel gained steadily on Pembroke and caught them in the middle of the Gut, while St. Peter's Hall demolished Corpus at the old Free Ferry. Wadham just overlapped St. Edmund Hall in the Gut, but had to go to the New Cut to catch them.
St. Catherine's made a quick bump on Lincoln II in Division III, but it seems unlikely that they will be able to escape from the unenviable position of lowest first boat.
There is promise of many more bumps in the upper strata, but St. John's must now be the only possible danger to Christ Church and this, which would demand a bump each night, seems likely to be beyond them, though they may well finish as runners-up.
There was a light cross-headwind but the sunshine had brought out a fair scattering of summer frocks and even an occasional specimen of that rara avis, the unsuspecting don. Some of the others will doubtless have a rude awakening on Saturday night. [List of Bumps]
Leading Crews Row Over — St. John's halted at last
Although there was quite a nip in the air, the sun shone again when the Summer Eights were resumed at Oxford yesterday. The first four crews rowed over, giving a much better opportunity of judging form. It was clear enough why Christ Church made such short work of St. Edmund Hall on Wednesday. They were rowing two feet longer and with their blades better covered. They were comfortably outside their distance yesterday.St. John's, who, speaking from memory, have only missed one bump in about five years [correct], came to the end of their triumphal climb, at least for the time being. They were a full distance behind Lincoln, who, at the finish, were certainly not down on St. Edmund Hall. Merton fell to Balliol, who should press St. John's today, though they will find them quite a tough nut to crack. Magdalen, with a last-minute substitute in the crew, fell to Keble, who should now catch Merton without much difficulty.
In the second division New College reached the sandwich boat position, and, if they make no mistake over Hertford, they should have a good chance of making a second bump tonight, at the expense of Brasenose. In the whole of this division only two crews rowed over — Hertford and St. Peter's — who were probably unlucky to be robbed of a chance of a bump by a quick bump ahead of them. St. Catherine's made their two bumps yesterday, and should be good for at least one more. [Bumps Chart]
Oxford, ThursdayChrist Church look safe — St. John's fail to catch Lincoln
If anything in sport can be certain, it is certain that Christ Church will stay head of the river this year, for the only possible threat disappeared to-night when St. John's failed to catch Lincoln, and the first four boats rowed over without any apparent likelihood of collision.For those waiting on the barges, this at least provided some spectacle, for previously only in Division IV had more than two boats come through. There have now been 65 bumps, and only four crews have yet to be involved.
The House came through the bridge at 37, and were down to 34 at the Gut, where there were more than two lengths of clear water. This they had stretched to a good three lengths at the finish.
Lincoln, at 37, were within a length of St. Edmund Hall at the Stone, but fell away. It seemed that St. John's, who were here at station distance, began to close slightly on Lincoln on the Green Bank, but his [sic] effort, too, came to nothing.
The Blue, P. C. D. Burnell, emerged briefly from retirement as a substitute at No.3 for Magdalen, but his stamina was not unfairly tested for Keble, with five of his ex-colleagues, only allowed him to go as far as Donnington Bridge.
Brasenose Caught — New College threat
Trinity caught Brasnose early on, leaving Queen's and Hertford to come up in their own time, with greater hopes of success to-morrow, though Hertford will need to hasten if they are to escape New College.Only two second division boats rowed beyond the Freewater Stone. New College had a second quick success when they caught Jesus at the Free Ferry. Oriel bumped Worcester in the Bay, where Pembroke succumbed to Exeter, leaving St. Peter's Hall to thread their way through the wreckage.
Behind them University caught Corpus at the Stone and an incensed St. Catherine's, having earlier overtaken St. Edmund Hall II, emerged into the comparative daylight of Division II, by bumping Wadham just below.
Far from clarifying the situation, a morning re-row between Exeter IV and Corpus III produced a dispute so complex that Corpus failed to appear in time for their race and so forfeited their position. Another re-row is pending between B.N.C. and Exeter's fourth boats, who were piled up under the Bridge. [List of bumps]
No Challenge to Christ Church — Three outstanding eights
With continuous sunshine and the wind shedding some of its Arctic chill, Summer Eights at Oxford almost took on their proper guise. Unless something quite unforeseen happens Christ Church need have no fears that they will be ousted from their position at the Head of the River. Yesterday they had another easy row as St. Edmund Hall were uncomfortably concerned in keeping away from Lincoln, who, in the Gut, were little more than a quarter of a length behind. Along the Green Bank St. Edmund Hall drew away again to be a length ahead at the University Boat House.Yesterday's racing produced a situation for Christ Church which may possibly be a record. Not only was the first boat at the Head of the River but the second boat, by bumping St. Edmund Hall II, became the leading second eight and the third crew, in division four, headed the third eights.
Keble pursued their upward way when they caught Merton before Donnington Bridge, and New College, with a bump on Brasenose, climbed back into division one. They, with Trinity II, Lincoln III and Keble IV have now made four bumps. There was not much excitement for the spectators when the second division came by — or rather did not. With five bumps, all of them in the Gut, the only crews to row through were St. Catherine's and the sandwich boat, Wadham, who followed them at a respectful distance.
Oriel II had bad luck in division three. On Thursday they had made an easy bump on Queen's II. Yesterday number two in the Oriel boat, catching a crab, unwittingly left the boat halfway along the Green Bank and with only seven men rowing Oriel were caught by Queen's near the finishing post. [Bumps Chart]
Oxford, FridayChrist Church draw away — St. Edmund Hall leave Lincoln
Christ Church, looking more impressive every night, again rowed over imperturbably this evening, drawing away as they dropped the rating lower and lower.Their junior boats also did themselves credit. They have three crews on the river and when their second caught St. Edmund Hall II they became the highest second boat, while their third preserved a similar distinction by holding off Balliol III.
In Division I the first five boats rowed over, though it looked for a moment as though Lincoln might catch St. Edmund Hall. They were within one-third length at the Gut and, once on the Green Bank, Davis spurted to 36. But for a second time the Hall managed to draw away.
Balliol left themselves far too much to make up on St. John's and were generally their distance away, but Keble tore into Merton under the Bridge and Queen's overtook Magdalen below the Pink Post.
Quick Return — Oar replaced
New College took 101 sec to return to Division I after a two-year absence, catching Hertford at the Stone. An hour later, though changing a damaged oar on the Minute Gun, they established themselves more firmly by racing into BNC just above Haystacks.For the third successive night Division II produced five bumps. Oriel continued their ascent by catching Jesus in the Bay, while Worcester and Pembroke both lost a third place. Worcester took Exeter to the Long Bridges but Pembroke only held off St. Peter's as far as the Bridge.
There was a reversal of form at the foot for University, quietly fancied to catch St. Peter's, lost ground steadily to Corpus and were bumped back at the bottom of the Green Bank. St. Catherine's and Wadham paraded past the boat-houses well separated.
Oriel II, with every hope of imitating their first boat's bump a night, caught a crab on the Green Bank, which decanted their No.2 into the water. The remaining seven struggled on, but Queen's II made up over three lengths and caught them well up the Barges.
Keble contrast
Fourteen crews have made three or more bumps, including Keble I, II and IV. In contrast, their fifth boat has subsided daily and their sixth brings up the rear of Division VIII with regularity.The wind has gone round over-night, so that it was now following and, with a minimum of stream, conditions were fast. It was somewhat warmer too, but the towpath was still sparsely covered. Bumps were: [...]
Epidemic at Oxford
The Oxford Summer Eights ended with nothing startling to report. Having demoted St. Edmund Hall on the first night, Christ Church remain head with great ease, ending two lengths outside their distance.St. Edmund Hall hardly deserved to stay second, but Lincoln were too erratic in their timing to do more than close the gap to a length.
Keble were the other crew of some class, and by catching Balliol early on they ensured that they never once put in an appearance beyond the Gut. By climing to fifth place they can aspire to go head next year.
Narrow squeaks were had in the Second Division by Pembroke, pursued by Corpus, and by University, pursued by St. Catherine's.
Christ Church II, using the spades now disdained by their first boat, completed their four bumps, but could not make the fifth to get them out of the Third Division.
As Christ Church III stayed put, this college achieved the rare distinction of boating the top first, second and third boats.
New College and Oriel had a gratifying week, but the general standard was moderate and a poker beginning and a tugged finish does seem in danger of becoming something of an epidemic.
Christ Church Row Over at Head — Thoroughly deserved success
It scarcely seemed possible, this year, that there could be four consecutive fine days for Eights Week, but such was the case. A large crowd turned up on Saturday to see Christ Church row over, well outside their distance, at the head of the river, and Keble register their twenty-third bump in eight years. But this, of course, few of them did see, for Keble once again made their bump below the Gut.Christ Church thoroughly deserved their success, the more so, perhaps, because they did not have any exceptional individual talent; to be precise, one Blue and two Trials caps. They were rather rough, but obviously had a good turn of speed. St. Edmund Hall, with a not dissimilar crew, were rather shorter, and about a length slower. Lincoln, owing much to the stroking of C. M. Davis, were in no danger of losing third place.
St. John's, after a bump on the first night, came to a halt after their spectacular rise of 21 places in 21 nights. These sort of statistics, of course, are more interesting than significant, in the sense that they do not really indicate the prolonged period of excellence which the uninformed might imagine. St. John's, for example, were eighth in 1952, before they dropped 17 places in four years. Queen's, who finished seventh, were head in 1957, having then climbed 22 places since 1952. Keble, who finished fifth this year, were lying twenty-eighth in 1955.
An interesting comparison in Eights Week fortunes was provided by Queen's and Balliol. Queen's, falling to Keble on the opening night, were then able to pick off the victims sent down to them, and, with no obvious qualities except exuberance, finished up with one net gain. Balliol, with one of the strongest and best drilled crews on the river, made a bad error of missing St. John's on Friday. They came close on Saturday, but were themselves caught by Keble, and so also finished with one net gain.
Not surprising
It is no disparagement to Christ Church to say that Keble were the outstanding crew, as indeed they had to be with such a galaxy of talent. Only one member of their crew was not either a Blue or an Isis man, and he, A. W. Pengelly, was in the junior Trials and won his place in the Keble crew in competition with D. W. Steel, who very nearly stroked this year's University crew. Keble had length and power, and no obvious weaknesses.New College made their four bumps through being sandwich boat on Friday, but unaccountably failed to catch Trinity who, in turn, could make no impression on Magdalen. Oriel also made four bumps, and St. Catherine's will get another chance to do so today. On Saturday they claimed a bump on University College, which was not conceded, and there is to be a re-row. [in which St. Catherine's gained their bump]
For this to be necessary after the end of Eights Week seems to reflect on the umpiring rather than on the crews. Perhaps it is not surprising, if one can judge by the number of occasions on which the loudspeakers were calling for umpires to report to their posts at the last moment. On Wednesday one young man, apparently unfamiliar with the river, was actually inquiring where the Committee Room — in which he was standing — might be, and who was the chief umpire, to whom he had to report. Perhaps this was a more reasonable inquiry, since no one was present except two members of the press. But it was hardly calculated to create confidence. [Head crew - as below]. [Bumps Chart]
Christ Church Head of River — Revenge over St. Edmund Hall
Christ Church deposed in 1959 by St. Edmund Hall after a five-day tenancy at the Head of the River at Oxford, had an ample revenge on Saturday, when after opening a three-length gap at the Gut they almost doubled it by the finish.Their second boat, by catching Wadham, reached the tail of Division II with a score of four bumps and thereby registered virtually the only success of the spade blade. Hertford and Pembroke, so equipped, both lost three places, and St. John's preferred to describe their equipment as large barrels.
Christ Church owe their success above all to length in the water and their ability to extract the maximum run from their new boat. At no time after they went ahead were they in the remotest danger, and the absence of tension contributed markedly to their improvement. Their crew is: [as below, from The Times, but adding schools].
Speculation as to the result of a race between them and Keble will have to wait until Henley. When they caught Balliol at the Stone, Keble were registering their 19th bump in 20 racing days. They are now within range of the top.
It may sound a little uncharitable, but until Saturday none of the crews they caught was of any real quality and all succumbed within a minute. Henley alone can show how Keble and the House will react to a protracted struggle over seven minutes.
Promising Outlook — 120 bumps made
These two will certainly be Oxford's leading representatives though almost all the first division boats have plans to compete subject, one imagines, to some re-thinking after one or two disastrous weeks.The Cambridge races are still 10 days away and the standard will, as always, reflect the benefit of the additional time thus gained for practice. But on last week's showing, provided that the interim is not too seriously disturbed by the examiners, Oxford will have at least worthy representatives.
Balliol must be distraught that they did not row on Friday as they did on Saturday. They were within a quarter of a length of St. John's when Keble caught them. University and St. Catherine's have to re-row to-day. In all 120 bumps were registered in a week which at least gave promise of better things in Oxford rowing. Saturday's Bumps [...]
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