Eights 1968

BUMPS CHARTS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 S.E.H. 195 183 S.E.H. 2 Keble 155 148 Keble 3 Christ Church 131 139 Christ Church 4 Merton 119 127 Oriel 5 Oriel 118 113 Merton 6 St John's 111 109 Balliol 7 Balliol 108 102 St John's 8 Lincoln 96 101 University 9 New College 94 97 New College 10 University 93 91 Lincoln 11 Queen's 88 87 Queen's 12 Worcester 81 87 Brasenose 13 Brasenose 80 77 Worcester 14 Exeter 76 72 Exeter 15 Pembroke 70 66 Magdalen 16 Magdalen 67 63 Pembroke 17 Trinity 57 63 St Catherine's 18 St Catherine's 54 54 Jesus 19 Hertford 52 54 Trinity 20 Jesus 49 53 Hertford 21 Wadham 45 48 Wadham 22 St Peter's 41 45 St Peter's 23 Corpus Christi 41 40 Corpus Christi 24 Mansfield 5 6 Mansfield 25 Osler House 1 2 Osler House

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg Christ Church 6[ 2] 15[ 1] 2.50[ 4] St Catherine's 3[14] 8[ 2] 2.67[ 2] Brasenose 3[14] 8[ 2] 2.67[ 2] Oriel 6[ 2] 8[ 2] 1.33[ 8] Wadham 3[14] 7[ 5] 2.33[ 5] Osler House 1[25] 6[ 6] 6.00[ 1] St Peter's 3[14] 6[ 6] 2.00[ 6] Hertford 4[ 7] 6[ 6] 1.50[ 7] New College 3[14] 3[ 9] 1.00[ 9] Jesus 4[ 7] 3[ 9] 0.75[10] Lincoln 4[ 7] 3[ 9] 0.75[10] Merton 3[14] 2[12] 0.67[12] Queen's 3[14] 1[13] 0.33[13] Corpus Christi 3[14] 0[14] 0.00[14] Mansfield 2[24] -1[15] -0.50[15] Exeter 3[14] -3[16] -1.00[16] University 5[ 5] -5[17] -1.00[16] Pembroke 4[ 7] -5[17] -1.25[19] Keble 6[ 2] -6[19] -1.00[16] St John's 4[ 7] -6[19] -1.50[21] Balliol 5[ 5] -7[21] -1.40[20] Magdalen 4[ 7] -9[22] -2.25[23] Trinity 3[14] -9[22] -3.00[24] Worcester 4[ 7] -12[24] -3.00[24] S.E.H. 7[ 1] -13[25] -1.86[22]

Notes

• Wed 29 May – Sat 1 June 1968
• Reduced from 9 to 8 divisions.
• Division times: 1:05, 1:35, 2:15, 3:00, 3:45, 4:30, 5:15 and 6:00pm.
• First appearance of Osler House

• The Times Wed 29 May, by Douglas Calder

  Keble should hold off threat

  Amid the proper clamour of guns and bells Keble today begin their struggle to preserve their place at the head of the river in the Oxford Summer Eights. Last year Keble bumped St. Edmund Hall out of first place on the final day of racing in one of the most exciting races for many years. This year it is the turn of the vanquished to challenge the victors and it is anyone's guess who will be supreme when racing finishes on Saturday.

  If names are anything to go by then Keble should have the edge. David Thomson, who rowed in last year's race and who has since won a Blue, is rowing at seven this week. Behind him is Simon Willder, who rowed in the London University crew which won the Grand at Henley in 1963 and who is now doing research at Oxford.

  St. Edmund Hall have no such stars, but they have been coached by John Bockstoce and will no doubt display the will to win which has been their hallmark in recent years.

  One thing is certain. There is no other crew which will be able to challenge either St. Edmund Hall or Keble. Unlike Torpids, the Summer Eights are still a straightforward bumping race. In four days of racing only one of the first five crews can expect to bump their way to the head of the river.

  Although Merton and Christ Church, who start third and fifth respectively, are well drilled they are still not in the same class as St. Edmund Hall and Keble.

  In fact only New College could offer a serious challenge. With Dan Topolski, a blue, at seven and Jim Preston from Yale at six, they are reported to have given both Keble and St. Edmund Hall some nasty scares in practice. But they start eighth and the most they can reasonably hope for is to finish fourth.

  Balliol, who have been coached by Jonathan Hawksley, are respectable, as expected after their performance in Torpids, and they should give New College a good run for their money today.

  Of the rest, both Trinity and Jesus have markedly improved. They are both well down in the second division and should rise rapidly. Unfortunately for one of them they are in adjacent positions today, so one of them must be robbed of their full quota of four bumps, unless they can score some overbumps. [Start order]

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 29 May, by Desmond Hill

  Keble to stay ahead

  Though the continuation of the University squad reduces their significance as Henley pointers, the Oxford Eights, which start today, are at last showing signs of learning to live with their problem. The overall standard is higher than for some years.

  Keble went ahead on the last night last year, and if they are not so star-studded as they were then, they may still be good enough to resist St. Edmund Hall. Both are well drilled and powerful, even if Keble do not have last year's searing early pace.

  Merton have done well with limited material and behind them Oriel, Christ Church and St. John's look adequate and hard-working.

  Racing from 1.5 p.m. to 6, ending Saturday. Order of start: [...]

• The Times Thu 30 May, by Douglas Calder

  Keble under pressure all the way

  Keble kept their place at the head of the river on the first day of the Oxford Summer Eights yesterday. Although they were never in any real danger of being caught by St. Edmund Hall they were nevertheless under pressure all the way.

  Peter Wingfield took Keble off at 43 but they were soon down to 38. As the crews entered the Gut St. Edmund Hall, striking 37, were only one length away. At this stage Merton were excelling themselves, being only half a length away from St. Edmund Hall At Tim's Boathouse a hopeful gun fired for Merton but to no avail. Oriel, too, have closed on Merton,

  Passing the O.U.B.C. St. Edmund Hall. had closed to half a length on Keble, but neither they nor anyone else looked capable of the devastating spurt required to succeed. New College illustrated this point nicely. They closed to within a canvas on Balliol at Tim's Boathouse and there they remained all the way home.

  Further down in the first division chaos prevailed. Very early on Brasenose decided they had already bumped Lincoln and stopped. No-one saw the bump and none was in fact allowed. University, behind, clashed with Brasenose and then swept by claiming the bump. After prolonged discussion a re-row was ordered for Lincoln, Brasenose and University.

  In this re-row Brasenose caught Lincoln, before the Gut, so scoring the only bump of the day in the first division. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 30 May, by Desmond Hill

  Keble get a late fright, but they should survive

  There was not one allowed bump in the First Division when the Oxford Eights started yesterday, but so many near misses that any one of the first four crews could well finish Head on Saturday night, though the odds must be a shade in favour of Keble's surviving.

  Keble, who had transposed D. G. C. Thomson and J. M. Duncan overnight, had a length to spare from St. Edmund Hall at the Freshwater Stone, but fell back along the Green Bank and were in very real danger in the last two minutes.

  Merton were snapping at the Hall's rudder, and were themselves seriously threatened by Oriel. Balliol were almost overlapped by New College, but escaped. There was then a great gap until the arrival of Queen's, but the next three places caused a major dispute.

  Brasenose claimed to have caught Lincoln at the Free Ferry, and stopped rowing. Lincoln made no acknowledgement and struggled on to the O.U.B.C. where they were then hit by University, who had already made a technical bump by passing Brasenose.

  Justice Done — Lincoln struck

  There was some doubt whether the ordered re-row could occur, as Brasenose had lost their rudder, but, after hasty repairs, justice was done and Lincoln were struck fair and square. All the same, one cannot but sympathise for University.

  In contrast, there was wholesale carnage in the Second Division, only two boats reaching the finish. Exeter, Hall II and Worcester were separated by quarter-lengths at the Long Bridges, but Worcester made their bump at the Pink Post just in time to save extra [sic]

  Magdalen caught Pembroke at the same place to register their first success for five years. Trinity succumbed to Jesus on the Green Bank, while Wadham and St. Peter's both had early successes. St. Peter's thus emerging from the obscurity of Division III.

  Queen's II climbed out of Division IV and then made an over-bump in Division III, as, indeed, they should have then, including, as they do, the American Isis cap, B. McLucas.

  The Medicals' Osler House marked their first appearance in the charts with an over-bump in Division VIII and the other comparative newcomers, Mansfield, rose to the dizzy eminence of 66th place by catching University IV.

  The day was noteworthy in that there was only one major pile-up involving a re-row in Division VII after Corpus III had blocked the river. Trinity III forfeited a place here for failing to be attached to their bungline at the start, claiming they were delayed by a launch. [List of Bumps]

• The Times Fri 31 May, by Douglas Calder

  Keble just keep in front

  Keble just survived at the head of the Oxford Summer Eights yesterday by the narrowest of margins — about four feet. Since they are reputed to be short of training together they must now be having serious doubts as to whether they can remain head when racing finishes tomorrow.

  Keble started at 44 then dropped to 36, and maintained that rate of striking the whole way over. At Tim's Boathouse St. Edmund Hall, also striking 36, were a good length away. But up the Green Bank St. Edmund Hall quickened and began to close the gap slowly but surely.

  Keble continued at 36 and past the St. Edmund Hall boathouse, no doubt encouraged by huge cheers from the partisan crowds, St. Edmund Hall spurted hard. The gap closed, the guns began to fire, but all to no avail. Keble just scrambled home, no doubt to their immense relief.

  After Wednesday's paucity of bumps in the first division, the crowds were treated to quite a feast yesterday right in front of their noses. Having closed fast on Merton in the early stages, Oriel managed to summon up the necessary spurt and caught Merton at the Pink Post. Since Merton had closed on St. Edmund Hall Oriel, theoretically, are in with a chance of gaining the headship tomorrow. But to do so they will have to catch St. Edmund Hall today, and they are notoriously hard to bump.

  After their belated success on Wednesday Brasenose decided not to retire from their labours too soon yesterday. Perseverance brought its just reward when they scored a second success, this time over Queen's right in front of all the spectators at the O.U.B.C. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 31 May, by Desmond Hill

  Oriel move up and prepare to pounce on Hall

  Keble again survived Head of the Oxford Eights yesterday afternoon, and it now appears that the destination of the title must await the last race on Saturday night. On form so far Oriel have a fair chance of deposing Keble.

  At the Long Bridge [sic], Keble had a length to spare, while Merton were half a length behind St. Edmund Hall. Oriel were even closer to Merton, and made their bump at the Pink Post, by which time the Hall had stretched their lead to over a length.

  The Hall were closing on Keble all the way from Tims, and were within four feet at the finish. Oriel may find them a stiffer hurdle today than Keble will be on Saturday.

  New College nearest

  Contact between the next three boats never looked remotely possible, but New College were within a quarter of a length of Balliol for four minutes without being able to clinch it. Queen's took Brasenose to the Cherwell, but Lincoln succumbed quickly to University.

  There were further desperate deeds in Division II. Exeter crossed the Gut, with Worcester only feet away, yet survived, while Magdalen made up nearly a length on the Green Bank to catch Hall II. Jesus took three unsuccessful shots at St. Catherine's, only to drive the latter on to Pembroke.

  The next four boats rowed over well-spaced, but are likely to have their tranquillity disturbed by St. Peter's, who have yet to go beyond the Gut. Mansfield, Osler House and Queen's II continued their ascent, the last-named having now gained six places in two days. [List of Bumps]

• The Times Sat 1 June, by Douglas Calder

  Keble hang on again

  Keble can congratulate themselves on hanging on to first place in the Oxford Summer Eights yesterday in one of the most exciting races for many years. St. Edmund Hall were only 6ft. away from them at the bottom of the Green Bank, but Peter Wingfield, stroking Keble, kept his head and they just managed to save their skins.

  The first three crews gave us a fascinating race. For Oriel, starting third, it was do or die if they were to aim for the top. Perhaps the best drilled college crew on the Isis, they are fast off the start but with not a single man above 12 stone they lack the staying power of some of their more experienced rivals.

  St. Edmund Hall were in a cleft-stick, knowing that Oriel would be after their blood. The three leading crews went off at something approaching 44 and at Long Bridges they had all closed on each other. Keble were only 10ft. clear of St. Edmund Hall and Oriel only a canvas behind. If either St. Edmund Hall or Oriel could have given an electrifying spurt at this moment either of them could have secured the headship there and then.

  But Keble clung on and, at 37 to St. Edmund Hall's 39, if anything they drew away as they raced to the finish. It was undoubtedly the turning point of the week's racing. Both St. Edmund Hall and Oriel had their moment of truth at the Long Bridges when either of them should have been able to go in for the kill. They were both found wanting, and left Keble to prove to themselves that they could survive once more. If they can do it three times albeit by the skin of their teeth, they can do it again today. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Sat 1 June, by Desmond Hill

  Keble home in on close finish

  After one of the most exciting races seen in the Oxford Eights, Keble staggered home at the head by a canvas from St. Edmund Hall, who were themselves only one foot clear of Oriel.

  The intervals barely changed in the last three minutes. The Hall owe their survival to an inspired change to a Fin rudder. Had they kept their old, orthodox type they could not have escaped.

  Merton rather surprisingly fell for a second time, being caught by Christ Church above Donnington Bridge, while New College scared Balliol to such an extent that they forced them to within a canvas of St. John's. University caught Lincoln in The Gut.

  Narrow Shaves — All survive

  Exeter, Trinity and Hertford had close shaves in the Second Division, but all survived. While Exeter and Worcester fought out their battle at 38, St. Peter's could raise no more than 32 on the Green Bank. Bumps: [...]

• The Sunday Telegraph Sun 2 June

  Keble are Head

  Keble retained their Head of the River position in the Oxford University Eights yesterday. They finished three-quarters of a length ahead of St. Edmund Hall, who had half a length to spare over Oriel. Order of finish: [...]

• The Times Mon 3 June, by Cedric Venables

  Keble hold top place

  For the fourth and final time Keble had a tense struggle with St. Edmund Hall for the Head of the River in Oxford's Summer Eights on Saturday, but, by a third of a length, held their place for the second year. It was only by the same distance that St. Edmund Hall escaped being bumped by Oriel.

  A rare happening enlivened the Fourth Division. Christ Church III made a double overbump on Exeter II to take themselves to the top of the division and then finished a good day's work with a bump on Pembroke II at the bottom of Division III. [Bumps Chart]

  The complete bumps chart published on Mon 3 June omitted the bump by Pembroke III on Queen's III. A correction was published on 12 June.
• The Daily Telegraph Mon 3 June, by Desmond Hill

  Relieved Keble Scramble Home by 15 Feet

  Keble, scrambling home by about 15ft from St. Edmund Hall, retained the Headship when the Oxford Eights ended on Saturday, with Oriel a similar distance behind the Hall. Few winners can have toasted their good fortune with such heartfelt relief.

  So the twin paradoxes of the First Division continued to the end — desperately close racing with nothing to show for it on the charts and the fastest crew finishing only third while the winners were clearly only third best.

  I doubt, somehow, that we shall see any demonstrations against the iniquities of the system, for the sad fact must be faced that the significance of Eights continues to wane and a good time is generally had by all, regardless.

  The virtually novice Oriel crew earned universal sympathy. At 11st 6lb they just lacked the horse-power to apply the coup de grace. I believe they may be rewarded by carrying Oxford second colours at the British Universities Championships over 1,500 metres on June 26.

  The sole First Division bumps were when Balliol caught St. John's at the fourth attempt and when University demoted Brasenose. No first boat scored its full quota, but Christ Church III made history on Saturday with a double over-bump followed by another success as sandwich-boat. [Head crew — as below]. [List of Bumps & Finish Order]

• In other news ... [1968]

  Wed May 29

  Manchester United wins the European Cup Final, becoming the first English team to do so.

  Thu May 30

  Bobby Unser wins the Indianapolis 500.

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