Eights 1977

MEN'S BUMPS WOMEN'S BUMPS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Christ Church 222 209 Christ Church 2 Oriel 214 204 Oriel 3 Keble 188 198 Keble 4 University 185 190 S.E.H. 5 S.E.H. 182 180 Balliol 6 Balliol 174 173 University 7 Wadham 145 145 Wadham 8 Magdalen 130 139 New College 9 Lincoln 128 133 Lincoln 10 St John's 127 127 Exeter 11 New College 126 125 Merton 12 Merton 122 120 Pembroke 13 Pembroke 119 114 St John's 14 Exeter 115 111 Magdalen 15 Queen's 111 105 Worcester 16 Worcester 109 103 Queen's 17 Jesus 92 93 St Catherine's 18 Brasenose 89 90 St Peter's 19 St Peter's 87 87 Corpus Christi 20 Corpus Christi 83 86 Jesus 21 St Catherine's 83 84 Brasenose 22 Trinity 77 82 Trinity 23 Hertford 66 64 Hertford 24 Osler House 49 57 Osler House 25 Wolfson 42 40 Wolfson 26 Mansfield 22 24 Mansfield 27 L.M.H. 10 13 L.M.H. 28 St Hugh's 8 7 St Hugh's 29 Somerville 6 6 Regent's Park 30 Regent's Park 6 6 Linacre 31 Linacre 5 5 Somerville 32 St Hilda's 3 4 St Hilda's 33 St Anne's 1 2 St Anne's 34 St Benet's Hall 1 1 St Benet's Hall

STATISTICS College All Crews Men's Crews Women's Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg Osler House 3[21] 11[ 1] 3.67[ 2] 3[20] 11[ 1] 3.67[ 2] Exeter 4[14] 11[ 1] 2.75[ 3] 4[12] 11[ 1] 2.75[ 3] Keble 7[ 2] 11[ 1] 1.57[ 7] 7[ 2] 11[ 1] 1.57[ 6] St Catherine's 6[ 5] 9[ 4] 1.50[ 8] 4[12] 6[ 5] 1.50[ 7] 2[ 1] 3[ 1] 1.50[ 3] New College 3[21] 8[ 5] 2.67[ 4] 3[20] 8[ 4] 2.67[ 4] St Peter's 4[14] 5[ 6] 1.25[10] 4[12] 5[ 6] 1.25[ 9] Balliol 5[10] 5[ 6] 1.00[11] 5[ 7] 5[ 6] 1.00[10] St Benet's Hall 1[29] 4[ 8] 4.00[ 1] 1[28] 4[ 8] 4.00[ 1] Trinity 3[21] 4[ 8] 1.33[ 9] 3[20] 4[ 8] 1.33[ 8] Queen's 4[14] 3[10] 0.75[15] 4[12] 3[10] 0.75[12] St Anne's 1[29] 2[11] 2.00[ 5] 1[ 4] 2[ 2] 2.00[ 1] Regent's Park 1[29] 2[11] 2.00[ 5] 1[28] 2[11] 2.00[ 5] Linacre 2[26] 2[11] 1.00[11] 2[26] 2[11] 1.00[10] Lincoln 4[14] 2[11] 0.50[16] 4[12] 2[11] 0.50[13] St Hilda's 1[29] 1[15] 1.00[11] 1[ 4] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] L.M.H. 1[29] 1[15] 1.00[11] 1[ 4] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] Mansfield 2[26] 1[15] 0.50[16] 2[26] 1[14] 0.50[13] Wolfson 4[14] 0[18] 0.00[18] 3[20] 1[14] 0.33[15] 1[ 4] -1[ 6] -1.00[ 6] Corpus Christi 3[21] 0[18] 0.00[18] 3[20] 0[16] 0.00[16] Merton 4[14] 0[18] 0.00[18] 4[12] 0[16] 0.00[16] Worcester 6[ 5] -1[21] -0.17[21] 6[ 4] -1[18] -0.17[18] St Hugh's 1[29] -1[21] -1.00[25] 1[ 4] -1[ 6] -1.00[ 6] Somerville 2[26] -2[23] -1.00[25] 2[ 1] -2[ 8] -1.00[ 6] S.E.H. 6[ 5] -3[24] -0.50[22] 6[ 4] -3[20] -0.50[20] University 8[ 1] -4[25] -0.50[22] 8[ 1] -4[21] -0.50[20] Wadham 7[ 2] -4[25] -0.57[24] 5[ 7] -1[18] -0.20[19] 2[ 1] -3[10] -1.50[ 9] Pembroke 6[ 5] -6[27] -1.00[25] 6[ 4] -6[22] -1.00[22] Brasenose 3[21] -6[27] -2.00[32] 3[20] -6[22] -2.00[26] Oriel 7[ 2] -7[29] -1.00[25] 7[ 2] -7[25] -1.00[22] Jesus 5[10] -8[30] -1.60[29] 4[12] -6[22] -1.50[24] 1[ 4] -2[ 8] -2.00[10] St John's 5[10] -8[30] -1.60[29] 5[ 7] -8[26] -1.60[25] Hertford 6[ 5] -10[32] -1.67[31] 5[ 7] -12[28] -2.40[27] 1[ 4] 2[ 2] 2.00[ 1] Magdalen 4[14] -10[32] -2.50[34] 4[12] -10[27] -2.50[29] Christ Church 5[10] -12[34] -2.40[33] 5[ 7] -12[28] -2.40[27]

Notes

• Wed 25 – Sat 28 May 1977
• Division times: M10 12:15, M9 12:50, M8 1:25, M7 2:00, M6 2:35, W1 3:25, M5 4:00, M4 4:55, M3 5:10, M2 5:45 and M1 6:20
• First appearance in Eights of St Anne's and St Benet's Hall.

• The Times Wed 25 May, by Jim Railton

  Life could be tough at the top for Oriel

  Oriel, who gained the Head title last year, in the Oxford Summer Eights, may find it tough at the top in their defence, which starts today. Keble should, with four Blues — Wiggins (stroke), Moran, Mason and Money-Coutts — be the fastest crew. But the question is whether Keble are fast enough to make up the starting difference between themselves and Oriel over the contest.

  Oriel have two Blues in their boat — Wright and Beak, and two Isis oarsmen. But Oriel's bow four was judged to be the stronger over Keble's in the recent Wallingford Regatta. Oriel will be out to prove that a crew is only as strong as its weakest link. The performance of the two respective bow fours in their eights may well determine the outcome. Starting order: [...]

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 25 May, by Desmond Hill

  Keble look ready

  With four of this year's blues in the stern, Keble should in all conscience overhaul the head crew, Oriel, who have Beak, Wright and two Isis caps, when Oxford's Summer Eights start this afternoon. But it is far from a racing certainty.

  Nor, despite popular opinion, can Christ Church be wholly written off. With last year's outstanding American blue, Brown, at No.6, and stroked by Baird, they have as much polish as any. The issue assuredly lies between these three.

  The Keble blue, Crispin Money-Coutts, rowing at No.5 with Mason, Moran and Wiggins in front of him, will be chasing his younger brother [G. Money-Coutts], an Eton freshman, who was at No.4 for Oriel.

  Lots of blues

  With the new president Andy Michelmore, at No.7 for New College and an American, Shealey, rowing part-time for University, it is good to see so many blues participating. They are also in full training for the Oxford University boat, which is aiming for the Henley Grand. Starting Order [...]

• The Times Thu 26 May, by Jim Railton

  Keble take over at the top from Oriel

  Keble, with four Blues on board, overhauled the head crew, Oriel, on the opening day of the Oxford summer eights. Keble made ground steadily, swung wide down the finishing straight and coolly registered their claim at the beginning of the boat houses.

  Other gains in the first division were made by St Edmund Hall on Magdalen, with Wadham taking St John's. The latter's bump led to an obstruction on the river leading to heated disputes among the tail crews in the division. Sadly, the last boat in the division, Merton, in taking avoiding action, went into the bank and their bowman, Nicholas, was injured after a branch of a willow tree struck him across the back.

  [Bumps Chart] Note: Lincoln, New College, Worcester and Merton are re-rowing today in division one, as are Somerville, St Anne's and St Catherine's in the women's division.

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 26 May, by Desmond Hill

  Talented Keble makes flying start

  Keble's talent-laden first eight, having removed Oriel from the Headship when the three [sic] Oxford Summer Eights began yesterday, can safely order their bump supper for Saturday night. Oriel's resistance ended opposite the New Cut.

  Oriel were not attached to their bungline at the starting gun, but held their interval until the Free Ferry, so they might conceivably reverse this result, though it looks improbable.

  Keble, generally one stroke lower, were inside half a length at the Stone but on emerging from the Gut there were only six feet between them and the end was in sight. Christ Church must have been three lengths back at the time.

  Balliol scared University without touching them while St Edmund Hall caught Magdalen on the green bank. Wadham's bump on St John's in the Gut produced a major pile-up, requiring a noon re-row today.

  The lower divisions were enlivened by an overbump in Division VIII by Queen's IV, newly-arrived from Division IX, a still-unresolved dispute among the last three boats after obstruction in the girls' division and the threatened intervention of a protesting canoeist.

  This worthy, who resents the change in the rule of the river during the races, rammed various crews last year and has already holed one during practice.

  The two second boats in Division II lost places in the early stages and the excitement centred on Corpus' successful efforts to escape Trinity. Their pursuers crabbed when about to make contact and at the second attempt steered into the O U B C rafts. [List of bumps]

• The Times Fri 27 May, by Jim Railton

  Vicious combat promised

  Interest at the top of Division 1 on the second day of the Oxford Summer Eights yesterday centred on third-placed Christ Church and their challenge on Oriel, who were dethroned by Keble on the opening day. The House crew with two Blues — Baird and the American international Brown — came within half a length of Oriel but just lacked the pace for promotion. There promises to be again a particularly vicious combat between these two crews today. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 27 May, by Desmond Hill

  Keble out on their own

  The die is now cast at the head of the Oxford Summer Eights, and some undisclosed catastrophe will be required to disturb the first three boats. Keble, leading the field, were three lengths clear of Oriel by halfway.

  Christ Church closed slightly on Oriel, but without presenting a serious threat, and there was an enormous gap back to University when the latter were caught by Balliol at the Pink Post. Wadham overhauled Magdalen above the Long Bridges.

  New College made short work of St John's for their second success of the day, but Merton failed to make contact with Lincoln, though they were closing the gap all the way from the Gut to the finish.

  Justice appeared to be done in the women's re-row at 7.45 a.m., as Somerville II went down again at tea-time. There were two other ladies' bumps and unavailing requests for a re-row by some crews who found the crosswind tiresome.

  In the First Division re-row, Lincoln were again caught by New College and this time it counted. Merton, with a substitute for their bow, injured in Wednesday's pile-up, bumped Worcester, who later subsided again. [List of bumps]

• The Times Sat 28 May, by Jim Railton

  Keble should hold off challenge

  There was no change at the top of division 1 of the Oxford Summer Eights yesterday with the leading four crews, Keble, Oriel, Christ Church and Balliol all rowing over. Christ Church's challenge on Oriel for second place faded rather dramatically in the finishing straight. Early on they closed considerably. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Sat 28 May, by Desmond Hill

  No trouble for Keble

  With Keble, who were far from full pressure, heading the procession, the first four boats came up at steadily increasing intervals on the third night of the Oxford Summer Eights. The excitement came later.

  St Edmund Hall caught University at Tims and, failing to take evasive action, forced a huge detour for Wadham, fortunately with no adverse result, for the four boats following had already exchanged places.

  New College demolished Magdalen below Donnington Bridge and Lincoln hastened St John's continuing descent before the Gap [sic, Gut presumably]. Exeter, the sandwich boat, staked all on an early bump but Merton, though over-lapped, then pulled right away.

  There was widespread carnage in Division II in which Worcester checked their fall by keeping within their distance of Exeter.

  Wadham came off the head of the Ladies Division but had every expectation of a swift return for their bow's oar flew out of the swivel when within sight of the finish. They were well clear of L M H at the time. [List of bumps]

• The Times Mon 30 May, by Jim Railton

  Keble again stamp authority

  The first six crews in division 1 rowed over on the final day of the Oxford Summer Eights on Saturday. Keble, who went ahead [sic] on the first day of the competition, with four blues on board, once again stamped their authority on the competition with an outstanding row before what must have been a near record crowd in carnival mood on a brilliant sunny day.

  The overall standard of rowing at Oxford is presently high. This belle epoque is likely to be demonstrated when the Oxford University Boat Club now re-form and compete at Reading, Marlow and Nottingham before making their attempt on the Grand at Henley in July. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 30 May, by Desmond Hill

  Keble just coast home

  Keble, striking no more than 32, came home four lengths clear when the Oxford Summer Eights ended on Saturday, but there was more than enough incident behind them to excite the enormous crowd.

  Oriel, deposed on the Wednesday, had less than a length to spare from Christ Church, while St Edmund Hall were within half a length of Balliol. New College, seeking their fourth bump, seemed to have left it too late as Wadham, ahead of them, overlapped University off the boat houses.

  New College, with OUBC president Andy Michelmore at number seven, were not to be denied and scored in the first attempt, while Wadham still had their unavailing overlap. St John's and Magdalen both subsided, for the fourth time, around Donnington Bridge.

  Pembroke, St Peter's and Osler House all scored a maximum, Osler leaving it to the latest possible moment. The Wadham girls' attempt to recover the Women's Division headship failed by more than two lengths. [Head crews: as below] [List of Bumps]

• In other news ... [1977]

  Wed May 25

  George Lucas's Star Wars opens in cinemas and becomes the highest-grossing film of its time.

  Thu May 26

  George Willig climbs the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

  Fri May 27

  Elizabeth II opens the new Air Terminal Building at the Edinburgh Airport.

  Fri May 27

  The 1977 Aeroflot Ilyushin 62 airplane crash in Cuba kills 69 people.

  Fri May 27

  Space Mountain opens at Disneyland and to this day remains as one of the park's most popular attractions.

  Fri May 27

  A demonstration and coup attempt in Angola takes place. Afterward thousands were killed by the government and Cuban forces.

  Sat May 28

  The Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, is engulfed in fire; 165 are killed inside.

Lady Margaret Hall
B:	M. Roche
2:	S. Jones
3:	R. Slator
4:	T. Phillips
5:	M. Fyson
6:	S. Wookey
7:	J. Ryan
S:	G. Gilchrist
C:	A. Sallace

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