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Oriel face challenge
The first day of the Oxford University Summer Eights on the Isis today could prove crucial for the head crews, Oriel and Somerville. Oriel's Leander-based training has been interrupted by the absence of crew members with the British squad and they face a stiff challenge from an excellent Pembroke eight stroked by Jo Michels. Somerville lack their former superiority, but Osler House, looking best among the women's crews, need to bump every day to reach the headship and may find their progress held up by a Pembroke bump on University, whose Torpid performed poorly.
Oriel tipped again
Oriel and Somerville, the main forces in men's and women's Oxford college rowing in recent years, are likely to be in charge once again in the Oxford Summer Eights, which start today.Oriel had been Head of the River for many years when they suffered a brief demotion through equipment failure [?] in 1985. By 1987 they were back on top, only to be deposed again in 1990 by University, who had last been Head in 1914.
Oriel also went down to Christ Church that year and, though they recovered second place in 1991, University held on the the Headship until Oriel took over again on the first day last year.
University start third today and, having made three bumps in the Torpids last term, may well challenge Oriel again if they can overcome Pembroke, who start in second place. Pembroke were one of University's victims in the Torpids and the odds are on them being caught again.
However Oriel dominated last term's Torpids and, despite having no Blues for the first time in some years in the Boat Race crew this year, it will be a surprise if they do not lead their opponents home on Saturday.
Somerville also had no-one in this year's women's Boat Race crew but recently they have enjoyed the same dominance over the women's crews as Oriel have had over the men's.
They have been looking stronger than ever and are unlikely to be threatened this week. It is hard to see any crew emerging to prevent them from retaining the Headship which they have held since deposing Osler House in 1990. [Starting Order]
Heavy rains threaten Oxford eights
Competition on the second day of Oxford University Summer Eights today could be restricted to senior crews because of heavy rainfall (a Special Correspondent writes).Before the last five divisions were rowed yesterday the National Rivers Authority informed officials that 70mm of rain had fallen in an hour in the Cotswold catchment area and advised no further navigation with the river rising.
The senior umpire, Adrian Smith, decided to continue, as the crews still to row were first eights and experienced enough to cope with the conditions, but he said that the situation would be reviewed this morning.
In the men's and women's top divisions Oriel and Somerville finished five lengths clear of Pembroke and Brasenose [List of Bumps]
Oriel easily retain Oxford Headship
Despite the acquisition of former University Boat Club president Joe Michaels [Michels] to lead their Oxford Headship challenge, Pembroke's proximity to Oriel inexorably diminished along the Green Bank and Oriel finished head of the Summer Eights by more than four lengths.Powerful, but lacking refinement, University College fell back in Pembroke's wake and crossed the line two lengths ahead of Christ Church.
Magdalen threatened Brasenose to the last stroke, but Keble's performance as sandwich boat in dislodging Jesus at the bottom of Division One was the only change to the starting order of the first 19 crews in the men's races.
In contrast, only four crews rowed over among the first 16 women's eights. Somerville held off Brasenose at the head but St Hilda's, Oriel, Wadham and Pembroke bumped up in swift succession.
Balliol III scored a rare four-place advancement by taking Oriel IV at the head of men's Division Six and then, as sandwich boat overbumping Trinity II after LMH II had caught Christ Church III.
St Benet's and Templeton made progress from their new toehold in the starting order and Manchester College rowed over ahead of St Antony's towards the end of the women's crews.
The last half of the day's racing was conducted in the shadow of strong advice to cancel from the National Rivers Authority's local inspector as the stream speed increased after torrential rain in the Cotswolds.
At that time novice crews were already off the water and further racing took place without mishap. However, overnight deterioration in river conditions may make some restriction to today's programme unavoidable. [List of Bumps]
Top crews defy conditions
Although the Isis was on red alert, the National Rivers Authority reluctantly allowed the top six divisions of Oxford University Summer Eights to be rowed yesterday (a Special Correspondent writes).The fast stream ruled out the lower divisions from racing, but the river dropped during the day and a full complement may be able to take part today.
The organisers moved up the bung lines three places and ordered crews to spin above Haystacks to keep the boats well clear of the weirs.
The main confusion was the starting gun in the men's fourth division being fired 20 seconds early. It caught crews in various stages of preparedness, but the bumps made were allowed to stand.
Oriel and Somerville were again unchallenged in the men's and women's top division. Pembroke were one of five crews making bumps in the women's race and today start behind Somerville.
In the men's first division the top six crews all rowed over. Behind them Worcester continued their climb from ninth place with their second successive bump, on St John's.
New College, Worcester's victims on the opening day, fell back further when they were caught by Brasenose.
Wadham moved to the top of the second division by bumping Jesus, who started in the first division, and Trinity maintained their climb from the third. [List of Bumps]
Oriel and Somerville retained their head positions on the second day of Oxford summer eights, writes John Allen.In the men's races Worcester overlapped St John's and Brasenose resolved the compression of the tail of the First Division by catching New College. [List of Bumps]
Somerville and Oriel do well in fast lane
The third day of Oxford University Summer Eights was again restricted to the top four men's and two women's divisions because of a high and fast running stream on the Isis yesterday (a Correspondent writes).It peaked at 10am which would have made conditions too risky for the less experienced crews, but officials are confident the full 13 divisions will be rowed today.
Generally crews have complied with umpires' orders on the stretches where the boats could safely spin, but they were ignored by New College and Keble, both fined £100.
Somerville, in the women's first division, finished four lengths clear of Pembroke, who will be challenged by Osler House today. Osler caught Brasenose, who were fined for late acknowledgement by their cox, and they are expected to make further progress with a third bump.
Oriel were in a class of their own at the head of the men's top division. The first five crews rowed over, but lower down Worcester, Brasenose and Magdalen made bumps. [List of Bumps]
The domination of Oriel and Somerville by [sic] their respective divisions in the Oxford Summer Eights continued without serious challenge. [List of Bumps]
Top crews hang on to their prizes
The four-day Oxford University Summer Eights ended on Saturday with the competition back to 13 divisions and Oriel and Somerville retaining the Headship of the men's and women's first divisions.Neither crew was put to the test and the event developed into a contest for second place. In the men's top division, the first five places never changed, but there was some movement in the women's first division.
Osler House, starting in fifth place on Wednesday, bumped Pembroke to finish behind Somerville, but their failure to make progress on the first day ruined their chance of challenging the leaders.
The decision of the organisers to continue racing on Thursday and Friday while river conditions were tricky, due to torrential rain in the Cotswolds, was justified. Safety precautions on the fast stream were enforced. [List of Bumps]
Somerville and Oriel win again
After two days when both course and programme were shortened in deference to a strong stream, there was a return to normality for the last day of the Oxford Summer Eights on Saturday.Nothing that occurred in the intermission threatened the continued supremacy of Oriel and Somerville, who retained their Head positions without any evident loss of form.
Indeed, the first five men's boats rowed over into 1994 in the sequence Oriel, Pembroke, University, Christ Church and St Edmund Hall which was established in mid-1992.
Oriel, not particularly impressive by the college's own high standard, were well clear of Pembroke as they rowed to the finish, but University's assault continued to the end where St Edmund Hall, in fifth place, were arguably the most attractive crew.
St Peter's made their fourth bump, an achievement equalled in the men's divisions only by Pembroke 2 and the highly experienced Doctors' Eight, rowing as Osler 2, who demoted their own first crew to the bottom of Division Three.
Oriel, St Catherine's and Jesus [women's 1st VIIIs] won their blades. [List of Bumps] [Finishing Order]
Oriel's men and Somerville stayed at the head of Oxford University Summer Eights. Lower division crews rowed only two days because of high water. [Bumps Chart]
Eights Week 1993 saw Oriel heavily fancied to retain the headship with a crew consisting of one Blue and no less than five Isis oarsmen. However, a less than rigorous training schedule seemed to offer a well drilled Pembroke VIII, with one Blue and one Isis oarsman, a realistic chance to gain the headship. However, on the first day Oriel showed the form that would lead to them retaining the headship. On Thursday Pembroke closed to a length rating 40 in the gut but Oriel were five lengths clear at the finish.Meanwhile in the Women's first division Somerville also continued their reign at the top, rowing comfortably clear of Brasenose, Pembroke and then Osler House who bumped University, B.N.C. and Pembroke to rise to 2nd.
On Friday Oriel again rowed over head well clear of Pembroke, while Worcester bumped up to sixth in place of Balliol, the only change in the top half of the division thoughout Eights Week. This was their third bump having caught New College and St John's on the previous two days, Worcester's blades attempt being thwarted by S.E.H. on the Saturday.
At the foot of the women's first division Oriel gained their blades by bumping L.M.H., St Hilda's, Wolfson and St Catherine's [? sic]. This was the only set of blades won in either of the first divisions.
On the last day Oriel rowed over so easily that they included a 10 second easy oar outside their boathouse and still finished 5 lengths clear.
In the men's second division St Peter's won their blades by bumping St Catherine's on the final day, who had narrowly avoided being bumped by Oriel II the previous day.
Somerville
B: | Rachel Hutton
| 2: | Sara Knight
| 3: | Helen Conway
| 4: | Kirstie Jones
| 5: | Katie Jackson
| 6: | Sarah Marsh
| 7: | Rachel Holmes
| S: | Vanessa Patini
| C: | Judith Stockwell
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| Coach: | Phil Halliday
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