Torpids 1972

BUMPS CHART

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 University 58 64 Oriel 2 Oriel 57 56 University 3 Balliol 55 53 Balliol 4 Christ Church 48 44 Christ Church 5 St John's 46 42 Queen's 6 Queen's 42 40 St Catherine's 7 St Catherine's 36 39 St John's 8 Wadham 32 34 Jesus 9 St Edmund Hall 30 31 Worcester 10 New College 29 27 Keble 11 Jesus 27 26 Wadham 12 Worcester 23 24 New College 13 Lincoln 23 21 St Edmund Hall 14 Keble 23 20 Lincoln 15 Magdalen 18 20 Trinity 16 Pembroke 15 19 St Peter's 17 Trinity 14 18 Exeter 18 Brasenose 14 17 Magdalen 19 St Peter's 14 15 Pembroke 20 Hertford 13 14 Brasenose 21 Corpus Christi 13 12 Osler House 22 Exeter 11 8 Corpus Christi 23 Osler House 9 8 Hertford 24 Merton 7 7 Merton 25 Wolfson 2 1 Wolfson 26 Linacre 2 1 Linacre

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=rank Crews Bps Avg Jesus 2[ 7] 8[ 1] 4.00[ 2] St Peter's 2[ 7] 8[ 1] 4.00[ 2] Exeter 1[19] 7[ 3] 7.00[ 1] Oriel 4[ 1] 7[ 3] 1.75[ 8] Trinity 1[19] 4[ 5] 4.00[ 2] Osler House 1[19] 4[ 5] 4.00[ 2] St Catherine's 2[ 7] 4[ 5] 2.00[ 6] Balliol 2[ 7] 4[ 5] 2.00[ 6] Brasenose 2[ 7] 2[ 9] 1.00[ 9] Worcester 2[ 7] 2[ 9] 1.00[ 9] New College 2[ 7] 2[ 9] 1.00[ 9] Merton 1[19] 1[12] 1.00[ 9] Magdalen 1[19] -1[13] -1.00[17] Queen's 2[ 7] -1[13] -0.50[13] University 3[ 2] -2[15] -0.67[14] Lincoln 3[ 2] -2[15] -0.67[14] St John's 3[ 2] -2[15] -0.67[14] Corpus Christi 2[ 7] -3[18] -1.50[18] Wolfson 1[19] -3[18] -3.00[23] Keble 2[ 7] -4[20] -2.00[20] Wadham 2[ 7] -4[20] -2.00[20] Pembroke 3[ 2] -5[22] -1.67[19] Linacre 1[19] -6[23] -6.00[25] Christ Church 2[ 7] -6[23] -3.00[23] St Edmund Hall 3[ 2] -7[25] -2.33[22] Hertford 1[19] -7[25] -7.00[26]

• Wed 1 – Sat 4 March, 1972
• Multilane racing
• Divisions at 30min intervals from 1:30 until 4pm.
• First appearance of Wolfson in Torpids
• Friday's racing was postponed due to high winds, and held on the Saturday morning instead.

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 1 Mar, by Cedric Venables

  ORIEL POSE THREAT TO BALLIOL

  An improved standard, especially among the first boats, can be expected in the Oxford Torpids which start today. There may be quite a battle for the Head of the River.

  Balliol have been there for the past two years. They have come on a great deal in the past week, but whether that improvement is enough for them to hold off Oriel, starting second, is doubtful.

  Oriel are surely the most efficient crew on the river and when today's races are finished they could be top.

  Powerful New

  Among other first boats something may be said for Queen's in fifth place who, if all goes well, could find themselves among the top three at the end of the week.

  New College, starting ninth are powerful and well together, and should reach the first division.

  Keble are outstanding among second division crews but, at 13th place, they cannot make any impression on the business for Head of the River. [Start order]

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 2 Mar, by Cedric Venables

  BALLIOL HOLD OFF ORIEL

  The Torpids began at Oxford with a tense struggle between Balliol and Oriel for the Head of the River and Balliol are still there.

  On the Oxfordshire station, Oriel gained slowly but not decisively as had been expected. Along the Green Bank Balliol struck 33 to Oriel's 34 and at the University Boathouse were still about a length ahead.

  Balliol had the advantage of the inside of the final bend and that was just too much for Oriel who failed by a third of a length to displace the leaders.

  University went into third place when Queen's overtook Christ Church though the "House" were possibly hampered with rudder trouble at Timms

  Slump by S E H

  In Div. II Jesus gained two places at the expense of Wadham and New College but St Edmund Hall dropped badly. It was a good day for Exeter in the third division. They gained four places but Corpus went down a similar number.

  In Div. VI only Oriel VI starting at the bottom were not involved in a considerable shuffle of places. The finishing order was: [...]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 3 Mar, by Cedric Venables

  OUTSTANDING ORIEL SWEEP AHEAD

  If there was ever any doubt as to the fastest Torpid crew at Oxford, it was dispelled yesterday. A great piece of rowing by Oriel took them to the Head of the River. Not only are Oriel the fastest this year, but they are the best Torpid eight seen at Oxford for many years.

  In one minute the battle with Balliol had been decided. Only 50 yards above Donnington Bridge Oriel had drawn level and then gone right away. Along the Green Bank they were two lengths in front; at the OUBC, striking 33, they made it a length-and-a-half of clear water. From there to the finish they put up the rating to 35, and when they passed the post their lead over Balliol was something like three lengths.

  This was the only change in the First Division, where the other crews seemed more or less to have found their level, though Queen's, with two more days to go, may still finish in third place.

  Because of poor performance in previous years some crews are in a lower position than this year's prowess warrants. This is particularly true of Pembroke, who yesterday were top of the Fourth Division.

  They were rowing with fine stride and, at 31, clearing their water by at least a yeard. Today they will be at the bottom of Division III, and will surely be a trouble to one or two crews ahead of them. [Finishing Order]

• The Daily Telegraph Sat 4 Mar, by Cedric Venables

  GALE PREVENTS TORPIDS

  Gale force winds blowing against a strong stream made the Isis like a rough sea with 2ft waves yesterday, and for the first time in living memory not a boat could be launched in the Oxford Torpids.

  It was doubtful if any would have reached the start without grave risk of sinking, and racing was out of the question.

  This has caused a considerable rearrangement of plans, and it could even be necessary to extend the Torpids to Monday and Tuesday of next week.

  Double session

  However, if wind and waves will allow, yesterday's races will take place this morning, starting at 10:30 a.m. with Div. I due to come through at 1 p.m.

• The Sunday Telegraph Sun 5 Mar, by a Special Correspondent

  Oriel again

  Conditions for the concluding day of the Oxford Torpids were better, yesterday, than on Friday, when racing was cancelled. But the crews had to cope with much rough water.

  Oriel again showed their superiority in the First Division final [sic] at the University Boat House they were striking 35 when three lengths ahead of Balliol, striking 33. Oriel finished about four lengths in front. Finishing order: [...]

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 6 Mar, by Cedric Venables

  ORIEL RIDE THE STORM

  Oriel were equal to the need to have two races on Saturday following Fribday's cancellation, and retained the Head of the River they had captured from Balliol in the Oxford Torpids on Thursday.

  They finished almost six lengths in front in the morning race, but some people thought that in the afternoon Balliol, rowing on the easier Oxon station, might be able to regain the Head.

  The rough conditions had worsened so much in the late afternoon that it was even considered that the first division might have to be deferred until today, but when, after some delay it was decided to race, Oriel made light of the wind and the waves. They won by nearly four lengths.

  Fault with lanes

  Last week's races have certainly shown that the plan of racing in lanes can be unfair and that in rough water conditions of a gale meeting strong stream, crews on the Oxon station have an advantage that produces untrue values.

  The O U B C might do well to revert to the bumping races of former days. [Order of finishing and net changes] [Head crew — as below]

• The Times contains only the bumps charts and, on Sat 4 March, the following

  Torpids postponed until today

  The Oxford University Torpid races were postponed yesterday because the conditions were too bad for rowing. They were among the worst seen on the Isis. The races will be rowed this morning starting at 10.30 and today's races will take place immediately afterwards, half an hour later than scheduled.

• In other news ... [1972]

  Monarch: Elizabeth II

  Prime Minister: Edward Heath (Conservative)

  Wed 1 March

  Juan Maria Bordaberry is sworn in as President of Uruguay amid accusations of electoral fraud.

  Thu 2 March

  The Club of Rome presents the research results leading to its report The Limits to Growth, published later in the month.

  Thu 2 March

  The Pioneer 10 spacecraft is launched from Cape Kennedy, to be the first man-made spacecraft to leave the solar system.

  Thu 2 March

  Jean-Bedel Bokassa becomes President of the Central African Republic.

  Thu 2 March

  Edward Heath, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced in the House of Commons that the Government of the UK would no longer use the "five techniques" of torture in the interrogation of prisoners.

  Fri 3 March

  Sculpted figures of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson are completed at Stone Mountain in the U.S. state of Georgia.

  Fri 3 March

  Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 crashed into a house on Edgewood Avenue in Albany, New York, killing 16 of the 47 persons on board, and one person in an upstairs apartment. The impact happened at 8:48 pm after the commuter plane lost power during a snowstorm.

  Sat 4 March

  The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, as sung by Roberta Flack, entered the Billboard Magazine charts at No. 77. Within six weeks, it hit No. 1 and remained for six more weeks, becoming the best selling single of 1972.

  March 4

  Libya and the Soviet Union sign a cooperation treaty.

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