Torpids 1988

MEN'S BUMPS WOMEN'S BUMPS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Oriel 186 198 Oriel 2 Keble 126 121 Christ Church 3 Worcester 119 120 New College 4 Pembroke 111 118 Keble 5 Christ Church 106 109 Brasenose 6 Brasenose 104 101 St Catherine's 7 St Catherine's 103 94 University 8 New College 97 91 Pembroke 9 Wadham 86 88 Hertford 10 University 82 81 Wadham 11 Hertford 81 81 L.M.H. 12 Lincoln 80 76 Balliol 13 St Hugh's 75 75 Worcester 14 Balliol 74 73 St Hugh's 15 Osler House 71 72 Lincoln 16 Exeter 69 70 S.E.H. 17 L.M.H. 67 66 Wolfson 18 Queen's 62 65 Osler House 19 S.E.H. 61 62 Trinity 20 Jesus 60 58 St John's 21 Trinity 60 56 Somerville 22 Somerville 57 56 Jesus 23 Wolfson 54 55 Magdalen 24 St John's 51 48 Queen's 25 Magdalen 44 44 Exeter 26 St Peter's 37 37 St Anne's 27 St Anne's 37 31 St Peter's 28 Corpus Christi 26 29 Merton 29 Merton 24 22 Corpus Christi 30 Mansfield 14 18 St Hilda's 31 St Hilda's 13 17 Mansfield 32 Linacre 8 10 Linacre 33 Regent's Park 6 6 Regent's Park

STATISTICS College All Crews Men's Crews Women's Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg New College 5[ 5] 23[ 1] 4.60[ 2] 3[ 7] 13[ 1] 4.33[ 4] 2[ 3] 10[ 1] 5.00[ 1] St Anne's 4[12] 11[ 2] 2.75[ 5] 3[ 7] 13[ 1] 4.33[ 4] 1[14] -2[20] -2.00[22] University 5[ 5] 11[ 2] 2.20[ 6] 3[ 7] 11[ 3] 3.67[ 7] 2[ 3] 0[13] 0.00[13] Wolfson 5[ 5] 11[ 2] 2.20[ 6] 3[ 7] 7[ 8] 2.33[12] 2[ 3] 4[ 7] 2.00[10] Linacre 2[30] 10[ 5] 5.00[ 1] 1[27] 5[13] 5.00[ 1] 1[14] 5[ 5] 5.00[ 1] St Hilda's 2[30] 8[ 6] 4.00[ 3] 2[ 3] 8[ 2] 4.00[ 4] Somerville 4[12] 8[ 6] 2.00[ 8] 4[ 1] 8[ 2] 2.00[10] L.M.H. 4[12] 8[ 6] 2.00[ 8] 2[21] 10[ 5] 5.00[ 1] 2[ 3] -2[20] -1.00[17] Mansfield 2[30] 7[ 9] 3.50[ 4] 1[27] 4[14] 4.00[ 6] 1[14] 3[11] 3.00[ 9] St John's 6[ 2] 7[ 9] 1.17[13] 4[ 3] 11[ 3] 2.75[11] 2[ 3] -4[25] -2.00[22] Merton 3[25] 6[11] 2.00[ 8] 2[21] 10[ 5] 5.00[ 1] 1[14] -4[25] -4.00[27] Magdalen 3[25] 6[11] 2.00[ 8] 2[21] 7[ 8] 3.50[ 8] 1[14] -1[17] -1.00[17] S.E.H. 3[25] 5[13] 1.67[12] 2[21] 7[ 8] 3.50[ 8] 1[14] -2[20] -2.00[22] Trinity 5[ 5] 4[14] 0.80[14] 3[ 7] 3[15] 1.00[15] 2[ 3] 1[12] 0.50[12] Brasenose 5[ 5] 4[14] 0.80[14] 4[ 3] 6[11] 1.50[14] 1[14] -2[20] -2.00[22] Balliol 4[12] 3[16] 0.75[16] 3[ 7] 9[ 7] 3.00[10] 1[14] -6[29] -6.00[30] Christ Church 4[12] 3[16] 0.75[16] 3[ 7] -1[18] -0.33[18] 1[14] 4[ 7] 4.00[ 4] Hertford 5[ 5] 3[16] 0.60[18] 3[ 7] 6[11] 2.00[13] 2[ 3] -3[24] -1.50[21] St Catherine's 3[25] 0[19] 0.00[19] 2[21] 0[17] 0.00[17] 1[14] 0[13] 0.00[13] Oriel 7[ 1] 0[19] 0.00[19] 6[ 1] -5[20] -0.83[19] 1[14] 5[ 5] 5.00[ 1] Lincoln 4[12] -1[21] -0.25[21] 3[ 7] -5[20] -1.67[22] 1[14] 4[ 7] 4.00[ 4] Regent's Park 1[33] -1[21] -1.00[24] 1[27] -1[18] -1.00[20] Keble 6[ 2] -2[23] -0.33[22] 5[ 2] -6[22] -1.20[21] 1[14] 4[ 7] 4.00[ 4] Corpus Christi 4[12] -2[23] -0.50[23] 3[ 7] 2[16] 0.67[16] 1[14] -4[25] -4.00[27] Osler House 3[25] -4[25] -1.33[25] 1[27] -11[25] -11.00[30] 2[ 3] 7[ 4] 3.50[ 8] St Hugh's 4[12] -9[26] -2.25[27] 4[ 1] -9[31] -2.25[26] Queen's 4[12] -10[27] -2.50[28] 3[ 7] -9[23] -3.00[23] 1[14] -1[17] -1.00[17] Jesus 4[12] -11[28] -2.75[29] 3[ 7] -10[24] -3.33[25] 1[14] -1[17] -1.00[17] Wadham 6[ 2] -13[29] -2.17[26] 4[ 3] -13[27] -3.25[24] 2[ 3] 0[13] 0.00[13] Worcester 4[12] -18[30] -4.50[31] 3[ 7] -12[26] -4.00[27] 1[14] -6[29] -6.00[30] Exeter 5[ 5] -19[31] -3.80[30] 4[ 3] -15[29] -3.75[26] 1[14] -4[25] -4.00[27] St Peter's 4[12] -23[32] -5.75[32] 3[ 7] -23[30] -7.67[29] 1[14] 0[13] 0.00[13] Pembroke 4[12] -25[33] -6.25[33] 2[21] -13[27] -6.50[28] 2[ 3] -12[32] -6.00[30]

Notes

• Wed 24 – Sat 27 Feb 1988
• Divisions at 30 min intervals from 11:30 until 4:30 (W4, M7, M6, W3, M5, M4, W2, M3, M2, W1, M1)

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 15 Feb

  Isis crews fined

  Oxford's top two college rowing clubs have been heavily fined for breaking an order not to practise on the Isis which was in flood last week.

  Oriel were fined £715 and Keble £645 by Oxford University Boat Club and if the fines are not paid by Wednesday both will be penalised at Torpids later this month, by suffering a bump on each of four days which will give them no hope of finishing head of the river.

• The Times Wed 24 Feb, by a Special Correspondent

  Expensive price of shaping up

  Oriel look set to retain their position as head in this year's Oxford University torpids, which start today (a Special Correspondent writes). Both Oriel and the second-placed crew, Keble, have had the advantage of an additional two weeks training.

  While the Isis was closed due to dangerous stream conditions, both crews ignored the ban on college rowing and trained regularly on the Godstow stretch, upstream of Oxford. However, their action cost them dear — both colleges were fined £650.

  This year Oriel are stroked by the American blue, Pete Gish, who rowed in last year's successful Oxford boat race crew. In the women's first division, Osler House, strengthened by the addition of several ex-Cambridge oarswomen, will provide problems for the head crew, Somerville, who lack the experience of last year's boat. [Starting Order]

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 24 Feb, By Geoffrey Page

  Record-breaking Oriel poised to extend run

  Oriel should have stretched their record run as head crew to 17 years when the Oxford Torpids, starting today, end on Saturday. They risked demotion as an alternative to paying a hefty fine for going afloat to train in dangerous conditions but have paid up.

  Winners recently at the Pembroke Regatta in Cambridge, they should be too fast for their immediate pursuers Keble, who were also fined for a similar offence. ... [discussion of Lents] [Start Order]

• The Times Thu 25 Feb, by a Special Correspondent

  Oriel look too strong for their opposition

  Oriel and Keble, heavily fined for illegally practising for two weeks on a swollen river, were never challenged at the top of the men's first division on the opening day of the Oxford University Torpids on the Isis yesterday (a Special Correspondent writes).

  Oriel, who look unbeatable, had a five-length advantage over Keble at the University boat house. But Keble will face stiffer competition today from Christ Church, who bumped Pembroke to move up to third place.

  At the top of the women's first division Osler House had an overlap on Somerville, the leaders, but failed to make a bump [List of Bumps]

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 25 Feb, By a Special Correspondent

  Oriel leave problems and Keble well in their wake

  Unabashed by fines of £750 during training, Oriel held up the start of Division One on the first day of Oxford Torpids and were penalised a further £25.

  Oriel's first eight looked happily oblivious of their balance of payment problems as they rowed over at the head, more than five lengths in front of Keble.

  Keble themselves were beyond reach of Christ Church who swiftly closed on and bumped a weak Pembroke crew.

  Worcester's adroit navigation delayed but could not prevent a bump from Brasenose near the finish after being taken by Oriel 2 and New College early in the race.

  Osler House closed rapidly on Somerville at the head of Women's Division One, but despite an overlap as the crews approached the finish the medical students faile to make the bump which was well within their power. [List of Bumps]

• The Times Fri 26 Feb, by a Special Correspondent

  Demotion for Worcester

  Oriel were again in a class of the their own in the Oxford University Torpids on the Isis. They quickly opened up a lead of four lengths over Keble and maintained it to the finish.

  There was confusion lower down the top division yesterday due to a late acknowledgement by Worcester that St Catherine's had made a bump. Worcester were penalized five places and moved out of the division.

  In the women's leading division, Osler House gradually wore down Somerville, the leaders, and made their bump along the Green Bank. [List of Bumps]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 26 Feb, By a Special Correspondent

  Osler House assume women's headship

  Osler House closed quickly on Somerville in the second day of Oxford Torpids. Their bump on the Green Bank took Osler to the head of the Women's Divisions.

  Behind them Worcester's male cox steered his crew into collision with a moored boat allowing New College and Pembroke past.

  Oriel easily stayed 17 seconds ahead of Keble outclassing all the competition in the men's Division One. Oriel's second eight took Pembroke before Donnington Bridge and moved to fourth behind Christ Church who threatened but never caught Keble.

  Further down Worcester were demoted from eighth to sandwich boat as penalty for late acknowledgement. [List of Bumps]

• The Times Sat 27 Feb, by a Special Correspondent

  Oriel face rivals from new quarters

  Oriel will be tested by new opponents on the last day of the Oxford University Torpids on the Isis today. Keble, who failed to make any impression, were caught by Christ Church and will be hard-pressed to hold onto third place from Oriel II, who closed to within half a length at the Gut.

  Oriel II did not have the best preparation for the race. On their way to the start their bow broke a rigger and the boat was forced to return to the boathouse for repairs, which delayed the start by 15 minutes. There was no change in the women's top division, where the first seven crews rowed over. [List of Bumps]

• The Daily Telegraph Sat 27 Feb, By a Special Correspondent

  Oriel obliged to take rough with smooth

  Oriel again rowed over at the head, but Christ Church bumped Keble at the boathouses to move into second place on the third day of Oxford Torpids.

  Oriel's second boat, within striking distance of Christ Church, were caught by New College with a bump that was later disallowed because Christ Church impeded Oriel's progress.

  Osler House remained head of the women's divisions and St Hugh's 2 moved into eighth place with a bump on Brasenose. [List of Bumps]

• The Sunday Telegraph Sun 28 Feb

  Oriel crews finished first and third in the Oxford University Torpids. The college's first boat was so far ahead of Keble reach [sic] that they were able to stop rowing and salute their own boathouse before completing the course.

  Osler House rowed over at the head of the women's divisions.

• The Times Mon 29 Feb, by a Special Correspondent

  Record 17 wins in a row for Oriel

  Oriel's rowing supremacy was confirmed again on the Isis on Saturday when the retained the Headship of the Oxford University Torpids for a record seventeenth consecutive year.

  They may consider the £650 fine imposed for flouting a rule which prohibited training on a dangerously swollen river, a small price to pay for success, but Keble, fined a similar amount, gained nothing from the extra two weeks on the water.

  Caught by Christ Church on Friday, they suffered a greater indignity when Oriel's second crew bumped them along the Green Bank 24 hours later.

  Osler House finished at the top of the women's first division. [List of Bumps and Finishing Order]

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 29 Feb

  Downing and Oriel stay in command

  [starts with summary of Lents]

  Osler House rowed over as head of the women's divisions and Oriel's men's crews finished first and third in Oxford Torpids.

  Boisterous self-assurance never deserted Oriel as, to the last, they added to hefty pre-race fines for rule infringements. The first crew stopped rowing to salute their own boathouse before completing their final run-in. [List of Bumps] [Finish Order and Head Crews (as below)]

• The Times Tue 1 March

  Oriel take record yet higher

  Oriel's supremacy was confirmed again on the Isis as they retained the headship of the Oxford University Torpids for a record seventeenth consecutive year. Both Christ Church and Oriel's second crew caught Keble to finish second and third respectively. Osler House finished on top in the women's first division. [Bumps Chart]

• Review from the 1988 Eights Programme

  Some very exciting racing in Torpids this year offered relief from the dullness of the weather: though the heavy rains of January had stopped, their aftermath still lingered in the form of the fast stream. Earlier in the term this had been high enough to be dangerous, and the Isis was closed to crews for a period.

  The excitement did not, by and large, surround the tenure of the Headship: it was held with some ease, for the seventeenth year, by Oriel. Second place was at last relinquished by Keble, being bumped by Christ Church on the third day: the latter were at the time under severe pressure from Oriel II who made up for this, the only day on which they did not bump and on which they almost fell prey to New College, by bumping Keble on the last day and going third on the River. The next 2nd Torpid is twenty places below.

  Their first victims, Worcester, were not up to the standard of the division, and dropped twelve places, as did Exeter in the Second Division, where much in the way of good racing was to be seen all week. Magdalen in particular raced very well: their fourth bump, on Trinity, proved crucial to their success, as they had been following them up on the first three days, and had to bump them off the head of the division to be able to move into the First. This they achieved in fine style within a very short distance of the finish line. Slightly less spectacular, but no less commendable, blades were won by Hertford in the First Division, and by Wolfson amd University in the Second.

  The Women's Headship changed hands when Somerville were bumped by Osler House on the second day of racing. But apart from L.M.H. bumping St Hugh's on the first day, the top seven crews otherwise rowed over, in some cases with considerable distances between them. Many crews, such as L.M.H., did not feel they reached their potential: but some good rowing was nonetheless seen at this level. St Hugh's II moved up two places and thereby regained some of the ground lost since they were in high position similar to that of Oriel II. New College entered the Division, winning blades with little trouble: a swift exit was made, however, by Worcester, though their fall was not as rapid as that of their menfolk.

• Head Crew details from The Daily Telegraph 29 Feb

• In other news ... [1988]

  February 25

  The constitution of the Sixth Republic of Korea comes into effect.

  February 26

  Multiple rapist and murderer John Duffy is sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he should never be released.

  February 27–29

  Collapse of the Soviet Union: The Sumgait pogrom of Armenians occurs in Sumqayit.

Osler House
B:	J. Gurney
2:	K. Smith
3:	D. Bethell
4:	A. Richard
5:	M. Page
6:	J. Getley
7:	R. Barton
S:	C. Johnson
C:	S. Essajee

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