Torpids 1996

MEN'S BUMPS WOMEN'S BUMPS

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Oriel 190 187 Oriel 2 Christ Church 128 136 Pembroke 3 University 127 124 New College 4 Pembroke 124 120 Christ Church 5 New College 124 102 University 6 Brasenose 109 99 Brasenose 7 St Catherine's 100 99 Wadham 8 Worcester 96 98 St Catherine's 9 Wadham 89 98 Magdalen 10 Magdalen 89 86 Osler-Green 11 S.E.H. 82 83 Lincoln 12 L.M.H. 81 82 Worcester 13 Osler-Green 79 79 S.E.H. 14 Balliol 77 77 St John's 15 Lincoln 66 69 Balliol 16 St John's 61 68 L.M.H. 17 Somerville 60 65 Exeter 18 Wolfson 58 57 Queen's 19 Exeter 57 53 Trinity 20 Hertford 55 51 Somerville 21 Jesus 49 50 St Peter's 22 Queen's 46 46 Wolfson 23 Trinity 46 45 Hertford 24 Keble 46 45 Keble 25 St Peter's 40 45 Jesus 26 St Anne's 36 39 Merton 27 Merton 33 31 Linacre 28 Linacre 27 31 St Anne's 29 St Hilda's 22 28 St Hilda's 30 Mansfield 16 21 Mansfield 31 Corpus Christi 15 18 Corpus Christi 32 Regent's Park 7 6 Regent's Park 33 St Benet's Hall 5 5 St Benet's Hall 34 St Hugh's 4 5 St Hugh's 35 St Antony's 2 2 St Antony's

STATISTICS College All Crews Men's Crews Women's Crews [ ]=ranking Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg Crews Bps Avg Osler-Green 4[12] 13[ 1] 3.25[ 2] 2[19] 10[ 3] 5.00[ 1] 2[ 2] 3[10] 1.50[13] Trinity 4[12] 12[ 2] 3.00[ 3] 3[ 5] 12[ 1] 4.00[ 3] 1[17] 0[19] 0.00[19] St Peter's 4[12] 11[ 3] 2.75[ 6] 3[ 5] 8[ 5] 2.67[ 7] 1[17] 3[10] 3.00[ 6] Merton 4[12] 10[ 4] 2.50[ 7] 2[19] 4[ 8] 2.00[ 9] 2[ 2] 6[ 2] 3.00[ 6] St John's 4[12] 10[ 4] 2.50[ 7] 3[ 5] 4[ 8] 1.33[13] 1[17] 6[ 2] 6.00[ 1] Magdalen 5[ 3] 10[ 4] 2.00[10] 3[ 5] 11[ 2] 3.67[ 6] 2[ 2] -1[21] -0.50[21] Mansfield 2[30] 9[ 7] 4.50[ 1] 1[30] 4[ 8] 4.00[ 3] 1[17] 5[ 4] 5.00[ 2] Lincoln 5[ 3] 8[ 8] 1.60[12] 3[ 5] 1[16] 0.33[16] 2[ 2] 7[ 1] 3.50[ 5] Queen's 3[26] 7[ 9] 2.33[ 9] 2[19] 3[12] 1.50[11] 1[17] 4[ 7] 4.00[ 3] Linacre 4[12] 6[10] 1.50[13] 3[ 5] 7[ 7] 2.33[ 8] 1[17] -1[21] -1.00[22] Exeter 4[12] 4[11] 1.00[14] 3[ 5] 0[18] 0.00[18] 1[17] 4[ 7] 4.00[ 3] Balliol 5[ 3] 4[11] 0.80[15] 3[ 5] -1[19] -0.33[19] 2[ 2] 5[ 4] 2.50[11] St Hugh's 1[32] 3[13] 3.00[ 3] 1[17] 3[10] 3.00[ 6] St Hilda's 1[32] 3[13] 3.00[ 3] 1[17] 3[10] 3.00[ 6] Wadham 4[12] 3[13] 0.75[16] 2[19] 8[ 5] 4.00[ 3] 2[ 2] -5[26] -2.50[26] S.E.H. 4[12] 3[13] 0.75[16] 2[19] 2[14] 1.00[15] 2[ 2] 1[17] 0.50[18] St Benet's Hall 1[32] 2[17] 2.00[10] 1[30] 2[14] 2.00[ 9] Keble 4[12] 1[18] 0.25[18] 4[ 2] 1[16] 0.25[17] Pembroke 5[ 3] 1[18] 0.20[19] 3[ 5] -1[19] -0.33[19] 2[ 2] 2[16] 1.00[16] St Antony's 1[32] -1[20] -1.00[26] 1[30] -1[19] -1.00[22] Jesus 4[12] -2[21] -0.50[20] 3[ 5] 4[ 8] 1.33[13] 1[17] -6[28] -6.00[30] Brasenose 4[12] -2[21] -0.50[20] 3[ 5] -3[24] -1.00[22] 1[17] 1[17] 1.00[16] Corpus Christi 3[26] -2[21] -0.67[22] 2[19] -2[22] -1.00[22] 1[17] 0[19] 0.00[19] St Anne's 3[26] -2[21] -0.67[22] 2[19] 9[ 4] 4.50[ 2] 1[17] -11[31] -11.00[32] Regent's Park 2[30] -3[25] -1.50[29] 1[30] -6[27] -6.00[33] 1[17] 3[10] 3.00[ 6] L.M.H. 6[ 2] -4[26] -0.67[22] 4[ 2] -2[22] -0.50[21] 2[ 2] -2[23] -1.00[22] Wolfson 5[ 3] -4[26] -0.80[25] 3[ 5] -9[29] -3.00[27] 2[ 2] 5[ 4] 2.50[11] St Catherine's 5[ 3] -5[28] -1.00[26] 2[19] -9[29] -4.50[31] 3[ 1] 4[ 7] 1.33[15] University 5[ 3] -6[29] -1.20[28] 4[ 2] -4[25] -1.00[22] 1[17] -2[23] -2.00[25] Somerville 4[12] -6[29] -1.50[29] 2[19] 3[12] 1.50[11] 2[ 2] -9[29] -4.50[27] Hertford 4[12] -7[31] -1.75[31] 2[19] -5[26] -2.50[26] 2[ 2] -2[23] -1.00[22] Worcester 3[26] -12[32] -4.00[33] 2[19] -7[28] -3.50[29] 1[17] -5[26] -5.00[28] Oriel 7[ 1] -13[33] -1.86[32] 5[ 1] -16[33] -3.20[28] 2[ 2] 3[10] 1.50[13] New College 5[ 3] -23[34] -4.60[34] 3[ 5] -13[31] -4.33[30] 2[ 2] -10[30] -5.00[28] Christ Church 5[ 3] -28[35] -5.60[35] 3[ 5] -14[32] -4.67[32] 2[ 2] -14[32] -7.00[31]

Notes

• Wed 28 Feb – Sat 2 March 1996
• The Rowing On system was changed so that from this year onwards crews which succeeded in Rowing On remained in their finishing order from the previous year, with new entries added at the bottom (the change had been agreed for the previous Torpids but the Rowing On divisions did not get to race in 1995). Previously all crews which had succeeded in Rowing On were put on in order of speed.
• Osler House, following an amalgamation with Green College, now racing as Osler-Green.

• The Times Wed 28 Feb

  New crews may leave way clear for Oriel

  A weaker than usual Oriel seem likely to stay head of a mediocre men's first division in the Oxford University Torpids, which start on the Isis today (a correspondent writes). The closure of the river in previous years has reduced the depth of college rowing and there is a higher than normal percentage of novices in first division boats.

  New College are running well, however, as are a well-drilled Lincoln at the top. of the second division. Some strong crews at the bottom of the division, including Osler House, St Peter's, and Merton, will be looking to move up.

  The women's divisions are even more depleted of experience and Osler House, despite not fielding their characteristically strong crew, seem set to fend off a large but inexperienced New College. [Starting Order]

• The Daily Telegraph Wed 28 Feb

  Two of the oldest events in the rowing calendar, dating back to the early years of the last century, the Oxford Torpids and Cambridge Lent Races, begin today.

  Oriel, who have been bumped only once in 24 years [actually last time was 1970], although they suffered a brief demotion in 1991 for infringing the boating regulations, defend the Headship on the Isis, and Downing, for the third year running, the top spot on the Cam. [Starting Order]

• The Times Thu 29 Feb

  Oriel stay at head of the river

  Oriel and Osler House comfortably rowed over at the top of the men's and women's first divisions on the opening day of Oxford University Torpids on the Isis yesterday. Oriel finished six lengths clear of Brasenose, who start today ahead of Pembroke.

  Somerville, starting third in the women's first division, were overtaken by both Wadham and St Catherine's and their second crew were relegated to the third division. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Thu 29 Feb, just contains a list of Saturday's bumps and the finishing order.

• The Times Fri 1 March

  Pembroke will start in second place in the Oxford University Torpid rowing races today after bumping Brasenose yesterday. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Fri 1 March, just contains a list of Saturday's bumps and the finishing order.

• The Times Sat 2 March

  A rerow in the men's second division at the Oxford University Torpids means that the bottom positions are unconfirmed. [Bumps Chart]

• The Sunday Telegraph Sun 3 March

  Success for Oriel

  Oriel rowed over head of Oxford Torpids, where Pembroke clung on to second place despite pressure from Magdalen. Christ Church scored a late bump on untidy Brasenose and New College deposed University from sixth place.

  In the women's divisions, St Catherine's caught New College to go second behind Osler Green.

• The Times Mon 4 March

  Oriel and Osler keep headships

  Oriel and Osler House retained the headships of the men's and women's first divisions of the Oxford University Torpids, which ended on Saturday. Brasenose, on Wednesday and Thursday, and Pembroke on the last two days, never got close enough to mount a serious challenge to Oriel, and Osler finished well clear of New College. St Catherine's moved up to second place after making three bumps. [Bumps Chart]

• The Daily Telegraph Mon 4 March, just contains a list of Saturday's bumps and the finishing order.
• Report in the 1996 Eights Programme, by William Breeze

  For the first time since 1992, the full four days of Torpids took place this year. Although training was moderately affected by the weather, the crews were of a reasonable standard, with particular attention being paid to an Oriel crew hoping to make this the twenty-fifth year without being bumped off head. However, among threats hovering just below was that of a Pembroke crew that appeared not to have stopped training since October.

  Wednesday saw the Pembroke challenge start when they bumped up to third, while Oriel rowed comfortably clear of Brasenose. At the bottom of the division Balliol went down to sandwich boat after being bumped by Oriel II and Lincoln in quick succession. Thursday found Wadham becoming sandwich boat in the first division while Pembroke manoeuvred into second position. On Friday, despite a quick start from Pembroke, Oriel rowed comfortably clear. A hotly tipped New College was unlucky not to bump Christ Church, who bumped Univ to move into fifth place, while Lincoln halted the rise of Oriel II, catching them at the top of the Green Bank.

  Saturday saw Oriel row over head five lengths clear of Pembroke, with Magdalen settling in third place. Lincoln and Wadham both won blades and moved into the first division in the process, while Exeter also won blades and will be sandwich boat next year. In the second division Queen's won blades, moving to fourth in the division.

  In the women's first division Osler once again rowed over head, with New College remaining in second place [?] despite a strong challenge from St Catherine's. Not wishing to yield to the forces of chauvinism, both Lincoln and Queen's matched their men's boats' performances by winning blades in the second division, while in the first division Oriel, bumping Christ Church before Donnington Bridge, managed to maintain their pristine unbumped record. St John's also won blades, moving from the second into the first division.

• Sports Letters to The Times, Fri 8 March

  Moral dilemma

  From Mr Philip Wedmore

  Sir, Can anyone explain the difference between the Cambridge Lent races and the Oxford Torpids which struck me when I looked at the bumps charts (March 4)?

  Torpids showed a much more tangled web of rises and falls. They are also dominated by a small number of boats which fall an extravagant number of places. Oriel V and Christ Church III fell 12 places, but were beaten in this regard by New College III, which managed to fall 13 places. As a result, the number of boats which rose in Torpids is higher than the number of boats will fell: 46 compared with 31 for the men and 25 compared with 16 for the women.

  In Lents, the number of risers and fallers is the same, both for women and men.

  Which is better for the moral attitudes of our undergraduates: the Oxford scheme of slight success for the many balanced by heavy loss for the few or the more balanced Cambridge scheme?

• Sports Letters to The Times, Thu 21 March.

  Shades of blue

  From Mr Ian Sheldon

  Sir, The diffference between Oxford University Torpids and Cambridge University Lents, to which Mr Philip Wedmore referred (Sports Letters, March 8), arises from the different rules governing the actions of crews after a bump has occurred.

  In Lents, the race is over for both crews, whose positions are reversed on the next day. So, for each crew moving up, one must move down.

  In Torpids, however, only the crew that has recorded a bump drops out, while the crew that has been bumped must continue rowing. This leads to the possibility thof one crew being bumped by many others on the same day, hence the imbalance between risers and fallers. In practice, a drop of more than two places is usually the result of crashing into the bank!

  As for which system is better for undergraduates' moral attitudes, one would hope that performance on the sports field has no bearing on the behaviour off it. Some football "fans" might take note.

• In other news ... [1996]

  February 28

  The Princess of Wales agrees to give The Prince of Wales a divorce, more than three years after separating.

  February 28

  Sandra Gregory, a British teacher, is sentenced to 25 years in prison in Thailand for drug smuggling, three years after her arrest at Bangkok Airport. Her co-accused, Robert Lock, is cleared of the same charge and returns home.

  February 29

  Faucett Flight 251 en route from Lima to Rodriguez Ballon airport crashes into a mountain near Arequipa; all 123 people on board are killed.

  February 29

  At least 81 people drown when a boat capsizes 120 kilometres east of Kampala, Uganda.

  February 29

  The Bosnian government declares the end of the Siege of Sarajevo.

  March 1

  Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi forces refuse UNSCOM inspection teams access to five sites designated for inspection. The teams enter the sites only after delays of up to seventeen hours.

  March 2

  1996 Australian federal election: The Liberal/National Coalition led by John Howard defeats the Labor Government led by Prime Minister Paul Keating. Howard was sworn in on March 11.

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