But moving on, there is an update on the University crews and plans for the official launch of a new women's VIII, on 26th April, to which alumni are invited (with rowing kit).

For now, I'll just draw your attention to some new names at the top of this page, but we'll get to those in the next newsletter.

Beginning the term with a boat almost entirely made up of novices fresh from Christ Church Regatta, the squad showed strong commitment and enthusiasm, really growing as a team and making huge gains in terms of strength and technique. Unfortunately, these gains were not reflected in the results from Torpids, which didn't really go our way, but fun was had by all, and the real results of the term are in the development of the squad as rowers.

Focus now is on Summer Eights, with plans for a training camp before the beginning of Trinity and a hefty novice recruitment programme, with aims to have at least three boats entered with varying levels of seriousness. Considering the huge improvements the 1st VIII have already made in such a short space of time, high hopes are to be had for the progress and performance of the women's boat club next term, which will hopefully be reflected in both the bumps races themselves and the various external regattas planned.

The Women's 1st Torpid, racing on the Friday.

The Men's 2nd Torpid racing on the Thursday.

The men's squad's term began with a mini-camp in 0th Week to integrate the continuing novices into the senior squad and establish a solid technical baseline for the Torpids campaign. This was also the first opportunity for our new coach, Christopher Halls (a postgrad at Gonville & Caius, Cambridge), to assess the squad.

The following weeks saw vast improvements across the squad with everyone reacting well to the demands of selection by pushing one another to better performances. With boats set around 4th Week, the crews got their first taste of Hilary racing in IWL races D and E.

Sadly, the Torpids results were not as spectacular as the learning curve both M1 & M2 were on in the days leading up to bumps racing. Despite the disappointing Torpids record, the squad is in an excellent position for Summer Eights having been made familiar with Oxford bumps racing this term. Next year's Men's Captains are getting stuck in with an already successful recruitment drive - around three boats' worth have signed up. The lure of summer rowing is proving to be a strong incentive to pick up an oar. An exciting term awaits!

Our men's 1st Torpid were our 'least unsuccessful' crew, only losing 4 places and achieving, in the very last race, Catz' only row-over of the week. The 2nd Torpid fell 6 places although did actually register 2 bumps on other crews. And for the women, well, down 10 places, 4 of which came on the last day, and they are now 18th on the river, their lowest ever position in Torpids (as, indeed, in Eights).

With a net loss of 20 places, Catz fared better than St Anne's crews which lost 28 places, but 23 of those came from their women's 2nd Torpid. Wolfson were the most successful Boat Club, not only in quality (net gain of 24 places) but also quantity (7 crews).

Pembroke retained the Men's Headship without looking stretched, although they never had to defend it against Oriel, who won blades in rising to 2nd, and subsequently beat Pembroke in a time trial to determine who will be representing Oxford in the inter-collegiate Boat Races at Henley (5th April).

Wadham deposed Magdalen on the first day to take the Women's Headship. Although Wadham were clearly the fastest crew in Women's Div I, they were beaten in a time trial by Green-Templeton (currently Div III, but having won blades every year since 2011), so G.T.C. will be Oxford's women's entry in the inter-collegiate races.

The Men's 1st Torpid, racing on the Friday.

The following are mostly extracts from the Boat Club minute book and a diary in which details of individual outings were logged.

Tuesday, 17th Oct., 1939

In the absence of Capt. F.L. Dewey (presumably now in training for military service) D. Shallcross was elected Captain.

Captain Shallcross explained that he had attended a Captains' meeting at which an amalgamation of Boat Clubs was decided on. St Catherine's go with Jesus. The two clubs have been put in group two - training omitted on Tuesdays and Thursdays owing to Officer Training Corps training.

Monday, 15th January, 1940

It was announced that St Cath's Boat Club should row on its own for the remainder of the year, and that this should continue as long as both Jesus Boat Club and St Cath's Boat Club were able to exist separately. There is a gentlemen's agreement between the two Captains that either Club may appeal to the other for a reunion.

Diary: 7th February, 1940

Exciting tubbing with Michel and Habgood. Got caught in the current and washed up against the old Cath's Barge and bent the rigger. While holding on to the Barge we bent the rigger back to shape with a brick and got going again. Coming back we were passed by the University eight with their coach riding on a horse; the river is nearly up to the towpath. Read in the paper yesterday that the University eight ran into a Jesus tub pair yesterday and that Oriel had an accident and had to swim for it.

Diary: 7th March, 1940

Out to The Stowaway [nowadays the Chang Mai Thai restaurant, off the High St] for the Boat Club Dinner. Plenty to eat/drink. Drink had to be ordered beforehand. Bottle of Port provided by the Club. The most sober boat club dinner ever - it developed into a theological discussion between Macdonald, Habgood and Knight. Anyhow, a good time was had by all, and all the beer got drunk.

Monday, 22nd April, 1940

The question of amalgamating with Jesus arose and the Club expressed its disapproval of any such steps. Mr. Habgood implored members of this Club not to associate with members of the Jesus College Boat Club as careless talk costs lives and may cause vital secrets to be given to the enemy, but the Secretary, in a very able and polished speech, soon put his fears to rest and the house once again adopted its Christian attitude.

Diary: 22nd May, 1940

[first day of Eights] Breakfast at 8 o'clock. Rain has broken the spell of beautiful weather, steady downpour till 2.00. We are rowing in three divisions. The first VIII is in 2nd division and we are in the third with four boats below us. We had a strenuous day as we rowed the whole course chasing Keble & Wadham III and being chased by Worcester & John's III. The first VIII bumped Balliol & Trinity II. We have hired Salter's Green Barge for these four days.

The 1942 St Catherine's Eight. Left to right, back row: G.A. Morrison, J.H. Kahle, A. Green, T.J. Brown; middle row: S. Solomon, R.N. Giles, J. Marsh (coach), J.H. Walker, W.G. Timms; front: G. Knight (cox).

Jim Walker also attended this year's RS Dinner.

University Crews

New Women's VIII

Anu Dudhia (email: dudhia@atm.ox.ac.uk )