A couple of issues ago I included a photo of Catz men boating in Hammersmith, incidentally (or so I thought) displaying some distinctive leggings. However an alumnus decided that these were just what he needed for inspiration and has been sporting a pair around the European regatta circuit. He sends a report, and photo.

The Fours Head results provide some early indicators for the Boat Races and finally, as we reach the end of the year, we review the current standing of the Boat Club.

Christ Church Regatta 23–26 November
Men's Novice VIIIs (c.64 entries)
Round 1	St Catherine's A bt	St Hugh's B	6 L
Round 2	St John's A bt	St Catherine's A	Row Over
Women's Novice VIIIs (c.54 entries)
Round 1	St Hugh's C bt	St Catherine's B	Easily
	Pembroke A bt	St Catherine's A	Easily
Repechage	St Anne's B* bt	St Catherine's A	Easily
	St Catherine's B bt	St Benet's A	Row Over
Round 3	New A bt	St Catherine's A	Easily
	Balliol A bt	St Catherine's B	Row Over
*Friendly crew — ineligible to proceed

This term began with a lot to live up to. Following on from a highly successful summer including a strong Eights' campaign, regatta wins and racing in other continents(!) it is fair to say that the bar set for the men’s squad this year is a high one.

James Winder, Men's Captain

So far tests have come in the form of two IWLs and the longer Wallingford Head race. IWL-A and IWL-B both produced overall wins and so coming into Wallingford we were confident, but starting two boats ahead of the University Lightweights proved a slight overestimation of the progress we had made. Despite a solid time the men’s appetite for more speed was only enthused by the experience and we look on towards next term with ambition and excitement.

It seems that once again they have struggled to persuade rowers to return for a second year on the water. Fortunately a couple of freshers with previous rowing experience have turned up, allowing Catz senior women to race as a coxed four this term. However, even with the seemingly acceptable flexibility of today's 'post-truth' environment, I think I can only go so far as to say that they achieved 'mixed results'.

So then one looks to the novices. Two VIIIs raced at total of 6 times in Christ Church Regatta. Unfortunately, the only time they crossed the finish line first was when their opposition failed to show up. But, to put that in context, in the past 5 years Catz women have had 20 races in Christ Church Regatta and only once (in 2013) did a Catz women's novice VIII actually beat their opposition fair and square. More of the same next year, or is it perhaps time to try something different?

Just thought you might be interested in a couple of Catz rowing-related things involving and old person.

Well, in September I popped over to the beautiful Lake Bagsvaerd near Copenhagen to compete in the World Masters Rowing Championships. Got pretty well smushed in the C1x and D1x but managed a win in the E1x (55 years and over) which was great fun and then got another win in the mixed E1x with Sarah Payne (ex-New College). It's a great friendly regatta but once the green light goes then it always gets serious.

Tony Mitchell, dressed to impress

Feeling a little low after being munched by big Germans in the single I decided to cheer myself (and the regatta) up a little and inspire myself to greater things by wearing the full Catz kit. What a triumph! Every where I went, old, fit boaties were smiling, pointing and laughing at me in a mostly friendly and frankly heartwarming way that made one feel good to be part of the rowing fraternity and proud to be a Catzman. I often race in Catz kit even though I have to enter as Wycliffe College.

And then, would you believe it, I bump into Duncan Spencer, (Oxford Blue 1963–65, Christ Church and Yale) who I raced the Vets Boat Race with a couple of times. Well, we start to chat and then as he notices the fine leggings he shrieks "Gad Tony, what are you wearing!?". I explain that this is clearly the kit of St Catherine's to which he responds "Hell, Tony, wasn't she tortured in those!"

And then last weekend I was lucky enough to have a go at the fabulous Silver Skiff head race on the River Po on Turin. This involves a 5.5 km row out, spin turn and 5.5 km row back, so is quite a testing event. I had entered as Catz and, realising that I would be up against the Olympic champion Sinkovic brothers and also the Cuban Olympic single sculls finalist, Angel Fournier Rodriguez, I felt it would be appropriate to deploy the full Catz kit again. Well it should have done the trick, but I think the Italians must have given me a sartorial time penalty as a Sinkovic won for the second year running.

Oxford & Cambridge results in the 2016 Fours Head

Things seem a little closer on the men's side: both Oxford and Cambridge have 5 returning Blues. Cambridge do rather better with returning reserve boat oarsmen but Oxford have also recruited a former Cambridge Blue, whose rowing CV rather quaintly lists winning a 'Silver' in the 2015 Boat Race. Perhaps surprisingly for a post-Olympic year there hasn't been a huge influx of rowers from Rio: just two, both in the Oxford squad: former Blue (and now OUBC President) Mike DiSanto was in the US VIII (4th in Rio), joined by newcomer Olivier Siegelaar who won a bronze medal in the Dutch VIII. Interestingly, the OUWBC squad also includes paralympian Grace Clough with a gold medal from the GB LTA Mix 4+.

The only Catz representative in the University squads is a new German post-graduate Matthias Mergenthaler, but very much at the lightweight end of the spectrum. He rowed in Isis II in the Fours Head but wasn't selected for the Trial Eights race on Nov 30th.

Catz Crews: Current Positions
(& highest – lowest positions, 2007 –2016)
	Men		Women
	2016	Range	2016	Range
1st Torpid	8th	(4–9)	17th	(1–18)
2nd Torpid	46th	(41–61)	55th	(47–57)
3rd Torpid	—	(62–68)	—	(50–55)
1st Eight	14th	(5–15)	21st	(13–24)
2nd Eight	46th	(38–49)	—	(44–57)
3rd Eight	84th	(73–89)	—	(75–79)

Moving to the rowing equivalent of the 'Norrington Table', with points assigned according to the finishing positions in Torpids and Eights, we've moved up 1 place to 16th, at the expense of Worcester (3 of our bumps this year were on Worcester crews), and closed on Lincoln. At the top Pembroke extend their lead while Oriel overtake Wadham to move up to 2nd. Keble rose furthest, moving from 14th up to 8th.

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