Another frustrating term with results that reflected our lack of water time in Hilary. Despite this, we started off the term with a training camp in -1st week with an aim to set crews by 1st week, our first real chance to get back on the water, and for some members of the squad their first real chance to row on the water as seniors.

Having done that we began to train for Bedford Regatta on 10th May, in which W1 raced twice against Univ and W2 raced against King's School Chester. After that training began in earnest for Summer Eights, in which W1 performed relatively poorly, going down four places in total. W2, however, was Catz' most successful boat, moving up into fixed divisions, bumping twice and rowing over twice. The final event of term was Oriel Regatta, in which the women's eight beat Magdalen II in the first round, losing to Green Templeton in the second round.

All in all, the commitment and the fitness training last term really showed in terms of erg scores, but we couldn't quite match up to those crews that had been able to make the most of out-of-Oxford water time last term. Despite that, our second eight has finally made it into fixed divisions, so we can safely say that for them it was a successful term.

Women's 1st Eight after their final race

With Undergraduate Collections finished and the full squad back in Oxford, we had to address the issue of selection - some hard fought seat racing and trial outings resulted in Mike Humphries and Chris Elsby missing out on places in M1. With our newly formed crew, M1 began to gear up to the Isis Spring League race, where we put in what we were placed 7th, in what we agreed was a solid performance that showed an encouraging amount of speed to come. With just under three weeks to go until Summer Eights, our sights were set firmly on the big event. With the invaluable assistance of Anu Dudhia and David Zimmer on the bank, I can honestly say that the preparation in those weeks leading up to Eights could not have gone any better; the effort from every crew member was always visible, and the boat was getting faster every time we stepped in it.

By the time Eights came around, we all felt ready. Unfortunately, M2 were out-muscled following last year's success, and were bumped by Worcester II, Jesus II, Keble II and Brasenose II. In M1, we found ourselves lining up in front of a strong Trinity crew with a handful of University oarsmen, and despite a good race, we were bumped in the Gut. Thursday saw a heroic effort to hold off Balliol, a crew we knew would be strong on the back of their Christ Church Regatta victory, and we hoped to do the same on the Friday. Unfortunately a messy start ensured that we were unable to hit a good rhythm, and a clinical Balliol caught us. As has been the case in all my bumps campaigns for Catz, we saved the best until last, putting in a solid row-over behind Balliol that we all felt was a just reflection of the effort we had all put in over the course of the year.

Men's 1st Eight racing on the Friday

In 7th week, representatives of the Men's Squad joined the women to get through one round of Mixed Eights at Oriel Regatta.

When Eights finished it was time for me to conclude what had been a challenging, but deeply rewarding year captaining the Men's Squad, a group of fantastic individuals who have been an absolute pleasure to work with. I'm looking forward to the opportunities that the Presidency holds, and am equally excited to see Ben Baron lead the men next year, his winning of the Benjamin Sylvester award is a testament to his commitment to the Boat Club - we're very luck to have him!

Ben started as a novice in 2012, progressing through the 2nd VIII in Torpids and Eights, then promoted to the 1st VIII this year. In Michaelmas Term he was jointly responsible for organising the men's novice programme and has taken on primary responsibility for coaching the Men's 2nd Eight this term. He has also been elected as next year's Men's Captain.

Ben Baron receiving the Ben Sylvester Award from RS Chairman, Kevin Skinner (left)

'He seems the calm and steady 'constant' of SCCBC ... When others treat minor pitfalls as major catastrophes, Ben approaches all things related to the boat club with calm, confidence, and - most importantly - a sense of humour.'

'Ben is never late for training and always available to bank ride/coach/cox at short notice ... an integral part to the day-to-day functioning of the boat club'

'I believe that the boat clubs is in very safe hands with him as captain next year'

Jesuit Father Francis T. Gignac was born, in Detroit, Michigan on Feb. 2, 1933, the son of a doctor. He died on June 4, 2014.

Graduating from the University of Detroit High School in 1950, Frank entered the Society of Jesus on Sept. 8, 1950, in Milford, Ohio. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Latin (1955), a master's degree in classics (1957) and also a licentiate degree in philosophy (1957) through Loyola University Chicago as part of his preparation for the priesthood.

In 1958, Frank became a graduate student at Campion Hall. A fitness enthusiast, although he had never rowed before he came up, he became an active member of St Catherine's Boat Club. With an ideal build for the 'engine room' of a crew, he made rapid progress culminating in an Isis seat in 1961 and Blades with the Catz 1st Eight the following year. He also gave time generously to coaching Catz crews up to 1964, when he was awarded his D. Phil. in Greek and Philology. By then he had also become an authority on the early Greek language and one of the world's few papyrologists.

He returned to the USA to complete his training to become a full member of the Jesuit Order. He was ordained on June 14, 1967, at Colombiere College in Clarkston, Michigan.

In 1968, he was appointed professor of Biblical Theology at Fordham University (in New York) and then in 1974 became a professor of Biblical Greek and Biblical Studies at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. where he remained for the rest of his professional career. His enthusiasm for rowing continued, coaching at Fordham and, in Washington, finding a fresh outlet in the annual 'Camsis' Boat Race on the Potomac. To ensure he kept fully fit, he took up long distance running. He completed 25 Marine Corps marathons, ran the Boston Marathon four times and finished the Cherry Blossom 10-mile race in D.C. each year for 30 years.

From 1981 to 2003 he served as Chairman of the Biblical Studies Department. His classical skills were also put to use with his appointment as one of the Board of Editors of the New American Catholic Bible published in 1986. Over a period of forty years, outside his faculty work, Frank also assisted in parish work at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Laurel, Maryland.

In May 2013, at the age of 80, failing health led to his resignation from the faculty and he moved to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan.

From his first lessons in rowing in Autumn 1958, Frank and I kept in close and regular contact meeting in the New York and Washington and sometimes on occasional visits to the UK. We last met to have a coffee together on Union Station in Washington where I was catching a train for New York. He sent me a cheerful email in May saying he had been very happy in the Jesuit retirement community at Colombiere and asking me to keep in touch. Sadly he died only four weeks later, from congestive heart and renal failure. He was 81 years old.

Google 'Frank Gignac youtube' and you'll find a tribute including photos from his Oxford days

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

Diary

The Women's 2nd Eight, Catz' most successful crew of 2014