The win today was not due in any part to skill on the river, but unfortunately a result of the fact the Peterhouse were forced to scratch on Monday. We await our next (first) race with great anticipation!
Women's 1st IV+ University IVs 2009-10
,
University IVs
,
Day 2
Pembroke
Win
Another day, another scratch. Unfortunately the Pembroke crew that we were due to race has had to withdraw as a result of their captain suffering a back injury. So we are straight on to the semi-finals, where we meet Emma. Nevertheless, there is one positive outcome of the scratch, which has been the organisation of a sparring partner for later in the year!
Women's 1st IV+ University IVs 2009-10
,
University IVs
,
Day 3
Emma W1
Lost - Margin of 6.5 seconds
Having finally managed to get on the water, we approached this race with the attitude that we would just have to take all the advantages of not having raced the previous two days. Our practice start on the way down was rushed, and needed a bit more calmness. Nevertheless, we managed an OK actual start, with some very solid wind strokes, and pulled away after a few hundred metres to half length up. We held this lead fairly consistently until, about 2/3's of the way up the reach, Emma put in a push for ten. We responded well to this push, but they still took a bit of our lead out of us. Then, coming into the bend of the railway bridge, they had the advantage of the corner, and put in another fantastic push to bring us back to level. Unfortunately, we did not respond to this as well as we should have, and our lack of experience in the four was evident. From then on, Emma just slowly but steadily pushed through us, and our fight back wasn't aided by a blade clash by the P and E. All in all, some great rowing by Emma, and its a shame that we didn't get the earlier rounds to gain more experience of racing in the four. Nevertheless, we shall be taking the lessons we've learnt from the four, and applying them to the VIII, ready for Winter Head in a few weeks.
