Bumps & Henley
June Boat Club News – Bumps and
/> Regatta
By Kat Astley – Christ’s College Boathouse Manager
Bumps
Bumps Week (11-14th June) took place in fabulous weather with virtually no wind and much sunshine, which generated good crowds all week. At the Blades' picnic there was a great turnout including the Master and Mrs Kelly, alumni, fellows, parents and relatives, students and staff to support the Christ's crews.
W2
Christ's had 2 crews with the coveted 'Blades' in their sights, having bumped up 3 places during the week. W2 - who had worked hard during the year to overcome confidence problems and to perform consistently - were rewarded for their efforts by a quick 4th Bump, which gave them their Blades. Their smiles said it all: no more confidence crises for this crew!
Rugby Boat v Fellow’s Boat
The other crew with a shot at Blades was the
/> boat, who had trained hard all term and, in particular, in the final 2 weeks. They were guided by Alasdair Docwra, who yet again gave up his time to come down from
/> /> to coach at his old college, this crew learned during Bumps week to temper their power with the calmness required in Bumps. Unfortunately the
/> boat's prey was the Fellow's boat which, having been bumped on Day 1 (meaning 2 subsequent days of rowing over), now lay in the path of the hopeful
/> crew. A titanic battle ensued, since the Fellow's only chance was to bump up before they were caught by the
/> boys. The Rugby boat were predictably first to overlap, but didn't quite finish it off; meanwhile the Fellows kept the blinkers on, seized their chance and continued to work for overlap on their prey. The
/> boat fell back, repelled, not knowing that the Fellows were having an equally hard time finishing off their own Bump. One more thrust would have done it! But, luckily for the Fellows, the
/> boat lacked the experience to hang on, and the temerity of the Fellows resulted in a Bump on Ditton Corner. The Rugby boat were left to rowover; and the Fellows - having now moved up a Division - managed a second Bump in the same day as sandwich boat in their new division. No doubt some tired legs in that crew, since they took the entire course to be able to grind their prey down, eventually bumping 2 feet from the finish line: persistence paid off!
M1 & M2
It was an equally pleasing week for the College with our other crews and, possibly for the first time ever, all our crews finished the week in a higher position than they had started. M2 went up 2 places, which belies an incredibly tough start to the week involving 2 days of rowing over. The boys repeatedly held off sustained attacks from pursuing crews and, in doing so, they earned the opportunity to make relatively easy bumps on the final 2 days. Their attitude inspired M1 to make a similarly gutsy performance later that day, and M1 rowed over after being bumped on day 1. This rowover was possibly the best rowing they have achieved all year, and put an over-confident and somewhat arrogant Magdalene back in their place. Furthermore M1 gained an easy Bump the following day on doomed Robinson, based on the leg-work put in the previous day. Overall M1 went up a credible 1 place.
W1
Finally W1's results: having all year been 'the crew to beat' there was now a chance that returning Blues etc would sufficiently strengthen other crews to cause upset to Christ's plans for another set of Blades for W1. However the only crew with similar pace to W1 this term had been Pembroke, and they (being poised at the top of Division 1) showed their might by taking the Headship on day 1 and rowing over with ease each day thereafter. Unfortunately our girls were not within striking distance of such glory, despite arguably being the fastest crew on the river. Instead they showed their form by the utter demolition of everyone who stood in their path lower down the division. First Churchill (within 40-odd strokes) and next
/>', who were unable to put up a good fight despite much posturing both this year and last. Sadly, on day 3, a particularly slow Trinity Hall crew looked likely to be bumped by Downing before W1 could get there, and this is indeed what happened. Closing fast on Downing, yet unable to finish the job in time, Downing bumped out after 40 strokes or so, leaving W1 bereft of a Blades chance. Nevertheless a strong rowover gave the girls the opportunity to show the river their prowess over a full course and, on the final day, W1 made an easy bump on Trinity Hall. The crew then paused outside the picnic field for photographs to celebrate the achievements of 'Professor Malcolm Bowie' in her first May Bumps. The Blades were delighted to welcome Alison Finch, her children and Malcolm Bowie's brother and his wife, who all came to support, and a selection of their photographs can be viewed on the Boat Club website.
Henley Women’s Regatta
W1 went on to represent the College at Henley Women's Regatta, which is sponsored by Price Waterhouse Coopers - as is the Boat Club. They delighted and astonished the crowds, having got through the Qualifying Race along with Jesus, Selwyn and Magdalene but then easily beating Barnes Bridge in Round 1 (whereas all other Cambridge colleges were eliminated).
An unfortunate draw meant meeting
/>
/> />'s Development Squad B crew in Round 2. Determined to put up their best effort, and knowing their times were not miles apart, our girls socked it to
/> /> from the word 'GO'! Spurred on by anger after hearing
/> />'s cox whisper on the start line that his crew needn't worry, and that they should save themselves for the afternoon race, Christ's swept down the course like a Fury, and won by 1.25 lengths.
With nothing to lose, and egged on by the support from the bank, W1 gave similar attack to the Quarter Finals. However another unlucky draw meant that
/> />'s A boat were their opponent, and our girls lost by just 1.75 lengths.
Such a valiant effort, perfectly executed race plan, and spirited performance inspired by each other meant there were only smiles and delight on the finish line, despite the disappointment of being knocked out by the eventual winners. The times in that Quarter Final were the fastest of the entire event; our girls would have been 2nd in the Final given a different Draw!
/> Royal Regatta
Our M1 crew represents Christ's at Henley Royal Regatta, facing much longer odds in the Qualifying Race for the
/>
/> /> event. (There are 17 places and 60 entrants.) The Boat Club wishes them equally Good Luck since they have worked every bit as hard this year and have, like the rest of the Club, demonstrated what can be achieved with teamwork and fellowship.
