First of all, I’m still alive. Sorry for not posting for a couple of months. I’m working on an academic related post about what I’ve been up to, but first, rowing.
For those of you who were listening to the radio coverage of bumps (www.cur1350.co.uk), I just want to say they really dropped the ball, claiming that we rowed over.
We marshalled in the cold, miserable, pouring down rain (15mph winds, 50°F, an inch of rain collected in the bottom of the boat in ~30 minutes). We were chasing CCAT II (Anglia Ruskin Univ.) and chased by Robinson III. Christ’s IV apparently crabbed or something, and CCAT bumped into them almost immediately, at First Post Corner. Just like the first day of Lent Bumps, Christ’s just sprawled across the river ahead of us. However, thanks to some extra eyes on the bank and some epic steering by our cox, we snuck past. Nobody else in the division made it through the carnage.
With CCAT out, our only option was to overbump Curchill III (or row over, which we weren’t about to settle for). They started 3 stations (7.5 boat lengths) ahead. The also didn’t have to deal with the CCAT/Christ’s insanity, which cost us another several lengths. But we didn’t give up, and kept on it hard, slowly but surely reeling them in. By the time we came onto the Reach (~1.5 km from the end), we were down to 4 lengths. By the railway bridge (500m from the end) it was 1 length, at which point we were all completely dead, but dug deep pushed harder and took the rate up. Churhill apparently completely cracked under the pressure and exhaustion, and we ate up the last length in about 15 seconds, to get the overbump.
And, as if getting overbumped was not emberassing enough for Churhill, they were rowing in one of our old “Black Prince” racing shells bought from our club earlier this year, whereas we were rowing in a heavy, double hulled plastic boat.
It was absolutely epic. Tomorrow we are 2nd in the division, so if we bump we will become the “sandwich boat” and row again immediately afterwards at the bottom of the next division.
Absolutely awesome. What can I say…..
Some GREAT pics on the Trinity 1st & 3rd site
May the force be even more with you tomorrow.
CUR 1350 was still showing incorrect results…..15 min ago – someone might want to bump them…
A quick thought, if it looks like more rain tomorrow, a bailer or two for a quick empty before the start- less weight to get off the line….
So, congrats again; looking forward to listening in bright and early tomorrow
Comment by Dad; proud Dad — 10 June 2009 @ 19:19