Do check the schedule and ask if anything is not clear (e.g. conflicts between google calendar and emails).
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As novice term once again kicks off, MECBC relives the many highs from Michaelmas 2011 with a new and even bigger edition of The Neptunes. Murray Edwards College Boat Club liked this post It’s barely a week into the term, and MECBC is already back racing on the Cam. Yesterday was City of Cambridge Rowing Club’s annual Winter Head 2 Head event, a 2x2km timed race from the railway bridge to the motorway bridge and back. While we’re always excited for a race, there was a little extra anticipation this time – it was our first race in our brand new, and as yet unnamed, boat. Set to race in the first division of the day, we arrived at the boathouse bright and early to find a very windswept river awaiting us.
Georgie called for our rolling start just before the railway bridge, and as soon as we were onto the reach, it became obvious that we were in for a real fight. Though the wind was in our favour in the first leg, it made the water on the reach, where there’s no protection from the wind, extremely choppy. Our blades hit the crests of the waves as we squared, making the boat difficult to balance and giving us all the kind of epic backsplash normally only seen from Marina, our Captain of Boats. We were soaked within a minute. Once off the reach, however, and into a bit more shelter, we managed to level things out a little and get some decent lift going, though still not up to the level of finesse and power that we had accomplished by the end of last term.
After completing the first leg, we spun and marshalled again, glad of the rest, but not wanting to wait too long before heading off on the second leg – the wind was chilly, and our damp kit wasn’t helping. Mark warned that, with the wind against us, we’d really have to push hard and push together on the way back, especially once we got back onto the reach. The mood in the boat was focused and determined as we rowed up to the starting line.
The rolling start to begin the second leg was more stable, and it quickly became clear that we were moving the boat along with more power and control than we’d had in the first leg. Counterintuitive though it may be, we almost always row better in a headwind. In between her usual calls, Georgie gave us the added incentive of closing the gap on the King’s boat in front of us. As we rounded Ditton corner, we all sat up in preparation for rowing the reach, knowing the wind would be strongest there. The combination of the headwind and the narrowing gap between us and King’s brought out a palpable fighting spirit in the boat, and we pushed hard toward the railway bridge. As we drew near the finish line, from behind me, I heard Ola shout, “I can hear them!”, meaning that she could hear the King’s boat’s catches. We were really close now. A last set of ten power strokes brought us under the bridge and across the finish line, less than two lengths behind King’s. Our first race of term and our first race in the new boat was finished.
The results posted later that afternoon showed that we had completed the first leg of the race with a time of 7:48 and the second leg with a time of 8:49, for a combined time of 16:37, placing us 1st in Mays Division 2 (a full 40 seconds faster than any other Division 2 women’s boat) and 6th of the college W1’s. We also managed to beat half a dozen Mays Division 1 boats. A respectable result, though, as always, we have much to improve upon before our next fight on the Cam. The prize for topping our division turned out to be glass tankards which we happily used to hold our celebratory drinks later that night.
Reana Maier MECBC W1 Lower Boats Captain 2011-2012 Wing Ying Chow liked this post Fairbairns Cup W1 17:08.90 W2 20:37.70 Calypso 12:09.30 Athena 13:18.50 Artemis 14:25.80 Winter Head W1 9:50 W2 11:42 Calypso 12:15 Athena 13:10 Queen’s Ergo Competition 7pm crew 5pm crew 8pm crew Senior crew (joint with Girton) Winter Head felt like an inappropriate name for a race where at least two of the crew were racing in short all-in ones. It’s unseasonably warm and sunny, and we’re feeling strong on the row up to the start… I say row up, a 1 hour delay in marshalling makes it feel more like an excersise in backing it down and trying not to provoke house-boat owners. After an isolated altercation with a man suffering from pride-of-paintwork, we continue the stop/start traipse up to the lock. The race gets off to a flying start as we power under the motorway bridge after Newnham. Settling into a good rhythm, we start to try and catch up. We make good ground on them around the corners, thanks to some killer lines from Ola in the cox’s seat. The power is there at times, and as we start to flag coming out of ditton, the reach gives us a new lease of life to make for the finish line at the P&E. We’re still gaining on Newnham, and the boat behind us is no-where to be seen, when suddenly disaster strikes, and we catch a crab. Though it takes us a while to recover (motivated by the cheering from mystery ‘New Hall’ supporters!), we see Clare gaining on us and give it our all, fighting them off with all our might. The determination to push as hard as we can and make up lost time is frankly inspiring, and we sweep under the finish line, completely drained. Time: 11:42 So, all in all, a success for grit and determination, if not for time. Onwards and upwards, we prepare for Fairbairns with everything to prove.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous and sunny Saturday afternoon – a perfect day for W1’s first race of the term, Winter Head. The 2.5km course covers the river from the motorway bridge clear through to the P&E, a stretch that has seen our crew have some pretty good (the day we managed to get enough clear river to manage a decent head piece) and pretty bad (the incredibly foggy morning we couldn’t sit the boat for love nor money) outings so far this term. All in all, though, we feel we’re in good shape to have a solid showing today. Though due to race in the 11:40 division, things are running exasperatingly predictably late, and we have to marshall by the Chesterton bridge for a good half hour, keeping our spirits up with banter and Haribo. We give a cheer for our novice crew Athena as they pass us, having just finished their first race in the previous division. Finally, we’re able to move up to the starting station where another round of waiting commences, though this one not nearly as long. We spin and paddle to the starting line, focusing ourselves and setting our platform. As we near the bridge, our cox Chloe calls to begin our rolling start. Three strong draws and five quick winds get the boat moving smoothly, and we settle into the race. Mark, our coach, can be barely discerned from the bank, shouting for the quick, sharp catches we’ve been working on all term. Despite a few incidents of ropey balance, our rowing feels strong and decently controlled. We manage to maintain our pace throughout, keeping up the power even through the last corners before the reach, a place we often lose our wind. Supporters cheering from the bank (thanks, Amy’s mom!), however, and Chloe’s calls for a power ten (she knows us too well) mean that we push through without any real tapering off. The reach is the only stretch of straight(ish) river on the Cam, so we try to make the most of it, lifting and sending the boat toward the railway bridge. Once out from under it, we know the finish isn’t far, so Chloe calls to empty the tanks, and we gun for the line. The banner passes over our heads, and it’s done. We paddle back to the boathouse, and Mark tells us that, while there are things to improve on (which he always says, no matter how well we do, which is probably why we keep getting better), we had a good race and a good foundation for the upcoming Fairbairns, the big end-of-term race at the beginning of December. Later that evening at the traditional post-race pub gathering, we keep checking to see if the official race results have been posted. When they finally are, we’re thrilled to find that, with a time of 9:50, we’ve come 10th out of ALL women’s boats, (which includes the Cambridge blues squads, out-of-town university crews, like King’s College London and Imperial, and town crews) and, more importantly and excitingly, 1st in our division and 1st out of all the Cambridge college women’s boats! MECBC owns the river! Mark’s reaction? “Fastest girls on the river then? It’s about time . . .” Bring on Fairbairns. Reana Maier |
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