This term started for W1 with a two week training camp on the Isis, with the squad coming back a week before term to make sure we had enough time to train before Eights in 5th week. We trained in fours, and after the training camp we entered two crews in City Bumps. W1 saw excellent results, with the A crew being bumped once and rowing over three times, finishing third on the river, and the B crew bumping 4 times to win (mini) blades! This was an excellent start to the term and, with the men competing alongside us, was a great chance to work together as a boat club and get to know the triallists for M1.

Term then continued, with the squad settling into a routine for training. We turned our focus to Bedford Regatta, where W1, with an excellent sub in Paloma Vince, competed in two categories, putting in a fast time against a strong Magdalen in the first round of the College Eights, and losing to the South African Schools Rowing Union in the final of the IM3 category, after some excellent races to get there. It was a new experience for many of the squad and was enjoyable for all! David Hunter, our most loyal and much appreciated supporter, came to see us and took some great pictures which are up on the website and Facebook page.

Then, all thoughts turned to Eights, with seat racing and erg tests occurring and a final crew selected. We were all very nervous and excited coming up to Eights, but determined to use our growing fitness and the racing experience both from this term and last term. On the first day, we were chased by a blues-stacked Keble boat, and chasing Olympic champion and stroke of the Oxford blue boat, Caryn Davies in the Balliol 1st VIII. Keble started strongly and threatened overlap coming out of the gut, but a strong push from W1 saw us stomp away from them up the green bank. Balliol, meanwhile, had also started strongly and were gaining quickly on Christ Church. After our push, Balliol were in our sights, and we gained quickly as we came past Univ, bumping halfway along Boathouse Island.

With that bump achieved, W1 knew we had a chance of a bump on Christ Church the next day. We started strongly, leaving Balliol well behind, and were gaining steadily on Christ Church when they hit the bank in the gut, making for a short race. We then bumped Teddy Hall the next day, just after Donnington Bridge, in what became a messy pileup when they failed to clear the line and both Keble and Christ Church collided with them. However, all bumps stood as announced the next day, and St John’s were the only thing between us and blades. We rowed well and stayed calm, bumping them in the gut to win blades and finish 4th on the river.

It has been an absolutely fantastic term for W1, topped off with an amazing Eights dinner and some fun racing at Oriel Regatta, where some W1 rowers were in the mixed eight that was narrowly beaten in the final by Wolfson. With an excellent season behind us, and our coach John Ewans around to steer us to further greatness, we all can’t wait to come back next Michaelmas and get training again!

Niamh Broderick
Women’s Captain

Crew

• W1 Summer Eights 2014/2015 (8+)

Posted on Oct 08, 2015

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