May Bumps 2018 – Reports
| Men’s Crews | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Total |
| M1 | +1 | +0 | +1 | -1 | +1 |
| M2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +0 | +3 |
| M3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +4 |
| M4 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -4 |
| Women’s Crews | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Total |
| W1 | +1 | +1 | +0 | +1 | +3 |
| W2 | -1 | -1 | -1 | +0 | -3 |
| W3 | +1 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +3 |
| W4 | +1 | +0 | -1 | +1 | +1 |
| M1 | Wednesday. Bumped Caius M1
Pembroke M1 started hard and clean, quickly moving half a length on Caius and getting the first whistle before first post. We had a huge push down the plough reach and moved hard until we were a canvas away at Ditton. Narrowly missing the bump on the corner, we sealed the deal and bumped Caius as we straightened up on the reach.
Thursday. Row over. Pembroke M1 started strong but slowly fell back to 3 lengths off Clare at The Plough. Not discouraged, we maintained focus and built a strong rhythm down The Long Reach steadily decreasing the gap until we were 1 length off after the Railway Bridge. From there we had an heroic last surge but unfortunately we could only close to a quarter of a length at the finish.
Friday. Bumped Clare M1. Pembroke M1, learning from the previous days racing and with confidence it was possible to catch Clare, attacked the first 3 minutes of the course relentlessly. We gained our first whistle on Grassy Corner and secured the bump just past Ditton Corner after taking a tight line on the inside of Clare.
Saturday. Bumped by Clare M1. Pembroke M1 fought hard in the first 3 minutes of the race to hunt down Maggie M1 for Head of the River. We held station to Grassy but Clare started to creep up from behind and they wanted revenge. We battled down the Plough Reach but Clare continued to close the gap and got overlap around Ditton Corner. With a last push, we nearly got away but Clare secured the bump and Maggie retained the Headship.
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| W1 | Wednesday. Bumped Fitz W1
W1 got off to a rapid start, moving immediately on Fitz and gaining one whistle down first post reach. Queens (chasing) were quickly left behind, and the second whistle on Fitz came as W1 reached first post. They then became part of a four-boat sandwich with the 3 boats ahead coming into grassy – Churchill getting the bump on Peterhouse allowing W1 the chance to close down Fitz over the rest of the course. After a strong move round ditton they closed to 3 whistles at the top of the reach; Fitz did not give up and a chase down the reach kept on until Fitz were left with nowhere to go on the inside at the railway bridge, where a concerted move by Pembroke brought it to an end just before the bridge! Thursday. Bumped Peterhouse W1. Off to another strong start, W1 moved consistently on Peterhouse, with one whistle along first post reach and the second coming in around first post. With Fitz applying little pressure from behind, W1 maintained their pace to get the third whistle and bump Peterhouse coming round grassy!
Friday. Row over. Saturday. Bumped Christ’s W1 |
| M2 | Wednesday. Bumped FAT M2.
Pembroke M2 had a very gutsy, yet slightly untidy row up to starting position. When the race began, out first three strokes were finished out but we soon hit quite choppy waters. Although the conditions weren’t ideal, we struck a very aggressive tone that meant that we soon made up ground on FAT M2 who had initially pulled away off the start. Though our rowing remained a little flustered coming down the First Post Reach, the whistles soon started to come from the bank. By the time we reached First Post Corner, we’d got our third whistle. At this point, we achieved an almighty burst that was of a standard we could proud of. Kev didn’t even have time to get his dinner bell out before FAT were caught. Lessons learned, M2 are ready to do yet more damage on day 2. Thursday. Bumped Jesus M2. M2’s row up to the start set the tone for a very professional race. When the gun sounded, M2 had a smooth, clean start that was a significant improvement on the first day’s effort. Although Jesus M2 had gone all in right from the start, gaining one whistle on Sidney Sussex M1 ahead of them, we anticipated this and trusted that our rhythm was much faster over the length of the course. With no threat from a somewhat lacklustre FAT M2 behind us (who were munched up by a hungry Darwin M1), we began to move on Jesus M2, hearing our first whistle just as we came into First Post Corner. From the first day, we suspected Jesus may start to crumble here and, sure enough, Sidney soon began to open up a bigger lead ahead of them. All that was left for us to do was to gradually close our own gap and give the crowds on Grassy Corner and the Plough a good show. Our third whistle came just before the Plough itself and the job was done as we came onto Ditton Corner. A passionate, textbook row. Bring on day 3 Friday. Bumped Downing M2. Saturday. Row over. |
| W2 | Wednesday. Bumped by Wolfson
A tough start to bumps for w2 with a last minute sub. A very strong start helped close down on selwyn W1 to two whistles by first post, however a very strong Wolfson W1 had also managed to close down leading to an exciting sandwich to grassy. Unfortunately just as W2 started to get overlap and look like they were going to take the win, Wolfson closed yet again taking the bump. A disappointing day, but w2 is ready to come back tomorrow to take their revenge on Wolfson! Thursday. Bumped by Emmanuel W2 Friday. Bumped by Sidney W1 Saturday. Row over. |
| M3 | Wednesday. Bumped St. Catherin’s M3
The crew got off to a great start, eating up the distance to St Catherine’s M3 who they bumped in 1 min 3 secs. Thursday. Bumped ARU M1 Friday. Bumped Girton M2 M3 got off to another great race today. Perhaps not the cleanest of starts but with enough power to quickly close the gap on Girton M2, bumping them in under 40 strokes.
Saturday. Bumped Darwin M2 |
| W3 | Wednesday. Bumped Jesus W3
After a strong start, Pembroke III pushed up on Jesus III, and moved away from Kings II. Moving into first post reach, Pembroke were on half a length on Jesus but were unfortunately held up by some carnage ahead..After some discussion, the decision was made to rerow part of the division, leaving Pembroke chasing Jesus from the start with clear water behind. The tight line we took around grassy corner was the finishing blow to Jesus III who were caught on the plough reach, after a committed row from both crews. Thursday. Row over. W3 set off strong today behind Emma W3 – however they were interrupted as the division was (yet again??) made to re row. Treating that distraction as a practice start, W3 set off again – several swift bumps ahead unfortunately meant they were set for the rowover, but they rowed the course well, committing the whole way. Friday.Bumped Christ’s W2 Saturday. Murray Edwards W2 |
| M4 | Wednesday. Bumped by Lady Margaret M4 Thursday. Bumped by Corpus M3 Today the Pemgibeers were striving for an overbump to put their campaign back on track. Alas the cuel wheels of fate blessed Corpus Christi and the Pemgibeers were bumped. Tomorrow we plan to follow in the footsteps of Magdalen college: quadruple overbumping to regain our fearsome and deserved reputation. Friday. Bumped by Emmanuel M4 Saturday. Bumped by Jesus M5 |
| W4 | Wednesday. Bumped Darwin W3
W4s race report is fairly short – they had a really solid start, and just kept gaining on Darwin w3. They went from 1,2,3 whistles, bell and then bumped under the motorway bridge. All were really happy and are excited for tomorrow. Thursday. Row over. They started off well and by first post corner had two whistles on tit hall 3. However, through the gut and along plough reach sadly lost a lot of length in the water so dropped back considerably while tit hall also pulled away in their push for a bump. By the reach w4 lengthened back out well, and started gaining again but it was too late. It was a strong and committed row over and we are ready to try again for the bump tomorrow.
Friday. Bumped by Darwin W3 Saturday. Bumped Darwin W3 |
