Cox: Amy Hill, S- Katy Relph, 3- Anna Feest, 2- Hannah Badger, B- Carly Gilson
Weeks of hard training had been put in by these girls, a crew with many members who had never rowed together (or in an IV at all) before the training. A last-week substitution brought a new energy to the boat and it was an excited, but nervous IV who rowed up to the start. It has to be said that Queens’ 2nd IV had a bank party to be jealous of (with bank party outnumbering members of the crew, and was noted that Queens 2s had more bank party than all the rest of the crews put together). However the crew were focused and determined. Setting off in the semi-finals in front of Downing W2 – a college who’s 1st boat had beaten Queens’ W1 the previous day – there was a steely determination in their eyes. The boat soon hit a strong rhythm and were powering away down first post reach to calls of encouragement and support from the bank. Down plough reach it looked like they were beginning to tire but some strong words of encouragement from cox and bank party soon had the boat flying again. Down the reach the lactate set in but the girls fought all the way to the finish line and were rewarded with a 4 second win over the second boat. The crew had 10 minutes to rest and recover before paddling back up to face their next rivals – LMBC. This time chasing the crew set off at a strong pace, munching up space between the two boats all the way down 1st post reach. They held it there throughout the gut and made move down plough reach. As they turned on to the reach it became clear that maybe we’d gone off a bit hard. Encouragement from the bank was loud and the girl grit their teeth and gave it everything, unfortunately being pipped to the post by a very strong LMBC crew – losing by 2 seconds.