9 boats on the river, including a W4, in what we think is a first for Queens’.
It was an astonishing first day with 7 out of 9 crews bumping up and only one crew being bumped. The men’s lower boats kept the bumping theme up throughout the week with both M2 and M4 flying the Boar on Saturday as they won their blades. Unlike their Lent’s campaign, M2 had some longer races and rowed very well to win their 4th set of blades of the year. Having had a crash on First Post cost them a Lent’s race, M4 were taking no chances and dispatched all 4 crews with a blistering start sequence, avoiding the corners entirely.
M3 and M5 both had a single row over. M3 on Saturday, having been on for blades, and were understandably disappointed. M5 on Thursday were as delighted as a crew escaping their spoons on Saturday, which was a real concern for a very inexperienced crew.
As is becoming traditional for Queens’ in the Mays, M1 held level. Just for variety, they go caught up with the magically accelerating Pembroke crew and were up one and down one.
The women squad had a very good week. W1 couldn’t hold off a fast LMBC crew but otherwise rowed over strongly at 11th on the river. The Lent’s fury bubbled gently when they found themselves in front of Catz again but the progress they had made in the term was plain to see, as they rowed over a long way ahead. With only one person in the crew having raced bumps before, W4 decided to sample bumps fully – bumped up, rowed over, got bumped, overbumped up. W3 fought hard in some long races to finish down 1. W2 capped off a good terms training with a well deserved up 2 to leave them placed to push for a spot in the 2nd division next Mays.
Thank you to everyone who coached, coxed or umpired for QCBC.