POWER OF THE BOAR
QUEENS’ COLLEGE BOAT CLUB NEWSLETTER - 2023-2024 MICHAELMAS TERM
OVERVIEW
Abi Smith (President) This term was a busy, albeit yellow-flagged filled, term for QCBC. Given the bad weather conditions many of our novice crews and lower boats slightly struggled to find water time, but this did not stop the club from having a successful few weeks, both on and off the water.
NOVICE BBQ
Term began once again with the Novice BBQ. Following the success of last year’s trial, this allowed an opportunity for both undergraduate and postgraduate freshers to come and have a go at rowing in an VIII whilst also getting to hear about QCBC from current members. Thanks to the hard work of our vice-captains and LBC’s we had over 100 novices sign up across both sides. This quickly led onto a busy term preparing for Emma Sprints, Clare Novices and QErgs.
QERGS
On the 5th November, just over a thousand competitors took to the Fitzpatrick Hall for this year’s edition of QErgs organised by our brilliant QErgs sub-committee. Amongst one hundred crews from different colleges, and two CUBC teams racing time only (due to the last-minute cancellation of Fours Head), we had five Queens’ crews racing this year (one senior, four novice). Unfortunately, the Queens’ seniors didn’t have much luck this year, with the erg chain snapping on their last 500m. However, in true QCBC spirit, they finished the erg relay without the handle. The results of the novice races can be found below – but all the novices thoroughly enjoyed their first taste of QErgs! The photo shows what has become somewhat of a tradition over the last few years (the QCBC Marshal’s post-QErgs pizza night).
Following the success of last year’s partnership, we once again worked with East Anglia Youth Rowing (EAYR) to run a separate schools division in the middle of the day. With students of local schools from across Cambridge competing, these races followed slightly different (age-appropriate) formats but were just as exciting. Following their competition, the students were offered tours around the college site with both JCR members and QCBC committee members. It was great to work with EAYR and we look forward to inviting them back in future years. We were also incredibly fortunate that this year’s event was sponsored by Strength Level and Rowing Level. Founded by QCBC Alumnus Michael Clark, these platforms offer a way to compare your own progress against a range of metrics. As a result of this, every QErgs competitor was able to see how their 500m time compared to others of their age and gender. We would once again like to thank Michael on behalf of the club - without the ongoing generosity of QCBC Alumni, rising costs would make QErgs incredibly difficult to run. The countdown and logo designs begin for QErgs 2025!
NEW BOAT
The fundraising campaign for the new women’s first boat was completed in August 2023, and the order was placed for the new shell at the beginning of this term with an estimated arrival date of March. In early December, we heard the exciting news that the new women’s Filippi will be arriving in January, much earlier than previously scheduled. In advance of its arrival, at the end of December, The Duchess of Cambridge was sold to Sudbury Rowing Club, where the shell will be primarily used for their Master’s women’s squad. We are enormously grateful to the donors who made the purchase of this new women’s VIII possible, with special thanks to Alex Stout (1995) who pledged to match all gifts up to the total of £20,000. Every member of the women’s senior squad is incredibly grateful.
THE 1828 SOCIETY
As part of the drive to increase alumni engagement ahead of the 200th anniversary of QCBC, this term we founded The 1828 Society. Differing from the Boar’s Head Boat Club, this society is open to those who are regular donors to QCBC. We are hoping that this acts as a way for us to more effectively thank our supporters and recognise their invaluable contribution to the club.
We are hugely grateful to those who have joined The 1828 Society already, who will be receiving their pin badges and more communications from us very shortly.
Following the postponement of the inaugural event in December, we hope to be able to reschedule this event for later this year, so please keep an eye out for details for this.
For anyone who wishes to join the society by making a monthly, quarterly, or annual donation of £18.28 to the QCBC Development Fund, please contact the Alumni and Development office.
SOCIALS
As always, this term was just as busy off the water as well on the water. The fireworks BBQ and Fairbairn’s Cocktails were once again popular events, thanks to the hard work of our social secretaries. We look forward to the annual wine and cheese with Magdalene in Old Hall next week, which is always a great chance to improve relations between the two clubs.
LOOKING AHEAD
2024 promises to be an exciting one for the club, with the arrival of the women’s new first boat, our annual training camp in Reading and the May Bumps Garden Party to look forwards to. This year we also have five current and past QCBC members trialling for CUBC (Beanie Spain, Ulrika Andersson, Brett Taylor, Ben Harding and Fred Markanday), and we look forward to supporting them in any way we can in the lead up to the Boat Races. Following an exciting training competition for each side over the Christmas break, everyone is eagerly looking forwards to getting back to the river. As always, if you have any thoughts or questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch
THE MEN’S SIDE
Gus Molyneux (Men’s Captain)
SENIOR MEN
With many of the seniors having graduated last year, the men’s side started small (with less than 10 total rowers). Fortunately, we picked up a couple of schoolboy rowers in the first week which enabled us to comfortably put out a keen senior VIII throughout the term. Given the small size of the squad, the main goals of the term were to make sure the crew was well placed to succeed in Lents in terms of both fitness and technique and to focus on the novice intake. Starting early with the training meant we got a solid block of training in before the river became overrun with novice boats. We elected to focus on the training through Uni IVs and Autumn Head, instead making the target races Winter Head and Fairbairns.
Winter Head
M1 - 8/19 1st College Crews in a time of 9:06.4
With this being M1’s first race of the term, the crew was excited to see how we matched up to other colleges in the run-up to Fairbairns. Having lightened the blades in the week prior to the race, our aim was to rate 38 off the start and settle to a comfortable 34 over the 2.5km course. We were third to start in our division after Emmanuel M1 and Selwyn M1. After a slightly nervous spin between 2 parked boats, we were quickly set off by the marshals. Under the motorway bridge, we found a good rhythm at 36 but by halfway down First Post Reach this had lengthened to 32 where it remained for the rest of the race (slightly under our initial aim). Despite this, the crew was motoring and through First Post Corner and onto Plough Reach, we gained on the Selwyn crew ahead. Reaching the plough, our cox Lizzy called for some, much needed, power 10’s keeping us in touch but by Ditton the crew was tiring, and Selwyn began to walk away again. Nonetheless, the crew stayed strong and produced a chunky row down the long reach, even producing some of the best rowing of the term as we came under the railway bridge into the last 500m. As the P&E came into view, on Lizzy’s call, the crew committed to a final push, winding the rate to 34/35 and sprinting across the line. Watch the race video here:
FAIRBAIRN CUP
M1 - 14/25 1st College Crews in a time of 15.48.1
Having had the useful experience of Winter Head, the crew was really motivated to show what we could do - having made a good step on in technique over the last few weeks. As is usual for Fairbairns, the start was suitably frozen and unfortunately, we de-kitted a little too early meaning everyone was quite cold by the time we started. This didn’t last long though as we set off with a very aggressive start, rating 38 over the start line. Into the first portion of the race, we tried to settle onto a rhythm and, to the crew’s credit, held it higher than we had done in Winter Head. Through this section we had gained some ground on the crew in front, pushed on by cheers from the bank. Coming under the railway bridge into the second half of the race, everyone was starting to tire, and the rate began to dip. The crew held together though and found a second wind coming into the final 500m giving us a boost over the line. Overall, this was a good result for a crew that was relatively inexperienced at the start of the term. I’m confident that we’ll be able to build from here and will be able to put in a good performance for Lents.
NOVICE MEN
The Novice BBQ was a big success again this year with roughly 50 sign-ups on the Men’s side. Our brilliant LBCs (Rone, Toby and Rosie) then offered many outings and land sessions, including a trip to Downing Tank which the novices seemed to enjoy. Two keen crews emerged from these sessions, a primarily Postgrad boat (MOak) and an Undergrad crew (MPine).
QErgs
MPINE - 6th in division MOAK - 10th in division
Emma Sprints
MPINE - Final of their division Given Emma Sprints was oversubscribed, only MPine got the opportunity to race. In the first 2 rounds they faced Peterhouse and First and Third winning both races comfortably. In the semi-final they faced Hughes Hall who stayed level with them for most of the course with Queens’ pulling away only in the last few hundred metres. In the end, they were beaten by a very strong Clare Hall crew in the final. An impressive result for the crew’s first experience of racing!
Clare Novices
As a replacement for Emma Sprints, we entered MOak into Clare Novices. Unfortunately, on their way to marshalling their rudder broke meaning they were forced to scratch. The crew returned to the boathouse, disappointed, just as the seniors were arriving for their session. To raise their spirits, we decided to run a tub racing competition. Each senior was paired with a novice and the two tubs raced in a knockout tournament. This was great fun and may be something we repeat in future years with or without broken rudder cables!
Fairbairns
MPINE 15/46 NM1 MOAK 23/46 NM2
MOak was set off early in the first division. They settled onto a good powerful rhythm which they held throughout the race, winding it up into the finish. This was a really strong performance by a crew that hadn’t had an opportunity to race together before this point. MPine (with a few MOak subs who raced twice) raced in the warmer division in the afternoon. The crew was given a big gap to the crew in front (who went straight into a houseboat over the start line) and once they were set off seemed intent to catch them. The adrenaline fuelled start quickly subsided and the crew found their stride, holding the stroke rate high. They continued to gain on the crew in front but unfortunately ran out of river and were unable to catch them before they crossed the line.
THE WOMEN’S SIDE
Leena Mueller-Koegler (Women’s Captain)
SENIOR WOMEN
The women’s side started off strong, keen and enthusiastic! Returning seniors, and a few new members with rowing experience elsewhere, trained together as a squad. With different racing priorities, the senior women moved into a combination of IVs and VIIIs, with the aim of tackling Autumn Head, Uni Ivs and Winter Head, before combining to make full VIIIs for the Fairbairn Cup. The squad have integrated brilliantly and all improved immensely across Michaelmas Term.
Autumn Head
W1 - 2nd in their Category (Women’s First IV) Autumn Head took place on 14th October, just ten days after the start of senior squad training. Having trained in mixed and matched crews, the race crew had just one outing together before the race! The plan was to go into it and see what they could do. The race was the majority of the crew’s first time racing in a bowloader IV+, and on the day smashed the race, coming in a strong second place with a time of 12:39.1, over twenty seconds faster than the crew in third place! This race was an impressive show of the crew’s determination and many good things to come.
Uni IVs
W1 - lost to Hughes Hall W1 by a margin of just 2 seconds W2 - after some chaos on the start line, lost to Emma W2
Uni IVs took place in the week beginning 23rd October, and we had two IVs racing (in the Hayter and the Browne) - the biggest entry from Queens’ in recent years! The two crews had a handful of outings in the race combinations before the start of the competition. On race day, W2 suffered from an open gate on the start line and was incorrectly started by the marshal. They persevered, giving Emma W2 a good race with some gutsy rowing, but sadly lost, and politely declined CUCBC’s offer for a re-row. W1 were up against Hughes Hall W1, and rowed a technically strong and powerful race, but sadly missing out on the next round by a margin of just two seconds. Everyone stepped up to the challenge well, making good progress in anticipation of moving into VIIIs.
Winter Head
W1 - 9th in Category W2 - 6th in Category
After several weeks of training in matched eights, both crews were ready for a chance to show off their training. Despite a very early start for the race, W2 were full of energy, with a strong start and fiercely battling to keep Emma W1 behind until the reach. After a hard-fought race, W2 clocked in at 11:22.3, coming sixth in their division. W1 raced in the afternoon, with two super subs, and steadily gained on the three crews ahead. After a clean race, W1 clocked in at 10:20.6, just 0.1 seconds off the crew ahead. This was ideal practice for the Fairbairn Cup coming up next.
The Fairbairn Cup
W1 - 14th in their Category W2 - 9th in their Category
On a very cold and frosty Friday morning, the two senior crews showed up determined and excited to race! W1 rowed a smooth and powerful race, consistently pushing off the speedy Trinity Hall W1 crew behind. The crew showed real grit and determination, constantly pushing for more and rowing a race to be proud of! W2, cheered on by W1 as they came over the finish line, rowed a strong race, coming in the top ten in their category! Everyone’s commitment has really shone through this term, as was evident in the smiles and high spirits of everyone at the end of the race, amidst the chaos of marshalling boats, having finished a term of rowing to be proud of!
Christmas Head
‘Hayter’s Fest(IV+)e Day out’ - 1st in their category (and fastest women’s IV+ of the day!) On the cold and foggy day after Fairbairns, a reunion crew from last year’s blading May’s W1 came together to race in Christmas Head. With one crew member not having rowed since Henley Qualifiers in June, the crew was determined to go fast and have fun. After speedily bow-rigging the Hayter, the crew dashed off through the fog to marshalling. After joking with the marshals at the start line about the gap that would be needed to the crew in front of them, the reunion crew was happy to deliver a speedy race, catching the crew ahead on the finish line! Cheered on by their bank parties, the crew dusted off the frost and went to collect their pots! The women’s side is strong, and I am hopeful for the next couple of years – there are many keen, strong, and capable rowers gaining experience and rising up through the crews. Everyone is supportive of each other, friendly, and always keen to improve – the future of QCBC women looks bright.
NOVICE WOMEN
After a strong recruitment drive, the team of LBCs, Amelia, Erika, Susannah and Tarrion, and Vice-Captain Gigi set about forging future Queens’ rowers! In a term riddled with yellow flags, the LBC teams did amazingly well to get two crews training regularly. We had two crews racing at Emma Sprints, each winning a race! This was an incredible result after only a handful of outings, and in very tricky conditions! The two crews took their success at Emma sprints and built on it, training hard in the lead up to Fairbairns. NW1 had a strong race, coming 14th out of over 30 crews, cheered on by their LBCs. NW2 overcame many challenges and much chaos, recovering beautifully from some brushes with the bank to come in 12th in their category! Thanks to the tireless hard work of the LBCs and the enthusiasm of the novices, the future of the side looks bright!
THOUGHTS AND OUTLOOK
The resilience and determination of the side has been one of the highlights of the term, and once again the strength of the side has been in its depth. The whole squad has made incredible progress, learning from the range of experience to make huge steps forwards. We have seen successes in races, but the biggest success has come from the commitment everyone has shown in their training this term. I am lucky to have such a fabulously friendly and enthusiastic squad. I am really looking forward to taking the side from strength to strength in combining the senior and novice crews into a strong and exciting squad for a successful Lent Term!