The Boat Club Report 1996-97

It all started in the Small Combination Room with copious amounts of alcohol and Smarties. The vice-captains managed to persuade 45 freshers to become novices: two ladies' and three mens' boats! The ladies benefited from a new restricted eight named Dr T. after Dr Tristram, a dedicated coach of the novices. While the ladies' vice-captain chose to operate a squad system, the men's vice-captain stuck to the more traditional format of boats known as A, B and C. The ladies' enthusiasm resulted in the best set of results for the ladies novices we have had for a while, with Pink Lady coming 2nd in the Cam Head and 4th in the Fairbairns, and Dr T. coming 5th in the Cam Head and 2nd in the Fairbairns. The men's novices weren't too far behind, with A boat coming 6th in the Cam Head and 7th in the Fairbairns and B boat coming 14th in the Cam Head and 19th in the Fairbairns.

A similar pattern of results was evident at the senior level. The ladies reached the finals of the Uni IV's but were beaten by Tit Hall, while the men were beaten by Tit Hall in the second round. The Cam Head produced excellent results with the ladies coming first (in their brand new eight, Lady Julia) and the men 6th. The gap was slightly wider in the Fairbairns, with the ladies coming 6th and the men 18th.

CCBC moved to Bedford for their first race of the Lent Term. Men's 1st won; ladies 1st, and men's and ladies 2nd came second in their respective categories. Lent Bumps became more of a lottery than normal due to the Cam being frozen solid for the first half of term, but this didn't stop the men. Men's 1st bumped up one to 7th, their highest ever position. Men's 2nd went up two and men's 4th went up a division. Ladies 1st went up one, finally getting Newnham after two years, but got bumped back down to 8th by Catz on their way to blades. So the men ended up higher than the ladies. Ladies 2nd successfully rowed on and achieved blades! In the meantime Martin Hoather rowed for the University Lightweights and Helen Rutkowska led a double life as a stroke of ladies 1st and spare for Blondie. The term ended on a high for ladies 1st who came 62nd and the men who came 108th in the head of the river.

Easter Term wasn't to be men's 1st's term. With crew changes right up to the week before Bumps and all crews around them achieving blades they went down three places to 10th in the first division. Men's 2nd had a better time going up two. Ladies 1st moved up one to 6th, bumping Newnham again with much delight and then produced a beautiful row over in front of Maggie! Ladies 2nd and 3rd went up three, continuing the stunning performances of the ladies' lower boats.

With CCBC growing in size, three ladies in CUWBC Development Squad and a couple of men trialing for the lightweights the future looks good. I would like to thank the committee, coaches and boatmen for creating our success and wish the incoming committee every success in the future.