So lets backtrack a bit. Previously I blogged about my crew's qualifying race for summer eights. We found out the results and our boat came in 9th out of 46 boats who tried to qualify (we were really excited for such a high result). Happy that our 4 weeks of training paid off, we began to prepare ourselves for the hectic bumps racing of Eights! Instead of working on building our stamina, we worked on our starts. In bumps racing, when you are only a boat and half length from the boat behind you, it is ESSENTIAL to have an excellent start (to give you a good head start away from the boat behind you and to get a good pressure start on catching the boat in front of you).
Lucky for us, our crew was considered one of the best (if not the best in our division) and we definitely had one of the strongest starts. Out first day of racing we caught Mansfield College WIII in less than 20 strokes! I can remember sitting on the starting line, my heart racing, my palms sweating, dreading the rain that was pounding down on my back. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember hearing our Cox Paul call out start. Roaring "DRAW! DRAW! DRAW! Wind IT! Wind IT! WIND IT! NOW LENGTHEN, LENGTHEN WITH THE LEGS!" and before he could call us to "Stride" he screamed "POWER 10! GO! 1...! 2...! 3...! 4...! 5...!" and before I could even breathe or think or worry about anything, my oar was whacking the side of Mansfields boat! We had bumped right off the start- the IDEAL bump! When the adrenaline began to ebb and we realized what had happened, our boat erupted in cheers and a round of high fives rippled from rower to rower.
The second day of rowing was even more exhilarating. Our success on the first day fueled our drive to get the ultimate Oxfrod honor: "blades"- four bumps in a row. We were focused, driven and nervous as could be. Sitting on the start line we saw the University College WIII boat pass us and we exchanged a few intimidating glances. Their color coordinated t-shirts and heart shaped sunglasses looked like symbols of weakness in comparison to our full Lincoln college gear. We were going to inhilate them (woohoo)! You could almost see them shaking in their seats. We waited for the gun...breathless with anticipation. It was a beautiful day: 70 degrees and cloudless- the heat was draining- but we were determined to have the perfect start...to end the race in as few strokes as possible. BANG! The gun echoed throughout the empty hallow and the blissful sound of perfectly timed blades wooshed out over the water. Within 25 strokes we had caught the Univ III boat and we were exhilirated- another bump! Images of winning blades began to flash across our minds even before we paddled back up the river to the boat houses.
The third day were were going after Green Templeton's 1st boat. They were our biggest competition of Summer Eights. We knew going into the race that this would be our most difficult day of rowing. It was even more difficult because Exeter WIII was in front of Green Templeton and they were a really slow crew: so our biggest problem was catching Green Templeton before they caught Exeter. We decided as a crew that we would go out with a REALLY hard start and pour all of our energy into the first 30 strokes in hopes of catching Green Templeton as quickly as possible. Come race time we had a solid start, but had trouble finding our "stride" or "race rhythm"- we still were gaining on Green Templeton. Mixed with high emotions, cramping muscles, and thoughts of exhaustion I heard our coach screaming in the distance and our Cox yelling at the other cox "CONCEDE!" "We have overlap CONCEDE!" I was so exhuasted and my mind was telling me that I couldnt row another stroke...and before we could muster another ounce of strength to complete the bump, Green Templeton had pulled away and in 3 strokes and caught Exeter. Our dreams of blades VANISHED in the flick of a blade. It was all over....we were all so upset that we just stopped rowing in the middle of the race. Thoughts of anger, doubt, dissapointment flooded our minds...HOW COULD WE LET BLADES SLIP FROM OUR GRASPS? But before we could even imgine attempting to answer this question we were pulled out of the trance by our Cox who began to scream "....they are GAINING ON US! ROW!" Then all of a sudden we had to throw ourselves back into the race and complete the course before Univ III (the team we had bumped the preivous day) could catch up with us. Somehow we found strength to row that last 1200 meters to the finish line.
Its funny how quickly you can be gounded in rowing. Shot back down from the stratosphere of euphoria, so to speak. Our final day of rowing was both sobering and at the same time a chance at redemption. We were going after Exeter III who, in our opinion, had conceded TOO EARLY to Green Templeton! This would be as easy as the first bump we made because Exeter was a rubish crew. We went out focused, determined, and driven to end Summer Eights on a good note. The first part of our start was ALL POWER. Every member of our crew could feel the connection, the internal ryhthm of our stroke. We were going to destroy Exeter! But as soon as we had made the connection somthing ruptured our focus: our 7 seat had "caught a crab" (her oar flipped and acted like an anchor) and our boat decelerated alarmingly fast. We tried to row on with only 6 rowers, but were unsuccessful and we reluctantly called a hault to our charge on Exeter and watched Univ III row past us. We were disappointed, but immediately consoled by the fact that we were not going to be exhausted from a long race. We paddled back to the boat houses with our heads held high and embraced the spirit of Summer Eights (and the mixed drinks and tailgates to go with it!)
Back at the Lincoln Boat House pitchers of Pimm's (the traditional crew drink) with mixed fresh fruit and lemonade were passed around liberally. "The Pimm's were flowing" as they say. Our crew had raced quite early in the day (at 11:30 am) and we got to stick around and watch a majority of the other divisions race. I was able to cheer for Lincoln College and Regent's and I stuck around for the "Head of the River" races as well (which started at 5:30 pm). The crowds were absolutely RIDICULOUS! I felt like I was on the movie set of "Rudy"!
All in all Summer Eights was increadible! I wish you all could have been there to experience one of Oxford's oldest traditions (and too see me race as well!)
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