Sleeping Around

It's just CBC, thank you; I think CCBC is Churchill or somewhere They have nice pink though, so you'd probably like them. And they only got one spoon this year. Plus, at least it was M2 not M1 getting it

St Andrew's School came second in the US National Schools', so to come within a respectable distance was an achivement; especially for the present Top Squad, who are very average.

Doesn't change the fact that WSBC is going through a very average period. Not sure how you guys can be expected to compete against boarding schools on the Thames when you're not a boarding school and your BC is miles away. At SPS it is extremely noticable that everyone in the top squad lives with 5 or so miles of the school (with the odd exception) so they can turn up to early morning outings. I just don't see London schools ever competing with the Oxfordshire gang (Abingdon, Radley, Teddies, Pangbourne etc); they've too many advantages.

SPS is going to get shafted tomorrow - racing St. Paul's Concorde, who I believe beat St Andrew's, and posted some of the top times today despite winning easily. Oh well...

They've been very average since 2002 really, no boys are coming though and competing at a nation level.

The Thames isn't the best place to bread rower of quality, Isis is very good; though SPS have 4 international at the moment? massive underachivers once they get together, similar to Hampton.

Well, at least we were bumped by Chirst Church, Magdalen, New and Lincoln, all decent crews'; not Caius M15 or something!

I don't know which ones it was, apart from Tit Hall on the last day, but still - M1 getting spoons isn't something you see every day from a supposedly good college

Does spoons mean getting bumped four times (i.e. on every day of racing)?

Yes, it does. Opposite of blades.

Last year we started off with 6 who'd been to JWC and another who went to coupe; last member of the 8 is now top of GB. 5th at NSR, Friday at HRR. Now that's what I call underachievement! This year we've a squad of 9, almost half of which wouldn't make the 1st 8 9 years out of ten due to being too small. Given the resources available to them in terms of raw power and experience, they've not disgraced themselves at all.

However, with regards to my Tideway v Upsteam point: Tideway water is often rubbish, you have to cope with a million boats of various descriptions, there are virtually no straights and just to balance the boat is an achievement. Compare that with Abingdon, who I'm told have a 2k straight strech of water which is usually flat as a mirror, and I just don't think it's an even contest. Add in factors like boarding, rowing scholarships, and the fact that SPS and Westminster are quite a bit more academic than the likes of Abingdon and in particular Pangbourne and I think it will take a very very exceptional set of circumstances to see the Oxfordshire dominance ended.

I don't know which ones it was, apart from Tit Hall on the last day, but still - M1 getting spoons isn't something you see every day from a supposedly good college

We had a J16 reacing in the Bow seat, I struggled to get in the Bow seat when I was there, and I was competeing for GB. I think they're looking at useing the Docks more, which may imporve matter, but long term things don't look bright for Westminster. And for teaching people to row, the Tideway is the worst possible strech; far to wide; far to busy and the current is too strong - Abingdon is like heaven.

And the school league tables don't help, being in the top 10 means academic standards are high, can't miss the afternoon just to get out on the river.

One of the "Big 5". And this year we did a bit better, the M1 probable got as many bumps are Clare get in a decade.

Which is why everyone's so livid that with all their advantages, Abingdon and Pangbourne are still bringing in great big Germans (and I mean HUGE) on scholarships.

It's fitting that we talk about big German rower brought over on "special" scholarships on a Cambridge thread...

Not that it did them much good...

Mind you, their American imports are far more effective. Damn cheating Tabs. Should be forced to enter as "Harvard and Cambridge BC".

Not that it did them much good...

Mind you, their American imports are far more effective. Damn cheating Tabs. Should be forced to enter as "Harvard and Cambridge BC".

Some people just can't take losing

Some can't understand the traditions of the Boat Race either: a match between Oxford and Cambridge STUDENTS...

Are you saying Land Economy isn't a real subject now?