Bumps, Blades, and Bowballs- Cambridge Boatie Chat

Well, that was fun! I think we hold the record for being bumped in the shortest ever possible time, though it was down to an accident rather than us being totally incompetent.

We weren't pushed out straight, and then when the bank party tried to get 2 to tap it, she cleverly backed it instead (ok, maybe a little bit of incompetence). So essentially we were totally wonky when the gun went, half the crew were still trying to manoeuvre and therefore missed the first stroke, and we rowed very gracefully into a bush, while St Edmunds rowed straight past us, not really realising what had gone on! Ah well. I hope we get to row a little bit further tomorrow.

Overbumped .

Our three man caught a massive crab and his seat came off. By the time we were rowing in eights again Wolfson II had nearly got the overbump on us.

Overbumped .

Our three man caught a massive crab and his seat came off. By the time we were rowing in eights again Wolfson II had nearly got the overbump on us.

Bumped Kings W1 within 20m of the motorway bridge.

Rather chuffed as we expected to have to keep pushing Queens away, but they didn't gain any length.

We Bumped!!!

Sorry, messing your Third Boat around- I don't get you...

***

I did take grassy a bit too wide on Nick's vehement suggestion to avoid Fitz II who annoyingly cleared to the inside of grassy... I went a bit wide and couldn't crank it round in time so my bowside clashed blades with the parked up boats on the bank- LMBC III and a Selwyn boat, I think. This meant that Emma III got within a length of us, but we restarted and pulled away nicely from them, just in time to see them get taken out by Jesus III. And so we got up to two lengths off the overbump on Christs II but unfortunately they bumped out.

But it's a row over and is the first a Clare second May Boat has had in about 5 years- they've all got spoons generally...

*****

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5515992678290474393

Look at our YELLOW shirts!

I love the story Helen!

Weren't there alot of overbumps and accidents yesterday? I was bankpartying our W2 boat and two's shoe came off, but then luckily the boat in front of them caught a crab and swerved into the side and then got bumped. Also our M3 apparently bent one of their riggers with a horrendous crab. We must drive the boatmen crazy! [Or maybe they like it as they get more business ]

And does anybody know how the injured guy is? He looked in pretty bad shape as they were taking him back on the boat.

I'm pretty nervous today, I'm sure we're better than New Hall (who've just been overbumped) but if afoneleri is right then Darwin are pretty horrendous... and I really, really, really don't want to row over again - too painful! Btw CCAT are looking very good Afoneleri, I'd try to take them out at the start, as endurance is their strength. (Though it's possible they got extra energy from the potential overbump)

We bumped them, but my god was it a horrible row - didn't catch them until just before the railway bridge, mainly due to my legs dying as we were closing ground around grassy (I'd been having trouble already but thought they'd hold throughout bumps...grr!). I noticed you caught new hall - how fast? Wouldn't have worried about Darwin, as shocking as they are, New Hall are worse - though as we share a boathouse with them and they're all lovely, I hate to say it.

Should be an easy day for you today though. And we're chasing Selwyn, so...

Unfortunately, I may not be in the boat for today at least

Oh, and the injured guy is fine. He tried to get back into our M2 boat yesterday and had to be sent home to rest. Addenbrokes behaved rather shockingly though - sent him home in lycra, bare feet, with no money, on the bus, in the rain...

It's good to be a FaTtie so far. It would be rather nice if our first boat could finish off the job and get head of the river, giving us 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th headships, but I won't count my chickens yet. They've got a decent chance though, so fingers crossed. 34 years is too long for us not to have won the Mays!

Since when did you have any of those headships other than W4?

Are you talking about bumps?

EDIT: Just looked at the FaT website. I'm very confused...