THE EAGLE Sports & Societies
Seniors The Women’s boat club have enjoyed a steep learning curve from the start of Michaelmas term following the departure of the majority of the previous First Mays crew. The Second Mays VIII stepped up to take on the challenge during Michaelmas term, with the First IV winning their category in the Winter Head to Head race. Injuries during the beginning few weeks of term left the crew slightly weaker for the Fairbairns race, however they still put in a good performance. Lent Term 2010 Lent term began with a lot of work for the First VIII due to the significant novice presence within the crew. They trained hard and their coaches worked wonders on them to bring them up to standard. For many of them, therefore, it was their first Bumps. Unfortunately, the first two days left them down two in the table, being bumped by a strong Clare crew on the first day, then St Catharine’s. Illness hit one of the crew so the rest of Bumps was rowed with a sub. An epic push to get St Catharine’s back resulted in a row over, with the chase continuing the whole way. Unfortunately, the last day left them at down three, with a bump from Trinity Hall.
SPORTS & SOCIETIES
Injuries and lack of availability left a rather substituted crew to enter Women’s Eights Head of the River Race at the end of the term. It is the first time LMBC women have entered in a number of years and is a race in which we hope to progress in and use as the start of Mays training in future. The gruelling Tideway race was the furthest a lot of them had raced before and in adverse conditions. The result was staggeringly successful, finishing within 20 seconds of the category winners. Following this was the Women’s Boat Races at Henley. We were immensely proud for our Hermione Mackay to step up to the strokeseat challenge in the Blue Boat, especially after less than a year of rowing before commencing her Blue Boat campaign in the previous summer. Congratulations as well go to EvaMaria Hempe, who was selected for the preliminary Blue Boat but was unfortunately unable to make the final Boat Race. May Term 2010 May term pre-season training camp was on-Cam. The camp was hard work but meant we really hit the ground running for the beginning of term. With Hermione returning we had a solid First Women’s crew. Several on-Cam races left them well up the Women’s First table. Bedford Amateur Regatta left them exhausted after a full day of racing, but satisfied. They reached the second round of the College Plate, but consistently beat down opposition by substantial margins to
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