By Jasmine Spencer and Michael Connolly (Womens' and Mens' Novice Captains)
This term we’ve seen our long-awaited influx of new rowers. We had a lot of talent, a lot of strength and a lot of promise. Despite a tricky term, full of red flag and rain, our novices remained committed to their training and to the boat club, which we’re really proud of. We kept up training with circuits, ergs and senior outings, and even though, come Christ Church, most of them had only been out a handful of times, we still had competent rowers and positive attitudes.
The regatta itself was an interesting experience for everyone. Despite perfect race conditions and green flag on the first day of racing, within a few minutes of the first division launching, the heavens opened and the forty days and forty nights of rain that we missed last year came all at once. Within half an hour the river was red flag, the first division (including St Anne’s NM1!) had struggled past and Somerville had snapped their boat in two (always good fun).
Sadly, the weather was too bad for the rest of the regatta to go ahead, but we organised a ‘land regatta’ with St Hugh’s College Boat Club which was not only great fun, but we also thrashed them, both in numbers and in ability. So overall its been an unusual first term, but with the first set of 2k tests over, we think that SABC is in as good a position as ever and we think our novices will prove their worth before long.
The regatta itself was an interesting experience for everyone. Despite perfect race conditions and green flag on the first day of racing, within a few minutes of the first division launching, the heavens opened and the forty days and forty nights of rain that we missed last year came all at once. Within half an hour the river was red flag, the first division (including St Anne’s NM1!) had struggled past and Somerville had snapped their boat in two (always good fun).
Sadly, the weather was too bad for the rest of the regatta to go ahead, but we organised a ‘land regatta’ with St Hugh’s College Boat Club which was not only great fun, but we also thrashed them, both in numbers and in ability. So overall its been an unusual first term, but with the first set of 2k tests over, we think that SABC is in as good a position as ever and we think our novices will prove their worth before long.