Christ Church Regatta - Friday update

Hmmmm.

The last two days have seen KCBC meet with both triumph and disaster. We firmly intend to treat these twin impostors just the same - namely, by training harder (the solution to all of life's problems, I firmly believe).

The men met Trinity A, who had previously despatched Jesus' first crew. Unfortunately, our brave boys were the victims of confusion at the start and lost out in the first few strokes - a deficit they weren't able to make up later in the race. The crew still have every reason to old their heads up high - they have really come on this term, in spite of all the river closures they've had to contend with. What has pleased me most of all is their willingness to step up and join in with senior squad training. These guys have a lot of physical potential and will soon be very good indeed. Next year should be a big one for KCBC as this squad matures as athletes.

Any momentary disappointment was laid to rest however, when the women scored what has to be one of the most convincing victories of the Regatta so far, defeating St Peter's B by the length of Boat House Island and adding yet another victory to Keble's already-impressive tally. What really distinguishes this crew from the other women's boats on the water is their combination of attitude and technique (in terms of pure physicality, we are perhaps not the strongest crew on the water). A stranger cycling past while I bank-rode even complimented the girls' timing. This, combined with their willingness to push themselves hard, is what has made the difference. That and their rather stylish kit - navy blue tops, black leggings and some rather natty knee-length red socks...

Let's hope they can go all the way tomorrow!


Julian Bubb-Humfryes
Men's Captain

Christ Church Regatta - Day One and VICTORY!

This Wednesday, the Isis played host to an event unknown in current undergraduate memory, namely Christ Church Regatta, which has beejn cancelled for the past two years and abandoned halfway through the year before that. (For those who rowed before the establishment of the regatta, Christ Church is the annual Michaelmas-term knock-out competition for novices - i.e. those who have never rowed comptitively before.) Crowds flocked to the river side to catch a glimpse of this rare beast. A sight we hope will be rather less rare this year was that of Keble victory.

Unfortunately, the women were denied their prey by Regent's Park failing to show up (scared, obviously) and rowed over. The men were up against Waham As and duly dominated, surging off the start to an unassailable lead which they then maintained. The spontaneous chant of 'Kee-bull!' in time with the stroke may leave our boys in need of oxygen in a closer race however. Congratulations to the Wadham boys for their racing spirit - they certainly didn't give up - and to the Wadham coach for his sportsmanship.

Coaching novices is its own reward I suppose, but to be honest victory makes it that little bit more worthwhile. Thanks to the boys then, for being so damn fast. I like to think the start-line call made some difference - our regular call for relaxed rowing this term has been 'row like Jamaica'; today we changed this to the rather more efficient 'row like Germany'.

Thanks also to all those who've volunteered their time to help out with the coaching and coxing - additional early mornings in an already hard training schedule are especially precious, I know. So, our gratitude to: Liz Birch, Hannah Kaye, Tim Perry, Toby Miller, Tim Griffith and James Popple. It really has made a massive difference.


Julian Bubb-Humfryes
Men's Captain

Nephthys Head and Regatta

The Lightweight Blues hold an annual two-day event in the run-up to Christchurch Regatta - the first day being a Head race, and the second being a regatta over the Christchurch course. The women's novice eight(the men did not compete) had their first taste of competition at the Head race. To their very great surprise (but not to that of their coaches), they won - and by quite some margin. In fact, they even beat one of the women's senior crews and one of the men's novice crews. The first victory of many this year for KCBC, I have no doubt.

Their sterling efforts in the Head won the women a bye through the first round of the Regatta. The draw set up a grudge match against a well-drilled St John's crew, previous winners from the first round, for our girls. I was privileged enough to bank-ride for this race and despite a number of panicked moments during marshalling, the crew kept their cool and dispatched St John's by a distance. Their timing was a thing of beauty and a cause for comment among strangers along the riverbank. Although they would go out in the semi-finals to Wolfson after marshalling in the freezing cold for over half an hour, the whole crew have reason to be extremely proud of their victories. Credit has to go too to the girls' regular coaches, Liz Birch and Hannah Kaye for their extensive efforts in preparing the crew.


Julian Bubb-Humfryes
Men's Captain

Michaelmas erg tests

Fifth Week offered some respite from the by now tedious diet of long ergs, with two tests on the rowing machine - 2000 metres at rate 26 and 30 minutes at rate 20. After so many 12 kilometre sessions on the ergos, the 2k comes as something of a blessed relief - or so one might think until the 500 metre mark.

The ergos were highly encouraging all round - for many, this was their first ever 30 minute test (a mental challenge as much as it is a physical one) - and everyone in the squad stepped up to the mark. Unfortunately, some members of the squad did not perform as well as they would have liked, but all those who took the option to re-test improved on their scores second time round. Reviewing the results, it's clear that the training is working. Comparing the scores from 3 weeks into Michaelmas training with those laid down at rate 28 by the First Eight before Torpids last year, our erg times work out at roughly 10-15 seconds per man quicker - or more than the difference between bumping and being bumped. Ergs, proverbially, do not float however. Time to get back on the water.


Julian Bubb-Humfryes
Men's Captain

The Year Ahead...

The last two years of Summer Eights have left Keble rowing well acquainted with those twin imposters, triumph and disaster. I am nevertheless proud of the courage, commitment and bloody-minded determination of the crews of last summer to push themselves past the pain barrier, especially when confronted with much larger crews on either side. Such determination is all to no avail, however, if it can’t be translated into pure speed on race day. In order for Keble College Boat Club to regain its rightful place at the Head of the River, we need to back up our ambition with the best rowing set-up on the river. This is what this year will be all about. The Keble Rowing Society have yet again stepped forward enabling us to employ a Director of Rowing. We were fortunate enough over the summer to secure the services of arguably the best coach in Oxford. Employing such a high-calibre coach would leave us nowhere if we did not have facilities for him to coach from. To this end, we are also indebted to Professor William Scott-Jackson for his very generous gift of our new launch Erigo. Erigo was built to the same model as those launches that recently marshalled the Olympic Regatta at Beijing. As well as having the best coaching and launch on the river, we would finally like to express our gratitude to Neptune Investment Management for their gift of a men’s first eight to be unveiled for Summer 2009.

It is ultimately, of course, the rowers that propel the boat. Unfortunately, this season we are entirely without returning Blues, although recognition and no little respect must go to Alec Dent, who is trialling with the Boat Race squad this year. As of the time of writing, Alec is still one of the 24-man OUBC squad. This is no mean achievement in a post-Olympic year, especially given that Alec is not only still a second-year undergraduate, but also a former triallist with Oxford University Lightweights. As for the men’s senior squad, I am confident that dedication will triumph over the relative lack of experience among our returning rowers. We are currently putting in the hard yards, both on the water and in the gym. Our weekly schedule comprises no fewer than 60 kilometres on the water, 24 kilometres on the ergo and 10 kilometres of running. I am confident that such a punishing schedule will pay dividends, and perhaps sooner than one might envision – a half marathon is being held out at Woodstock this December and I am keen to see an impressive entry from KCBC putting their summer running to good use.

With this combination of coaching, equipment and training, I see no reason why Keble should not aim for the very top: Head of the River in both Eights and Torpids, an appearance at Henley Royal Regatta and a top-120 placing in the Head of the River Race. This past year saw the emergence of Keble as a force to be reckoned with in external competition. Our Head of the River crew, comprising six of the Torpids 1st VIII and a couple of willing volunteers from St Anne’s and Lady Margaret Hall, put in their best row of the season on the Tideway. This followed a week of dedicated rowing after the end of Hilary term; a week which undoubtedly paid off. Keble stormed (or rather, finessed) to a superb time, beating dozens of University and Club 1st VIIIs and, rather more importantly, Oriel. I was particularly impressed by the way Keble held off the highly prestigious Münster Ruderverein under Hammersmith Bridge, whose members are a perennial feature of German international eights.


Here’s to a successful season!


Julian Bubb-Humfryes
Men's Captain