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
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