Cantabs Men’s Squad kicked off the season by entering three boats into the Oxford City Bumps on the 21st April. The Oxford City Bumps take place over one day rather than four, is rowed in coxed IVs rather than VIIIs, follows “Torpids” rules*, has 13 crews er division and is a rather more relaxed affair than the Cambridge Town Bumps. Other than that, it is exactly the same!
The M1 crew started fifth so were up against the top crews from the first race. They had a slightly shaky start and didn’t manage to get the bump in the first race, but brought it back in for the rest of the races and went up 3 to finish 2nd overall.
M2 started at the top of the 2nd division, rowed over at head then proceeded to have an easy time of it, bumping up at every occasion to finish up 4 places and 8th in division 1, achieving blades.
M3 started just behind M2 at 4th in the second division, and bumped 4 times. Somehow, with all the the movements around them, they ended up 10th on the river (in the first division), but didn’t get blades!
So, overall a pretty good day’s racing, well done to all!
Full results are available at the City of Oxford RC website.
* If you bump you stop, if you get bumped you don’t. It makes races long for slow crews, but the fast crew still get a short bump! Ask Mike Hunter for an explanation.
