Having spent most of his summer camping at various regatta sites, Phil Gunning seemed determined to give juniors another day away from Cambridge by taking them to Oxford for the Isis Sculls last weekend.
Isis Sculls is a Head Race held in multiple divisions over an 1850m upstream course on the Isis (part of the River Thames) in Oxford from the Bourne Stone near Isis Lock to the Cox Stone near Folly Bridge. Seven junior Cantabs crews were racing, in singles, doubles and quads, with Phil also stretching his legs after the drive by racing in a single.
Due to hold-ups on the way, the trailer arrived just 30 minutes before the start of the first race, but thanks to great team-work and efficiency a quad and two singles were rigged and on the water within 10 minutes to make it in time for the start.
The winning WJ15 4X crew!
All the juniors had good races against some tough opposition, with Imogen and Rachel coming second in their single scull races, a creditable 4th for the J15 2X and a 5th for Matt in his single. Both the WJ14 4X+ and WJ15 4X+ crews won their races, with the WJ14 crew actually recording a faster time (which is particularly creditable as three of the rowers were WJ13).
The only disappointment of the day was the last place for Phil Gunning in his IM3 1X – but someone has to come last!
