After a fairly turbulent run-up to the race, the Cantabs women’s A crew finished 26th overall and were clear winners of the Provincial Pennant and Di Ellis Trophy. The B crew finished in a club record 53rd overall, with great performances from the C and D crews.
Photo credit: Allmarkone
Due to bad weather and the pandemic, Saturday 12th March saw the first Women’s Eights Head of the River Race (WEHORR) since 2018, with 4 Cantabs crews racing – 3 from the Senior Women’s Squad and 1 from the Intermediate Women’s Squad. The run-up to the race had been challenging for all 4 crews, seeing injuries and illness force substitutions in the A and B crew with just 1 outing to go before the race, and the D crew forced to race time only after needing more than 50% substitutions.
However, this didn’t get in the way, as Cantabs A stormed to victory in the Provincial Pennant event (for non-Thames club crews based outside of the M25), reclaiming it from Nottingham RC who pipped Cantabs by 1s in 2018 via an overtake along the Eyot. The crew finished 26th overall, by far the best finish for a Cambridge-based crew.
Photo credit: Allmarkone
Cantabs B contained many of the athletes who won the Intermediate event at Hammersmith Head a couple of weeks before. Undeterred by a brand new strokewoman, Cantabs B raced well to finish 53rd overall and as the 8th fastest Provincial crew. This was a club record for a B crew, and saw them finish as the 12th fastest B crew of the day.
Photo credit: Allmarkone
Elsewhere, Cantabs C raced well to finish 130th and Cantabs D finished in a time that would have placed them 142nd out of the 301 crews entered.
Photo credit: Allmarkone
Thank you Putney Town Rowing Club for your usual hospitality when hosting Cantabs crews on Tideway race and training days.
If you’d like to find out more about the Cantabs women’s squads, and are interested in rowing with us for regatta season, please visit the squad pages on our website or email the Women’s Captains for more information.
Full results can be found here.
