2024 Cambridge Trial VIIIs: Full Race Report

Topping off a strong first term’s work, Cambridge showcased the strength of the squads over the full course from Putney to Mortlake on Monday 16 December.  Trial VIIIs, the UK’s last racing event of the year, is a dress rehearsal for The Boat Race where two evenly matched CUBC crews row the full Championship Course for the first and only time before 12-13 April 2025.

A number of internationals and returning Blues headlined the crews, which mixed experience with home-grown Cambridge athletes. 

Full Race Report: 

Women’s VIIIs: “Winnie the Pooh” defeated “Eeyore”  by 4 lengths

The first race of the day saw Eeyore take on Winnie the Pooh over the Championship Course. Eeyore won the coin toss and opted for the Surrey station, leaving Winnie the Pooh to race on Middlesex. Off the start, Winnie the Pooh took an early lead. Their crew, stroked by Olympian Claire Collins, combined seasoned experience with youthful energy, including first-year rower Eloise Etherington. By the Mile Post, they had stretched their advantage to a full length.

Eeyore, stroked by Samantha Morton, put up a strong fight as they passed Harrods, despite a problem with one of the boat’s gates. Although Eeyore’s crew rated slightly higher than Winnie’s, they were unable to close the gap. Both crews encountered a headwind and rough water just after Hammersmith Bridge, through to Chiswick Eyot, offering the rowers valuable exposure to challenging Tideway conditions.

Over the latter stages of the race, Winnie the Pooh’s crew maintained a stronger rhythm, gradually extending their lead to secure victory by a margin of four lengths.

Women’s Lightweight VIIIs & Mixed Crew:  “Tigger” took the victory over “Piglet” “easily”

The second race of the day began as the sun broke through dark skies. Tigger (LW 8+) won the coin toss and opted for the Surrey station, leaving Piglet—a crew comprising a mix of openweight and lightweight athletes, including two CUBC alumni—to race on Middlesex.

Conditions were challenging, with choppy water in the opening kilometres testing both crews’ skill and composure. Tigger asserted their dominance early on, gaining a couple of seats by the Black Buoy. As the race passed through Hammersmith, Piglet began to lose contact, though their grit and determination ensured Tigger had no easy task.

Through Chiswick Eyot, Tigger extended their lead to clear water, aided by the consistent race rhythm they had honed in training. In the final stretch, Piglet mounted a last-ditch effort to reduce the margin, increasing their rate and building speed. However, it was not enough to overcome Tigger, who crossed the line to win by a margin of ‘easily’.

Men’s Lightweight VIIIs: “Thunder” was just edged out by “Lightning”  

In the closest race of the day, Lightning won the coin toss and opted for Surrey, with Thunder racing on Middlesex.

The race got off to a clean start, with both crews moving well, but Lightning, stroked by Peter Crossley, managed to gain a few seats early on with a punchier opening sequence.

Both crews settled into their rhythms—Thunder rating slightly higher at 35 strokes per minute compared to Lightning’s 34 as they passed the Black Buoy. Lightning held onto their lead past Fulham Football Ground and into the Middlesex bend. As Thunder, stroked by Gianluca Maffi, moved into their advantage, they clawed back level, and the two crews were stroke for stroke past Barn Elms and up towards Harrods.

Along Crabtree Reach, a launch travelling in the opposite direction forced Lightning to veer towards Middlesex to avoid the obstruction. Umpire Matthew Holland issued warnings to both crews, but the disruption led to race-stopping blade clashes, with the boats level just outside Harrods.

On the restart, Lightning once again showed their strength off the line, taking an early lead and steadily moving away from Thunder under Hammersmith Bridge, through the Surrey bend, and down past Chiswick Eyot.

The gap widened to its largest margin— 1 3/4 lengths—approaching Barnes Bridge. However, Lightning could not afford to relax, as Thunder launched a determined second surge around the final Middlesex bend, regaining overlap in a thrilling finish. Despite the late challenge, Lightning held firm to secure victory by less than a length.

It seems Lightning does, in fact, strike twice.

Men’s VIIIs: “Scylla” took the win over “Charybdis” by 2 lengths 

In the final race of the day, conditions in Putney were overcast and breezy as the heavyweight men lined up beneath Putney Bridge for the 2024 Trial Eights Race. Scylla, having won the coin toss, opted for the Surrey station and made a bright start, stroked by returning Blue, Matt Edge, opening up a half-length lead by Barn Elms.

Charybdis, coxed by James Trotman, took advantage of the first Middlesex bend, settling into an effective rhythm and steadily regaining ground on Scylla until the crews were almost level. The crews exchanged blows along the Crabtree reach until Scylla, coxed by Ollie Boyne, began to use their long Surrey bend advantage to begin moving away after Hammersmith.

Charybdis held contact past St Paul’s School, but the stiff headwind, favouring the heavier Scylla crew, allowed them to push clear. Stroked by Douwe de Graaf, Charybdis maintained pressure, even as umpire Sarah Winckless issued a warning to Scylla for taking contested water.

Rounding into the Middlesex bend, where the stream weakened considerably, Charybdis took a tighter line through the corner, regaining some distance. They closed further with an impressive sprint to the finish, but Scylla held on to secure victory by 2 lengths.

A thrilling race that bodes well for the season ahead.

(ill: Simon Hatcher (Peterhouse))