On an unseasonally warm and flat Tideway, CUWBC had their first race of the season on the river that will this year become home to their openweight athletes’ races. The Club fielded five crews for the Fuller’s IVs Head of the River Race: four coxed and one coxless. All five crews put in strong performances, with the coxless IV of Ella Barnard, Sarah Lucas, Millie Perrin and Emma Clifton winning the pennant for their category. CUWBC crews were also the fastest two boats across the line in the IM1 category although they had to race for ‘Time Only’ due to substitutions. The race proved to be a big step on from the Head of the Charles Regatta a fortnight previously and a marker of the gains that is possible for the squad to make over the season.
Vice-President Izzy Vyvyan said, “It’s fantastic to get a chance to race on the Tideway course. Getting used to the stream and tidal conditions is an invaluable opportunity and one we made the most of. Racing over the course in close proximity to other crews allows us to test ourselves mentally and push ourselves physically, finding those limits and surpassing our expectations. It’s great to race alongside all the other clubs and universities in the country, and to show them what CUW can bring to the table.”
IM1 4- – Millie Perrin, Sarah Lucas, Emma Clifton, Ella Barnard.
Elite 4+ – Daphne Martschenko, Melissa Wilson, Hannah Roberts, Fanny Belais, Rosemary Ostfeld (c)
IM1 4+ (i) – Hannah Evans, Claire Watkins, Holly Game, Caroline Reid, Will McDermott (c)
IM1 4+ (ii) – Izzy Vyvyan, Ashton Brown, Gabriella Johansson, Cat Foot, Priya Crosby (c)
IM2 4+ – Daisy Gomersall, Evelyn Boettcher, Katrin Berkemeyer, Peta Blundell, Emily Gray (c)
IMI4- Pennant Winners. 20:58.1
Elite 4+ 21:06.2 5th in division
IMI1 4+ (i) 21:09.7 (Time Only)
IMI1 4+ (ii) 21:36.5 (Time Only)
IMI2 4+ 21:57.8 (Time Only)
Full results can be found here.