The only crews celebrating in 1983 were the Women’s Blue Boat, winning by 11 seconds at Henley, and the Men’s Lightweight crew.
Kate Panter was at Downing College studying medicine, and a member of the winning women’s crew that year. When she arrived in Cambridge, she was quickly given a place in the Blue Boat and won three successive boat races, but she is most proud of the second win in 1983.
Kate says:
“We were a length down and then we rowed through to beat Oxford which was very satisfactory.”
Kate loved rowing at Cambridge and says it was the people and the atmosphere that made it. She also remembers the differences in rowing then and now as being quite significant, although she didn’t necessarily acknowledge that at the time.
Kate comments:
“In those days we had virtually no funding, volunteer coaches and borrowed equipment from colleges. We were very much in the shadow of men in respect of all that and in the status of our race. It never stopped me enjoying CUWBC rowing but certainly I enjoyed the traditions of CUBC, but not as a member, whilst rowing for CUWBC. It is amazing to see the progress that has been made.”
Congratulations to the members of all of the 1983 crews celebrating their 40th reunions this year.