Categories
Oxford Regatta

Torpids

Men’s Torpids

by Jaime Valdemoros Gomez [Men’s Captain]

M1 warming up

Despite worries about the weather during Hilary term, the wind and rain cleared up enough in time for Torpids to go ahead without restrictions. A strong term of rowing ended with brilliant results for Merton’s M1, bumping up four places over the course of the week: an unfortunate crash on Wednesday left M1 with a technical rowover, however they pulled ahead by bumping St. Hugh’s on Thursday, Exeter and Christ Church M2 on Friday (the second as sandwich boat, pushing ChCh back into Div III) and finally Somerville on Saturday, leaving them firmly in the Division II and securing the best results for Merton’s M1 in Torpids since 1999. We will be pushing hard for an equally successful run in Summer Eights next term.

Merton’s M2 was less fortunate – a good term left a well-set boat, however a series of strokes of bad luck dropped them out of ranked divisions. We will continue to work hard next term and look forward to a good set of races in Eights.

Women’s Torpids

by Sally Bolton [Women’s Captain]

2015_Torpids_W1

Day 1 – Wednesday
We started at the head of Division III and were hoping to row on into Division II later, but unfortunately a very quick Wadham W2 bumped us early on. We nevertheless rowed the full, (rather gruelling!) course and then had a good rest before day two.

Day 2 – Thursday
A well-executed bump on Exeter meant that we were head of the division once again and therefore did get the opportunity to row in Division II. We rowed over this time and therefore remained head of Division III overnight.

Day 3 – Friday
After a tiring second day, Brasenose bumped us early on and then Linacre a bit later.

Day 4 – Saturday
With nothing to lose we went out all guns blazing. As expected we were bumped by a very strong Green Templeton before the gut but then closed on Queens, who had started two bung lines ahead of us, finishing less than a length behind them. Everyone was very happy with the overall performance of the crew and we finished 4th in Division III.

Overall summary for this years Torpids:

M1: technical row-over/+1/+2/+1
Start: 3rd Div III
Finish: 11th Div II

M2: -5/-1/-1/-3
Start: 6th Div V
Finish: 4th Div VI

W1: -1/+1/-2/-1
Start: 1st Div III
Finish. 4th Div III
 
 
 
 

 
Crews:

Men’s
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
 
Men’s
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
– 1st Torpid
Frederick Money
Jacob White
Benedict Holden
Edward Thomas
Daniel Kennedy
Henrik Hannemann
Jaime Valdemoros Gomez
Lukas Koch
Tiffany Brydges
 
– 2nd Torpid
Hristian Hristov
Alexander Eperon
Ian Dawes
David Felce
Edmund Wrigley
Michael Withers
Stefan Marjanovic
Mantas Abazorius
Sven Kirkerup
W
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
– 1st Torpid
Kristina Gedgaudaite
Rebecca Hardy
Alexandra Pike
Sally Bolton
Caitlin Armstrong
Laura King
Zijun Chen
Kailan Sierra-Davidson
Toby Adkins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
both photos by Hilary Wynne.

Categories
Oxford Regatta

Isis Winter League

Isis Winter League 2014-15

During Michaelmas and Hilary Term, the Isis Winter League allows the crews to gain a bit of head race practice on the home stretch throughout the terms. With a mix in squad sizes, returning and novice oarsmen, Merton entered various boats into several of the events. All courses are rowed from Donnington Bridge to Cox Stone.

With the women leading the charge, entering a 4+ into IWL C in late January, racing for all crews and preparations for Torpids and by extension all other regattas for the season had started. Not to be outdone, the men joined in for IWL D as well. Overall, both the men and the women fielded a 4+ and the men’s an additional 8+ and using this as a bit of race practice for Torpids. Furthermore a mixed 2X entered as well. In contrast to other occasions, the day proved to be extraordinarily mild for the time of year. It only too two weeks for the Isis and the English weather to show a very different face: low temperature, high stream and swell, paired with strong winds greeted the crews for IWL E on 22nd February. With both sides entering their first eights as well as half of the men’s second eight rowing in a 4+, this was certainly a worst case training regarding the weather. Regardless of that, all crews gained valuable experience and showcased their training efforts since the beginning of the term.

IWL C – 25 January 2015

[fastest time on the course: 4 min 52.5. sec Jesus M8+]

W4+
Bow
2
3
Stroke
Cox
Time: 6 min 54 sec (5th out of 6)
Caitlin Armstrong
Sally Bolton
Laura King
Zijun Chen
Toby Adkins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

IWL D – 8 February 2015

[fastest time on the course: 4 min 30.5 sec Magdalen M8+]

M8+
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
 
M4+
Bow
2
3
Stroke
Cox
Time: 5 min 1.5 sec (17th out of 39)
Mark Hassall
Jacob White
Benedict Holden
Edward Thomas
Daniel Kennedy
Henrik Hannemann
Jaime Valdemoros Gomez
Lukas Koch
Tiffany Brydges
 
Time: 6 min 2 sec (3rd out of 4)
Frederick Money
Mantas Abazorius
Edmund Wrigley
Michael Withers
Sven Kirkerup
W4+
Bow
2
3
Stroke
Cox
 
2X
Bow
Stroke
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Time: 6 min 51.5 sec (6th out of 8)
Kristina Gedgaudaite
Sally Bolton
Zijun Chen
Laura King
Toby Adkins
 
Time: 5min 56.5 sec (only 2X racing)
Caitlin Armstrong
Henrik Hannemann
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

IWL E – 22 February 2015

[fastest time on the course: 3 min 45 sec Pembroke M8+]

M8+
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
 
M4+
Bow
2
3
Stroke
Cox
Time: 4 min 28.5 sec (27th out of 52)
Frederick Money
Jacob White
Benedict Holden
Edward Thomas
Daniel Kennedy
Henrik Hannemann
Jaime Valdemoros Gomez
Lukas Koch
Tiffany Brydges
 
Time: 6 min 2 sec (3rd out of 4)
Stefan Marjanovic
Michael Withers
Daniel Whittle
Mantas Abazorius
Sven Kirkerup
W8+
Bow
2
3
4
5
6
7
Stroke
Cox
Time: 6 min 51.5 sec (6th out of 8)
Kristina Gedgaudaite
Miriam O’Duill
Alexandra Pike
Sally Bolton
Caitlin Armstrong
Laura King
Zijun Chen
Kailan Sierra-Davidson
Toby Adkins
Categories
Oxford Regatta

Autumn Fours

Autumn Fours

Term has started and the development squads had a first chance to show what they have been up to in the last couple of weeks training. Autumn Fours on the Isis featured two Merton fours and a double. Especially after no boats being entered last year, this year’s crews showed promise. Both fours went through to the second round (Men’s) and the Quarter-finals (Women’s). The women’s four lost against Hertford who went on to win the women’s 4+ category. The double (Daniel Kennedy and Lukas Koch) lost in the final against a very experienced crew of scullers from Oriel.

The next regattas with Merton crews will be Nephtys and Christ Church Regatta during November. This will be the chance to shine for the novices.

Categories
Oxford Regatta

Summer rowing – sunshine on the Isis

Casual paddles and regatta racing

Summer. The rare time of the year when you can actually row on the Isis in the sun, but also the time when coxing and manoeuvring around punts, cruisers, tourist paddle boats, and all other kinds of river traffic becomes the challenge of the day.

2014_SummerRowing

Summer rowing was taken up by all three common rooms and we fielded a mixed NOV4+ at the Oxford City Royal Regatta on 17th August. The crew consisted of Tiff Brydges (Cox, JCR), Charles Alexander (Stroke, SCR), Robert MacLaren (3, SCR), Ryan Burke (2, MCR), Verena Schenzinger (Bow, MCR). Despite a strong showing, the ad-hoc crew complement fielded did not progress through the ranks, though valuable regatta experience was gained. Further two Mertonians rowed in an IM2 4+ (Alex Moore in 2 seat and Henrik Hannemann in bow seat) fielded by the OULRC Development Squad. This boat had to strike its colours in the final against Hertford College.

The continued rowing over summer as well as regatta experience gained is promising for the coming terms and Merton Boat CLub branching out into more external events again.

Categories
Oxford Regatta

SCR rowing success

SCR fields successful crew in Summer Eights

A long-term goal of the Boat Club has finally come to fruition – getting the SCR out on the water again. ‘Again’ because legend has it an SCR 8+ was fielded for rowing-on in the 1970s though not much is known of any success thereafter. It has also to be mentioned that this venture did apparently not outlast the rowing-on stage of the regatta.
After a few sunny moments of training, the SCR successfully fielded a boat in this years Summer Eights. Initial obstacles of a swim test were soon overcome (one member opted for performing a live drill during training aided by an ejector crab…) and Merton was fielding a third eight after successful qualification. It is important to note that all three common rooms were represented on the river in Merton’s 750th year! Even better: the crew went on to bump up twice in the following four days, although one might argue a klaxon on Saturday robbed them of their third bump.

2014_SummerEights_SCR_M3

Crew:

Cox: Sara Wehlin (4th year undergraduate)
S: Alan Barr (Physics) 7: Simon Hooker (Physics) 6: Charles Alexander (Finance Bursar) 5: Robert MacLaren (Medicine) 4: Simon Draper (Biochemistry) 3: David Llewellyn (DPoP) 2: Jonathan Prag (Ancient History) B: Ralf Bader (Philosophy)

Categories
Committee Oxford

Annual General Meeting & Elections

New committee – old and new faces

Yesterday our Annual General Meeting took place. Starting with the outgoing committee giving account of the past year we can look back on hard training on the Isis, at Godstow, and good performance from our novice crews both in Christ Church Regatta and in Nephthys Regatta. Furthermore a lot of work behind the scenes streamlining committee work and solving a lot of admin issues which had built up over the years will see MCBC in good shape for the future. Despite all the flooding and rains we retained a committed squad throughout Hilary Term which formed most of our Summer Eights crew after Torpids had been called off due to safety concerns.

A further obvious feature of the AGM was the election of a new committee. As it is tradition, the new committee will take over on midnight of Saturday of Summer Eights. For the following year MCBC will be lead by:

Sondre Lunde (Secretary)
Jaime Valdemoros Gomez (Men’s Captain)
Sally Bolton (Women’s Captain)
Tiffany Brydges (Captain of Coxes)
Henrik Hannemann (Treasurer)
Daniel Kennedy (Men’s Vice-Captain)
Laura King (Women’s Vice-Captain
Caitlin Armstrong (Water Safety Advisor)
Brendan Kjellberg-Motton (Social Secretary)

We would like to thank the outgoing committee for all their hard work and dedication despite the frustrating weather conditions! Also best of luck to all the new committee members.

Categories
Oxford Regatta

Torpids wash out

Torpids rained off

Unfortunately Torpids which were due to take place this week have been called off completely. With continued rain over the last days and the overall flooding around the Thames and the heavy rain falls in the upper catchment, even red-flag racing under contingency plans are to dangerous. The SUs have decided not to risk the safety of everyone just to get in one or two days of racing in at the most.
As much of a shattering news that is to our crews who have been through a gruelling ordeal of land-based training, we have to accept the safety concerns. On the bright side, a substantial head start on the fitness levels for our Eights crews may pay off later in the year so the term might not have been a complete loss after all.

Categories
Head Race Oxford Regatta

Isis Winter League 2013

Isis Winter League A 2013-14

After training at Godstow for around  a month whilst the Isis bustled with Novices, our Mens’ Dev Squad entered an eight into the Isis Winter League on 3rd November 2013, where we finished 5th out of over 20 crews, a testament to our hard work and our new coach, Rebecca Bates.

“Bury yourselves”

Below is a video shot from Sondre’s Go-Pro attached to our cox’s (Tiff) headband of the entire 4 minutes and 33 seconds it took us to complete the course – we are sure Tiff’s aggressive shouting had something to do with our success at least!

Crew:

Cox:Tiff S: Dom 7: Sondre 6: Ben 5: Paul 4: Alex 3: Doron 2: Tom B: Musashi