The big one…

M1: Well I don’t know about you but I was a bit nervous, somewhat damped down by having a lot to do and only waking up at 18:30. At the boathouse well in time and Conor and Steve O were already there, as well as a buzz of Robs and Press and Champs and so we could rest and admire our new C*** tech tops, thank you Jonathan. Breathing helped, and we boat, and row to Stourbridge to wait, with Tom W in City 3 just ahead, and always there’s that wondering how good you are this year and how good everyone else is. A still evening, getting a bit dark, a good row down, a good practice start at the Plough, and onto station with Simon and Ralph waiting, and get out for a bit, then the 4 minute gun and arrange kit, turn on camera, last drink of water and empty the bottle, and before you know it we’re poling out and coming forward on ten and squared on seven and maybe pointing out just a tiny bit too much and we’re off. By first post the nerves are gone and it’s plain we’re faster than City two behind, have gone through a good start and are doing fine, and can hear Simon from the bank telling us we’re on station with Nines, which is where we stay until they bump out down the Reach, and so we row over, throwing in a pretend attempt at the overbump on Tabs 3 towards the end. Vid Jo; Jonathan; riggercam.

W1: row over (our new and noisy position for this year at 7. We rowed over - a long and strong row over watching City2 getting bumped behind us by Cantabs4 and chasing cantabs3 who eventually bumped Nines 1 as we headed for the railway bridge. A strong start (our fastest row to date) holding our position at 7). Vid.

M2, W2, W3: rest day

M3: up! (the mighty M3 - remaining mighty with another bump up)

W4: row over (carnage ensued on first post corner (w1 saw the slightly shortened Isle of Ely boat on the row to the start). I've been told 99 7 bumped the Isle of Ely 2 (not what the chart says) and then there was some confusing involving rowing on - rechasing, boat bending and then river blocking and stopping the race and another nines crew joining the mess and then Champs claiming technical bump on us.....but anyway (tl/dr) w4 got a technical row over). Vid.