On Wednesday 28th May 2014, SPCWBC embarked on what we hoped would be one of the most successful Summer Eights in a while, given the number of committed and talented rowers and coxes we had in the squad this year.

Prior to the start of the regatta, our W2 boat had almost been unable to row in Eights due to the W2 rudder breaking which resulted in them not finishing the race in Rowing On the week before. SPCWBC would like to express our sincere gratitude to Magdalen W3, who very kindly pulled out of Summer Eights in order to allow W2 to row. We hope that we are able to return a favour in any way in the future.

W2 were placed in the bottom of division 6, and as a result were first of our two crews to race on Wednesday. Clearly a superior crew, they bumped St Anne’s W3 in less than 20 strokes! W1 also performed very strongly and bumped St Anthony’s, who had bumped them in Eights in 2013.

Thursday yielded more successes for the women, with W2 and W1 bumping University V and St John’s II respectively. Friday resulted in a third bump for W2 on Keble III, continuing their streak of success. Unfortunately for W1, their streak was broken in an exciting race to catch Wolfson II. This would have been a revenge bump for W1, as Wolfson contributed to their spoons last year. W1 gained on Wolfson progressively throughout the race, but Wolfson were also superior to the St Hilda’s boat in front of them, meaning that they both bumped out just before W1 were able to bump Wolfson. W1 were in an unlucky position in this case – next year, they will be more determined than ever to bump Wolfson on the first day of Eights 2015.

On Saturday there was another double success for the women, with W2 easily bumping University IV, resulting in them receiving the second ever set of blades W2 have won in the history of SPCWBC! W2 never actually made it past Donnington Bridge, which demonstrates how quickly they managed to bump the crews in front of them! W1 bumped St Hilda’s just after Donnington Bridge and demonstrated some of the best rowing they had ever shown as a crew.

Both W1 and W2 should be extremely proud of their achievements. We could not have asked for better rowing from both crews, who had put a huge amount of time and effort into their training. We hope to continue onwards and upwards in the divisions next year. Well done to all.

Montana Jackson, Women’s Captain