In this Issue ...

Not much racing to speak of yet, but the river's been well-behaved and Torpids crews have been selected. There's news of the Torpids dinner, a new boat, Boat Race preparations and Ian Todd writes of the Boat Club of 30 years ago.

Results

Ah yes, one of those 'technical reasons' delaying the official launch of the women's new boat. It's on Jim's 'to do' list.

This term the women have taken delivery of a new Janousek VIII, purchase jointly by the College and the Rowing Society. The Rowing Society has also bought them a new set of blades.

After the usual heated debate, the women's captain has decided that the boat will be called Alan Bullock. It's a bit early to say whether this departure from the A A Milne theme marks the beginning of a new trend in Catz boat names, but I note that we seem to be getting through Masters more rapidly than boats nowadays, so it may be sustainable.

Torpids will run from Wed-Sat, 23rd-26th February with divisions racing every 30 minutes from noon until 5pm (same times each day). There are four Catz crews currently in training.

1974/75 was the year that St Catherine's and four other colleges went 'mixed', although it was to be another year before women had their own divisions in bumps races. Ian Todd recalls that period with additional extracts from the Boat Club History.

Ian Todd, Captain 74/75

1974-75 was my second year at Catz and second year of rowing. The most significant event for me that year was that I started going out with Sue from Westminster College - we celebrated our silver wedding a couple of years ago and our 50th birthdays last September. I started the year as secretary of the Boat Club, and ended it as Captain, taking over from John Whorwood who was hard pressed with work. As a second year Biochemist with no exams that year, the academic pressure on me wasn't quite so acute!

Eights the previous year (1973-74) had been memorable for the wrong reasons: the 1st VIII started towards the bottom of Division 1, but ended the week towards the bottom of Division 2. 1974-75 was therefore bound to be a time for taking stock and regrouping. It was also the first year that Catz had female students, so providing two very able (and light!) coxes for the 1st and 2nd eights, namely Josette Mooney and Beverley Little. We also had some expert coaching.

Eights started well for the 1st Eight with a bump on New College II followed by a row-over on the Thursday. Unfortunately we were bumped on Friday and Saturday, so ended the week down one place.

Torpids, 1975

Over the four days of Torpids the 1st VIII dropped a total of eleven places and passed from division 2 to division 3. The third day of the races was particularly disastrous when the 1st VIII was bumped just before OUBC. By the time the 1st VIII had extricated itself and rejoined the race it had dropped to the bottom of the second division.

1st Meeting, Trinity Term

The Captain then read out the positions of all four Catz crews which were already on the river. It was brought to the attention of the meeting by certain members of the Schools VIII - Catz III - that behind them they would have the Balliol third boat coxed by that infamous youth of the screen Mr. John (where's Val Singleton and Jason?) Noakes whose appearances on Blue Peter used to (and still do) astound us all. Apparently there is to be a television series (to be shown in the spring of 1976) in which Mr. Noakes performs sundry feats such as sky-diving and coxing an Eight in Eights Week.

The 1975 1st Eight. Crew: Steve Hoskins (bow), Colin Please, Dave Bill, Mike Jackson, Geoff Kitching, Ian Todd, John Cracknell, John Whorwood (str), Josette Mooney (cox).

Eights Week, 1975

It was realised that if the St Catherine's 1st VIII was to put up a good show in Summer Eights, and banish the ignominy of Torpids, every effort must be made to find a regular and experienced coach for the crew. After much searching of the Oxford rowing scene, Mr. Mike Knapton, a post-graduate student at Corpus Christi, was found to be willing to give of his time and experience. He coached the 1st VIII at all its outings for three to four weeks up to a week before the races; his style of coaching was just what the crew needed to help pull them into respectable shape; he insisted on discipline, stood no nonsense, said exactly what he thought, but was never tyrannical or unreasonable - he expected a lot of us but recognised our limitations. Mr. Steve Plunkett of Queen's, the Captain of Isis, coached the 1st VIII for the week leading up to the races and instilled into the crew the extra bit of aggression and determination, though we never managed the number of Ratzeburg hops he expected us to do!

On the first day of racing the bump made by the 1st Eight was reported in the following terms in The Daily Telegraph (Thursday, 29th May):

'Josette Mooney will go down in history as the first girl ever to score a bump in the Second Division. After one unsuccessful swipe she steered St Catherine's College into New College II within yards of the line'.

2005 Boat Race

This years Boat Race has a new sponsor (Xchanging), a new day (Sunday) and new TV coverage (ITV). Crews have not yet been announced but at the moment it looks like we'll have two men in the Blue Boat and another two in Isis. I'm assuming it'll move us back up the table of Colleges supplying recent Blues.

Coming Up ...

In the next newsletter there will be news of Torpids, the 'official' launch of the new boat, our OUBC triallists and a piece on the the Boat Club of 40 years ago when John Haden was Captain. News from alumni of other years also welcome.

18 Feb 2005	Torpids Rowing On
19 Feb 2005	Burway Head
23-26 Feb 2005	Torpids
26 Feb 2005	AGM & Dinner
05 Mar 2005	Women's Eights Head
19 Mar 2005	Head of the River Race
26 Mar 2005	Henley Boat Races
27 Mar 2005	The Boat Race
25-28 May 2005	Eights
28 May 2005	Boathouse Buffet Lunch