Day 3 of Town Bumps was another successful one for Cantabs, with the women’s crews finishing the day +23 overall, with several men’s and women’s crews on course for blades (and some for spoons!). Cantabs is now up 24 for the week so far, with 1 more day of racing to go!
Blade watch: M1, M9, W1, W3, W5, W11
Spoon watch: M3, M12, M14, M15
Men’s Division 4
M11 (Activ8), M12 (InVeterEight), M13 (Hunter Crew), M14 (Motley Crew), M15 (After Eights)
The Cantabs crews in men’s div 4 had a less bump-filled time on Thursday than earlier in the week, with 2 row overs from M11 and M13.
The 3 other Cantabs crews in this division will all be racing on Friday to avoid spoons, with M12 bumped by Nines M8, M14 bumped by City M13 and M15 bumped by the Cambridge Veterans on Thursday.
M15 will be looking to bump the Vets back, after getting bumped due to crashing into the bank at Grassy after a bumped boat parked on the inside of Grassy, causing M15 to miss their line and crash into the bank.
Women’s Division 3
W7 (J15s), W8 (Hills W1), W9 (Progression Squad W1), W10 (Hills W2), W11 (J16s), W12 (Progression Squad W2)
Thursday saw the first ever bump for W12, who only learned to row this season. W11, who have bumped every day this week, bumped X-Press W3, who are on for spoons. This means that after Thursday’s row over, Cantabs W10 will be hoping to also bump X-Press W3.
W12 celebrating their first ever bump
W8 and W9 rowed over, starting behind each other. W7 bumped Chesterton W3, who are on for spoons, and will start ahead of Cantabs W8 on Friday who will be looking to get that bump.
Men’s Division 3
M7 (Hills M2), M8 (Poachers), M9 (Past Masters), M10 (J15s)
M10 bumped Champs M5 and M8 bumped Champs M3, and will start behind Cantabs M7 today after M7 were bumped back by City M8 who they had bumped on Wednesday.
M9 are on for blades if they can bump again on Friday, having bumped Radegund M2 on Thursday. Today they start behind City M10 who are on for spoons.
Women’s Division 2
W5 (Intermediate Women), W6 (J18s)
W5 made it 3 for 3 on Thursday, bumping St Neots W2, and will be hoping for a bump on X-Press W2 on Friday to get blades. Rebecca Cicolecchia from W5 reports:
W5, the Intermediates, were on fighting form in Div 2, with Roz on fire in the cox’s seat. We anticipated a much harder row chasing St Neots W2. And it was indeed harder … for about 30 more strokes than the previous two nights. It had to be done, really, as Coach Sam had a flat tyre and didn’t relish riding the course at full pelt on steel wheels! So, another early bump for us – but this time just after the motorway bridge. All eyes are now on what promises to be an exciting race on day 4.
W6 had yet another successful row, bumping Champs W5.
Men’s Division 2
M5 (Hills Returners/Senior Men), M6 (Aquaphobes)
M5 had a good race and bumped Peterborough M2, and M6 rowed over. However, Champs M2 are on for spoons ahead of M6 on Friday, so M6 will be looking for that bump. Lucio Cicolecchia from M6 reports:
Day 3 chasing and chased by the same boat, same stations, new excitement. We had a good start, Emma took a great bend and we were within a length of City well before the motorway bridge, trying to get closer but they held on. We started regaining under the bridge and were fast through the outflow… but then they bumped out. Behind us, St. Radegund made it just over the motorway bridge before Chesterton caught them, so there we were: 200m without anybody behind and 200m without anybody in front. We kept a solid row all the way hoping for a mishap/miracle/crash/you-never-know to overbump Nines – it didn’t happen. The stage is now set for a rematch of the Chesterton v Cantabs sparring that was so entertaining last year. Chesterton is up for blades and wants to get us, Champs is desperate to avoid spoons, and we are in the middle!
Women’s Division 1
W1, W2, W3, W4 (all Senior Women)
The Senior Women’s crews had some exciting races in div 1, with W4 gaining quickly on Robs W2 for a bump. However, they didn’t quite catch them before Robs bumped a City W3 crew who have plummeted this week. Going for the overbump on Champs W1, W4 closed quickly but again not quickly enough, and were only left with the option of a double overbump! However, now in the middle of the top women’s division, a double overbump was rather too much to ask and so W4 rowed over for the first time this week, though still +5 for the week. They will be hoping for an easy bump on City W3 on Friday.
W2 started 3rd on the river, behind the City W1 crew that Cantabs W1 bumped off head on the first day. Several of the W2 crew have been in Cantabs W1 in recent years and had frustrating row-overs behind City, and so were keen to give a bump their best shot. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be and, after getting inside 1L when coming through the corners, City pushed back on and finished approximately on station with W2 by the finish. W1 rowed over comfortably several lengths ahead.
W3 bumped for the 3rd day in a row, though it wasn’t without incident. After rapidly closing on Robs W1 before First Post, the crew managed to clip both the inside and outside of First Post Corner (!), causing them to grind to a halt and have to restart. COWs then closed quickly behind them and Robs W1 pulled away, and it took until Ditton for W3 to finally catch up with Robs and bump them. Today they start behind City W2, looking for a bump to win blades.
Men’s Division 1
M1 (Senior Men), M2 (Hills Returners), M3 (Senior Men), M4 (Hills M1)
Thursday saw a 3rd successive comfortable row-over for M1, with M2 also rowing over.
Nines gave both M3 and M4 a hard time, with their M3 bumping Cantabs M3 and their M2 bumping Cantabs M4. Cantabs M3 will be racing to dodge spoons on Friday, this being the 3rd time they’ve been bumped this week.
