MIXED EMOTIONS FOR ROWING CLUB IN BRISTOL

THE HEAD race season got under way ‘proper’ last weekend for Swansea at the annual University of Bristol Head Race. Meeting outside Fulton House at the ungodly time of 5:45am on a Saturday, Swansea University Rowing Club braced itself for a day’s racing in the freezing cold.

Billed as the first real test of the season for the club, Bristol saw Swansea put out VIIIs for the first time in the academic year, including its two novice crews. And though they may only race half the distance of the senior teams, it’s by no means an easy ride. For the majority of new recruits to the club, Bristol is their first ever experience of a rowing race, making it a culmination of all they’ve learned in two months.

Things started badly for the club, with the trailer carrying the boats not leaving Swansea until the first crews were meant to be on the water, meaning the two senior crews had to borrow boats from other teams.

Things could have got a lot worse for the senior men’s VIII who narrowly avoided a collision under a bridge with The Queen’s College, Oxford and Southampton. Undaunted, both they and the women’s IV put in solid performances, with the crews coming 5th out of 8 and 4th out of 9 in their respective categories.

Though it may still be very early in the season, both wanted to lay down a marker on which to build throughout the year. Based on these results, things are looking promising.

For the novices, it was more of a mixed bag. The novice men put in a commendable effort, even if some of them looked as though they were about to collapse by the end, coming 13th out of 23. All the more impressive given that they were rowing in a somewhat makeshift boat, and still finished just two places and two seconds behind main rivals Cardiff.

The novice women however did not have such a good time of it; the logistical nightmare that had hampered the start of the day left them with no riggers, and therefore unable to race. A disappointing day perhaps, but they won’t have to wait too long for another chance to show what they’ve got, the next event is in two weeks at Monmouth Christmas Head. Praise must instead go to their support of the other crews; invaluable in the last few hundred metres when all a competitor wants to do is pass out.

Still early in the season? Yes. Cold? Definitely. But on this showing, things will soon be heating up for SURC!