With less than two weeks until Eights, things are heating up. Crews are beginning to take shape, and plenty of colleges are practising those crucial starts to get them off the start fast.
WORCESTER WOUNDED
Injuries seem rife on the Worcester Men’s side, with plenty of posts on rowing gossip pages asking for subs on every side. Having looked strong going into Torpids after posting a surprisingly strong time at an IWL, it seems these boys have hit rough water this term. Will they be able to repair the damage seen over the last few years?
TURL STREET TRIUMPHS?
Exeter have continued to look strong on both the men’s and women’s sides. The men look like they’re in for an interesting week with Pembroke M2 in their tracks on Wednesday. However, Thursday will be a different day: they’ll likely chase Merton, who they bumped on the first day of Torpids, and who in turn are chasing what is looking like a very weak Brasenose crew. A big rise is certainly on the cards.
Their women look in for an easier start to the week as they chase Worcester W1, a crew which has appeared to struggle this year, on Wednesday, and then Linacre on Day Two. Both crews look like they are more than deserving of Blades, but as well all know, bumps racing is never fair.
CORPUS CRUISING
Looking into Men’s Division Three, things could be worth a watch with a bit of a showdown between Oriel M2 and Corpus Christi M1. Our money is on a greatly-strengthened Corpus, as they chase a very weak St Anne’s crew.
CATZ-ASTROPHE
Things down at Longbridges are heating up. After a respectable showing at Torpids, St Catz men have lost much of their crew to revision for the
dreaded finals, and are set to struggle when Eights Week gets underway. A strong Teddy Hall crew will chase them on Wednesday as they seem unlikely to catch Magdalen.
HUDSON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
Rumours circulate that Mansfield have acquired a new shell with carbon riggers. While it might sound like a good plan on paper, this is a bad idea if New College’s experience is to go by, who give St Peter’s a run for the most abused Hudson on the river.
ATHLETES NOT EYE CANDY
After countless Oxloves aimed at college rowers, one OxRow contributor got fed up of objectification. “While we are flattered, we are also athletes. I am not here to look pretty, I am here for the BOAT SPEED,” they said.
The weekly chopper, Cherwell’s new college rowing column, is brought to you by the teams behind The Isis Chopper, the Radley Chopper, and our own team of informants.
