Wednesday’s Rowing by Elaina Evans After controversy over entries and a very tough rowing-on
contest last Friday, it was a relief to see Summer Eights 2004
finally kick-off this Wednesday. The weather may have been dull,
but events were not. The big news of the day was Oriel M1’s bump on Pembroke
at the top of the first division, reclaiming (for now) the
headship lost this time last year. Oriel caught their arch-rivals
in the last ten strokes of the race, the Pembroke cox forced to
conceed when the two crews were well past the boathouses. The
question for the rest of the week is whether Oriel can keep their
heads for the next three days as Pembroke did in 2003. The rest of the division was a great spectacle for supporters
braving the brief, but intense, downpour, with most of the action
taking place in full-view of the boathouses. And, if today’s
racing was an indicator, then there is set to be much movement
throughout the top men’s crews. Down the Green Bank stretch
came a fleet of crews in close proximity, fighting through dirty
water. It was here cool-headed Magdalen, a serious threat to the
top two crews, bumped Exeter. Teddy Hall saw off Christ Church
with style, while Wadham ended their three-year stint as the
sandwich crew by catching Jesus, whose guts more than anything
got them so far along the course. In comparison, there was much less activity in the
Women’s First Division, with only three bumps occuring.
New’s performance leaves their bid for headship in doubt
– Pembroke seemed comfortable in rowing over a good few
lengths ahead of them. More determination was shown in Teddy
Hall’s effort, overbumping a knackered St Hilda’s right
in front of the boathouses, after Somerville’s bump on
Merton left them with six lengths to regain. In lower divisions, Mansfield retain a clean sheet with both
their M1 and W1 getting a bump, setting them up for blades which
have seemed to come naturally for the college in the last few
years. Women’s Division Two was klaxoned, but not before a
premature concession by Brasenose to Queens that could have been
avoided if they had simply held out a few strokes. Trinity W1
sent John’s down to the Third Division, where they face a
race ahead of a great scramble between St Anne’s, Corpus and
Jesus, who all rowed the entire course a canvas off each other. Most bumps in the Rowing-On divisions took place below the
gut, leaving spectators not much more to observe than the bizarre
attire of various crews. And so, the contests for headship and battles for blades are
set to unfold with the characteristic mix of determination and
pure luck. Hopefully the rest of the contest will equal the
excitement and surprsies of the first day. Eights Preview by Victoria Dare Eights appears to bring the fun into rowing – many a
Rugby Eight or Schools boat will use strength or revision breaks
to secure bumps. Women may have rowed in bikinis and no doubt the
occasional Viking has been spotted. Of course, in the senior divisions, things are deadly serious.
Captains have cajoled university oarsmen into their boats, though
the entry list suggests that Corpus have been unable to persuade
Sam McLennan (OUBC president) and Nick Walter (Isis) into their
boat. On the men’s side, Magdalen appear to be the crew to
watch. They beat Oriel at Bedford Regatta, and with three blues
in the stern look strong. Other potential successes are
Queen’s, who gained five bumps in four days at Torpids and
LMH. The women’s headship is again between Pembroke, Merton
and New. Pembroke had a poor Torpids, but have bounced back. The
real movement is expected below them. Somerville and Catz may
have a difficult week with fast crews, like Christ Church, within
striking distance. In division two, Oriel and Worcester, who have
pursuaded Blues Claire Bulmer and Emma Payne into their boat,
would be unlucky not to make gains. In 189 years, a few select colleges have had the honour of
finishing Head of the River. For the many though, they will want
to gain their own slice of personal glory – and a well
deserved Pimms on Saturday.ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004 

Cuppers Tennis LMH 7 – 5 St Johns LMH’s second pair of Rob Churchill and Mark Holmquist
held their nerve in a crucial tiebreak to seal their side’s
second victory over St John’s in a week. After an intense set, in which John’s seconds Will Jessop
and Ben Coffer won through five deuces in the last game,
Churchill, reacting quickly at the net, hit two volleys to clinch
the tie-break 7-3. Churchill and Holmquist had struggled to start
against John’s first pair Matt Wain and James Gubb, who won
6-2. LMH first pair, Joyce and Rogers then pressurised Churchill
and Holmquist, leading to unforced errors from both pairs at the
net. As a result, service was broken in four games in a row
before LMH closed out the set 6- 3. Coffer and Jessop also managed to gain early initiative
against Bamford and Jackson, but were were gradually worn down.
They broke both Jackson’s service games but Bamford’s
powerful delivery held, and two double faults by Coffer at 3-4
were crucial. Wain and Gubb, meanwhile, beat Lonsdale and Dennis
6-1. Two-set matches between facing pairs followed and
John’s took a 4- 1 lead in the battle of the heavyweights.
From there, LMH were able to pull John’s out of position and
Jackson’s volleys continued to win points – they did
not hold serve often enough and it was pertinent that a double
fault ended the set at 7-5 to the visitors. With Lonsdale and Dennis winning and LMH a long way ahead on
the total number of games, the second pair’s first set was
destined to be decisive. The first game, held by LMH, lasted
eleven minutes, and was followed by four consecutive breaks.
John’s then strode into a 5-3 lead, only to find themselves
5-6 down after LMH attacked Jessop’s serve well from the
baseline. Though Coffer and Jessop took their set to 6-6, Churchill and
Holmquist saw LMH through and John’s conceded the second
set. Johns’ disappointment compounds a heavier defeat in the
two sides’ league encounter, which ended 9-3.ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004 

Sexy football was the order of the day at the third round of
the Cuppers 5-a-side football last Thursday this round was
definitely less One Man and his Dog and more Footballer’s
Wives: physical, passionate, full of talent and with the odd
smattering of sexy soccer. Queen’s B kicked off the day’s play against Exeter A
in a corker of a match. Players fizzed around the pitch like
annoyed wasps, buzzing after the ball (or, more often than not,
after the legs of the opposition). An early Exeter free-kick was
charged down by the omnipresent Sutcliffe who bit into the tackle
and released Pearson to put Queen’s into the lead. Exeter
were being outplayed by a Queen’s side full of verve, and
although the physical Paul Coles was doing his best to keep them
in the game, Queen’s B clinched another victory in what has
been a fine tournament for them. Queen’s A were not as successful against historic rivals
Teddy Hall B. Queen’s, orchestrated by the nimble-footed
Kurosh Nikbin, dominated their ragged opponents who were indebted
to goalkeeper Julian Baker for a series of fine saves. It was no
surprise when Duncan Knox’s precise right-footed drive put
Queen’s 1-0 up in the final minute, but then Queen’s
keeper Graham Tunbridge, star of previous rounds, inadvertently
directed a hopeful flick into his own net. Servants vanquished
masters in the penalty shoot-out as Hall won 2-1. St Catz A beat Univ A in a match of minimal incident. Key
players Chris Tapp (Univ) and Chris Vaulks (St Catz) pulled off
several fine stops before Chris Bargate deservedly won the game
for Catz with a well placed leftfooted shot. Good things come to
those who wait, and those that stayed to see the final match were
in for a treat as Hertford B produced football of such stunning
simplicity and effectiveness to stun Exeter B. One-touch passing
and movement were combined with spatial awareness and confidence
in their teammates as first Scott Johnston and then Marc Rogers
put Hertford in complete control of the game. Only Exeter keeper
Olly Williams kept the score down. If they keep this form up
Hertford might be an outside bet for the final. They continue to
prove that you don’t have to be hard to be sexy.ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004 

Oriel students went to the polls yesterday to decide whether
or not to re-affiliate to OUSU after three years outside the
student union. Votes in May 2001 and again in June 2002 revealed the
college’s anthipathy to OUSU. Yet OUSU President, Helena
Puig Larrauri, claims that the establishment has reformed itself
and that it is therefore time for Oriel to rejoin. Disaffiliation means that Oriel students cannot make use of
OUSU club nights, the Nightbus, OUSU publications, including the
OxStu, or any of the OUSU support networks for common rooms,
officers and campaigns. Tickets to the Fresher’s Fair also
have to be bought separately. However Oriel students are still
represented on University committees and can still vote and run
for positions within OUSU. Puig Larrauri said that, “OUSU does not need Oriel from a
financial point of view, we want them back because we think they
would benefit from affiliation.” She also pointed out that
“all the other 29 JCRs have re-affiliated this year, St
Cross has joined for the first time and Exeter MCR are holding a
vote on re-affiliating soon, leaving only Oriel and St
Benet’s outside OUSU.” One Oriel student, though, explained his reservations,
“it will cost us £1300 a year, which can be better used by
us instead of paying OUSU officials to occupy the exam schools
and disrupt our studies.” However as Oriel’s Chief Returning Officer, Mohammed
Khuram, said, “Under the college’s constitution a two
thirds majority is needed for a constitutional change” . He predicted a turnout of above 80% and said that he had tried
to ensure a free and fair election with a debate between OUSU
officials and their opposition and allowing the student
union’s ‘Yes’ campaign posters.ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004 

In the recent Wadham SU presidential elections, students voted
to reopen nominations rather than elect those standing for
election. No ostensible reasons for this result have emerged,
other than the dearth of candidates. Only one first year, Adam Craig, stood for election,
suggesting disillusionment within the SU. Many Wadham students
also feel Rob Vance’s role as former SU president would be a
tough act to follow. ==== St Hugh’s JCR President, Dominic Curran, resigned on
Wednesday, in the run up to his finals as his college continue a
rent fight. A quarter of the St Hugh’s undergraduates formed a 130 ft
long chain outside their governing body on Wednesday, as part of
a campaign to fight the ongoing rent increases. The governing
body will increase rent by a further 7 % in the 2005-2006
academic year, bringing battels up by 36% over the four years. ==== 200 students from St Catz also spent Wednesday lunchtime in
silent protest about a proposed rent increase of 10.2% next year. The protest came before the college governing body met to
discuss charging students the full economic cost (FECA) of their
rooms. Students lined the main quad with posters like “FECA:
Fearfully Expensive College Accommodation”. Pete Dale, JCR
President, said that the college has a duty to subsidise
accommodation.ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004 

An Oxford restaurant has been fined £17,000 for the filthy
conditions in which its food was prepared. The Liasion Chinese Restaurant in Castle Street was reviewed
favourably by Cherwell just two weeks ago, which admired its
“mess and fun.” Upon hearing about the prosecution one
student regular vowed never to eat there again, despite promises
from the management that standards had long since improved. Environmental Health Officers inspecting the establishment in
July 2003 found numerous serious breaches of Food Safety
Requirements. Cooked egg fried rice, cooked noodles and pork meat
were being stored outside in an alleyway, with no protection from
contamination. Mould and cobwebs were found on the roof covering
this food. Inside the restaurant the walls were smeared with
grease and the floor covers were torn and hard to clean. A set of
cracked, broken weighing scales and a rusty tray were used for
food preparation and storage. Charles Tsang, owner of the restaurant, pleaded guilty to
seven offences under food safety regulations. He was charged
£17,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 court costs. Tsang, who has extensive business intersts in Oxford, told
Cherwell that hygiene had long since greatly improved: “I am
the Managing Director of the company, and I sacked the manager of
the restaurant on the day of the inspection. We’ve changed a
lot since then and they wouldn’t prosecute me now.” He
was also keen to point out that he was very wellknown and
respected in the Chinese food trade. Questioned about the financial implications of the hefty fine,
Tsang said that he was seeking new legal advice. “I
don’t want to say anything yet,” he said, “but I
may fight back.” The damage to the restaurant may be even
more costly. One Christ Church undergraduate, said that he was
“very, very shocked” by the news. “I used to go
there a lot with my parents,” he said, “I won’t
now.” This publication had no such reservations. Just two weeks ago
Cherwell extolled the virtues of this small restaurant. “It
is so refreshing to find a restaurant in Oxford that is truly
authentic,” it was decided. “Socially this is top draw;
with lots of mess and fun.”ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004 

Angry finalists forced Lincoln College to change the time of
the fire drills this week, after discovering that they were
planned for 8.50am, half-an-hour before they had to be at
examination schools for finals papers. Lincoln finalists on the High Street and Bear Lane Street had
to express their anger to the Bursar and the Senior Dean before
the times were changed. As one student explained, “What was
really upsetting was the timing – 8.50am – when they clearly knew
finals start at 9.30am. College authorities seem completely
oblivious of the fact that the college exists for us to study
in.” The finalists sent messages to the Senior Dean, Peter
McCullough, and the Bursar, Tim Knowles. In an email to the
affected finalists, Knowles argued that the decision to go ahead
with the fire drills, which was originally made by the Domestic
Committee in a meeting on 4 May, was not taken without
consideration of finals. “If the Domestic Committee can be
said to have ‘got it wrong’ from your point of view,
efforts are now being made to ‘put it right’”, he
wrote, but warned of the disturbance the rescheduled time would
cause shops. McCullough sent an email of his own to the finalists and did
offer his apologies, stating, “I must take full
responsibility for arguing that the drills wouldn’t affect
finalists because I had forgotten the unusual case that there are
finalists above the Mitre this year.” In light of the
complaints, the Bursar and the Dean reorganised the times of the
drills affecting finalists, ensuring that the fire drills took
place at 9.25am on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to JCR
President, Mairi Brewis, all went “smoothly” and there
were no further drills that affected finalists. Lincoln’s fire policy was questioned last term, when a
fire burned unnoticed overnight and porters, believing there was
no fire, turned off five alarms. Firefighters took two hours to
put out the blaze.ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004 

A plastic surgeon has been accused of “serious
professional misconduct” this week, after beginning a sexual
relationship with one of his patients he was treating at
Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in July 2001. Consultant surgeon Dr Henk Giele, 39, allegedly used his
rounds at the hospital to secretly fondle the married patient,
identified only as “Mrs A,” whom he was treating for
the flesh eating bug, “necrotising fasciitis.” From October 2001 Giele was involved in a sexual relationship
with the emotionally fragile businesswoman, who had an unstable
background, and the couple had sex up to twelve times at the
surgeon’s Oxfordshire home, the General Medical
Council’s professional conduct committee was told. A friend of Mrs A, Oxford company director Amanda Spriggs told
the central London hearing that the relationship was clearly an
“abusive” one in which her friend was being used for
sex. Describing one hospital visit with Mrs A, Spriggs
recalled,“She said that he was particularly familiar with
her. He took risks. He came to her bedside to see her on ward
rounds and sometimes put his hand over the top of the sheet and
stroked her leg. She said she thought it was risky.” Giele on the other hand denies commencing an inappropriately
flirtatious relationship with the mother of three. He claims that
the woman was stalking and harassing him, sending text messages
and making over 400 telephone calls in an attempt to prolong the
affair. She even continued to try and contact him after the
complaint to the medical authorities had been made he told the
tribunal. Giele denies the allegations of serious professional
misconduct and abuse of trust.ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004