While Oxford failed to dominate the medals at this weeks BUSA 10 mile cycling time trial, 17 of the 61 finishers were from OUCC. This particular race format is a solo effort against the clock, where competitors ride flat-out over a given distance. The event was organised by the Oxford club. The race was won by favorite Sam Barker of Luton University in a time of 21:01 (an average speed of over 28mph). OUCC had hopes of a medal from star rider, Danny Axford (St. Cross), but these were dashed when Axford’s crank came loose and fell off within the first three miles. Oxford’s pride rested on Alex Rowe (Queen’s) who came home eleventh. Rowe together with first year Simon Harding (St. Catz) and OUCC stalwart Kevin Backhouse (Lincoln) finished third in the team competition. This adds a second BUSA medal to the gold won by the trio of Axford, Harding and Rowe in the team time trial held near Alcester in April. The women’s event was more of a success for Oxford as Samantha Van Gerbig (Queens) placed second with a time of 25:53. Van Gerbig was beaten only by Cambridge’s Rachel Horn who hammered through the finish line in a blistering time of 23:59. The Varsity match (17th May) is eagerly awaited as both Oxford and Cambridge have won BUSA golds this season.
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A solid team performance and some stunning individual successes characterised a victorious weekend for the Oxford University Company of Archers, in the last tournament of the BUTTS League. Three wins in the five previous legs, at Warwick, Birmingham, Loughborough, Nottingham and Oxford, had left the experienced team requiring only third place in order to win the League title: instead, another impressive victory left the opposition standing. Oxford’s Ben Huckvale added his remarkable record in this competition with a fourth win, to complete a full house of medals from six competitions. With a significant fourteen-point gap over his nearest rival, he outclassed a struggling men’s field which seemed unable combat the poor conditions. “Like any sport the main problem is getting focused right from the start,” he told Cherwell. “I just hope the pressure works for me at the Varsity Match too. I need to be a match for Cambridge’s James Keogh if we are to stand a chance of winning.” Huckvale’s Varsity concerns are especially valid considering the absence of Saturday’s novice winner, Oliver Brown. Brown smashed the BUTTS men’s novice record twenty points to win the competition and take an outstanding third place in the experienced field. Jakob Heidbrink closely followed him second place, and Cath Roberts was second in the ladies event as Oxford drew even further away in the combined medals table. The experienced team Huckvale, Brown, Andrew Tustian and Heidbrink amassed a total score of 2180 points to secure a comfortable margin of victory over second placed Warwick. The novice team of Brown, Heidbrink, Rachel Turvey and Laura Watkins finished a slightly disappointing fourth, their good results in the last five competitions ensured a creditable second place in the Novice League. The Varsity competition expected to be very close, with many of Cambridge’s ‘big guns’ absent last weekend. If Oxford match their performance Saturday, however, the Tabs may have more to deal with than they bargained for: as club Secretary Laura Denney warns, “Oxford have proved themselves a consistently strong team, which bodes well Varsity next week”.
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Oxford football, not usually a college pursuit associated with gender equality, presented a surprise result as a mixed BNC team won the RAG five-a-side competition held on Sunday. The Brasenose Second squad advanced further than the college men’s team to beat Balliol with a ‘golden-goal’ in the final. The victorious BNC team defeated Hertford and St. Hugh’s teams with consistent 3-1 wins in Pool H, having been drawn to play late in the group stages. Without time to rest, BNC snatched a 2-1 victory in a challenging quarter final against a talented Somerville squad. The large Balliol representation ensured an all-Balliol quarter-final when the College’s first and second team fought a surprisingly aggressive game. Despite the second team having had greater success at the group stage, they were unable to exploit this mental advantage as Balliol’s premier squad won 4-2 on penalties. In group 2, Mansfield’s Leigh Rangers rose to challenge BNC’s Men’s team in their quarter-final thanks to the sharp shooting of Taj Uddin. The work rate of Leigh’s midfield strongman, Riaz Ahmad, was phenomenal but Ryan Amesbury narrowly missed their only real opportunity in the second minute of extra-time, allowing BNC Men’s to score the vital winning goal. The Balliol Firsts Brasenose Men’s semi drew a large crowd as Balliol profitably battled to prevent a BNC dominated final. Whilst warm sunshine blessed the bulk of the competition, atmosphere of the aggressively emotional final was enhanced the weather turned upon the finalists. Despite a match full opportunities both teams failed find the necessary height to score in the first-half. Another goalless ten minutes necessitated the referee’s announcement of golden-goal extra-time. Although Brasenose, based upon their earlier performances, had been expected to win, such a result seemed unlikely Balliol dominated possession the ball. Three minutes in, BNC’s David Hollowday celebrated victory as his shot placed the ball firmly between the posts. However referee disallowed the goal height grounds. Nonetheless this gave Brasenose the added confidence to score a well-placed goal shortly after to secure their position as RAG champions 2002. The annual sports event attracted a record 26 teams, representing over a dozen colleges, to compete and raise money for RAG Week.
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Feeling left out of the Oxford tradition of racing hard-shelled creatures, Lincoln have established an official committee to investigate the acquisition of a tortoise. The pet will be trained as a super-athlete but will still not be able to run away as quickly as the college cat which scampered last term. JCR President, Philip Bownes, said the project would be long-term as it is important to “evaluate the whole thing properly” before taking on a new and reliable pet. It is hoped that the purchase will be ready for action in next year’s races.
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Corpus Christi’s JCR meeting proved more pleasurable than most at the weekend after being exchanged for Pimms and strawberries in the garden. With only one financial motion, it was decided to put JCR money to good use, buy some alcohol and move proceedings outside. Some members, though, condemned the action as ‘unconstitutional’, evidently preferring to stifle in the grips of debate than enjoy the delights of summer.
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Suscpicious students at Brasenose submitted a motion to their JCR revealing the true nature of Chris Patten’s election as Chancellor. Condemning his victory as a ‘tab conspiracy’ they proposed a replacement should be nominated immediately. Due to having strong leadership skills and currently being unemployed, Saddam Hussein was voted in overwhelmingly. However, despite unveiling the plot from Cambridge, students are thought to be sceptical about the legitimacy of their alternative leader.
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Mansfield students are delighted by the return of two ducks who use the quad for dating and mating. But some undergraduates are worried about the fidelity of the loving couple after witnessing the female strut her featherered tail with a mallard intruder. The female apparently thought her actions had gone unnoticed while her partner was absorbed in watching croquet.
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Oxford dons have reacted furiously to a proposal to boycott all relations with Israeli academics. The motion, being put to the Association of University Teachers, urges teachers to “sever any academic links with official Israeli institutions” in protest at the country’s “repeated breaches of UN resolutions and Geneva Conventions”. Emanuele Ottolenghi, a lecturer from St Antony’s College, is horrified by the plans. “If what they want is compliance with UN resolutions, they should acknowledge that Israel is not the only villain – both sides break resolutions.” He claims that the supporters of the boycott are anti-Semitic, attacking Israel purely for what it is, not for what it does. “I don’t hear anyone calling for a boycott of Russian academics because of Chechnya, or Egyptian ones because of the domestic slavery there. No one tried to block Yugoslavian academics in the nineties. Why the double standards, singling out Israel now? They are acting with an exquisitely political intent.” Ottolenghi’s main complaint is that any academic boycott is wrong in principle. “Universities are engaged in scientific research, which produces knowledge,” he told Cherwell. “Knowledge is a shared patrimony of all humankind, and research has no passport. Boycotting places of knowledge and research attacks the essence of society. Universities are not part of the policies of the government of the country in which they reside.” Richard Gold, co-President of the University Jewish Society, expressed his “outrage that the highly influential AUT is calling for this boycott. Leaving aside the question of whether an academic boycott can ever be justified, it is incomprehensible why Israel alone should be attacked in this way.” Academic boycotts are not a new concept. In 1965 almost five hundred British lecturers pledged not to accept or apply for jobs at South African universities, and many claimed that this move made a real difference in bringing apartheid to an end. Sue Blackwell, the Birmingham University lecturer who proposed the motion, defended her stance. “I am not an anti-Semite,” she insisted. “On the contrary I am an active anti-racist as my colleagues, students and friends will attest. I am an anti-Zionist: Zionism is a political philosophy which some people choose for themselves to adopt, just like Thatcherism, liberalism or Marxism. I think it’s fair game to criticise people for their political beliefs: people criticize mine all the time!” In July last year the Palestinian group Hamas launched a terrorist attack on the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Nine Israelis and Americans were killed. Ottolenghi is worried that those proposing a boycott will be taking sides with the terrorists against the university, and making learning a target.
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The most glamorous pair in the science world last week announced their impending divorce, just weeks after being described as “Oxford’s golden couple.” Millionaire Peter Atkins, a professor at Lincoln College, split from his equally famous wife, Baroness Greenfield, seeing his claim that “every book he publishes costs him a wife” come true for a third time. Sources say that they first became aware of problems in the twelve-year marriage when Professor Atkins’ belongings appeared piled up in the lobby of the couple’s Mayfair apartment building two weeks ago. “They were outside briefly. But I can see how that might look to a third party,” she said. “I just needed more space.” The Baroness maintains that no-one else had been involved in the break up. “We were just two middle aged people who had drifted apart.” She added, “While we haven’t exactly had a lot to say to each other recently, I hope we will always be friends.” Atkins himself claims that the Baroness’ decision to end the marriage was totally unexpected. “It was a complete surprise,” he told reporters. “One day she just turned to me and said, “This marriage isn’t working.” ‘She is not a lady to accommodate discussion. I was declared redundant, and that was it. Of course, I had always known she was a tough cookie. You do not get to where she is without being very tough.”
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Trinity students have been shocked by a massive rent hike proposed by the College. Undergraduates have responded by unanimously rejecting the inflation-busting increases to their food and accommodation costs. The suggested increases would raise battels by £4 000 for a three year degree, increasing board and lodging costs by 57%. In a letter to undergraduates the head of the College, The Hon Michael Beloff QC, cites “the war in Iraq, concerns about terrorism and now SARS” as contributory reasons for the increases. In an interview with The Times newspaper on Monday, JCR President Sarojini McKenna criticized the College’s proposals and said, “these plans would change Trinity entirely for future generations.” Negotiations over battels were due to start this week. However Mr Beloff, pre-empting the discussions in a letter sent to undergraduates last Friday, stated that the College intends to phase in increases in real accommodation charges of 20%, catering charges of 40% together with 60% in the establishment charge, all above Oxford inflation. JCR Secretary Christopher Byrne said, “From the other JCRs that we have spoken to, we have by far the highest proposed increases.” In a press release sent out by the Student Union on Monday in response to the Times article, Vice President (Welfare) Andrew Copson comments, “if the domestic costs are raised in this way, students on a maximum loan will have only £2 per week to spend on essentials such as books and food.” Trinity students are incensed by the College’s plans. Sarojini McKenna told Cherwell, “we had not expected such drastic rises. Undergraduates are not a resource to exploit. To use student rents as a cushion against recessions and geopolitical crises is an irresponsible policy of College.” Mr Beloff ’s letter attracted criticism among JCR members. He defended his strategy, arguing that the College needs to increase charges to deflect criticism of elitism. Mr Beloff said, “A perception that Oxford students benefit so significantly from subsidised accommodation and food may no longer be acceptable to the wider community.” McKenna responded to this by saying, “The stigma that Oxford is the playground of the rich could within a few years become the reality. The increases could yield college £150 000, while they intend to raise hardship funds by just £10 000. Underprivileged students will be put off applying to Trinity.” The Trinity rent proposals have raised fears that other colleges may follow suit by demanding large rent increases. Mr Beloff warns, “other colleges in similar positions have reached the same conclusion” that Oxford colleges are “no longer in a position to continue subsidising student accommodation and catering costs at current levels”. Many JCR members however are worried about the wider Access implications. Byrne said to Cherwell, “College’s public Access committments in the national press will be made redundant if this massive deterrent to applications goes through.”
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