Volume 52

The last year was a consistently disappointing one as far as the First Boat was concerned - the performance of the lower boats, however, was most promising, particularly the Second Boat in the Mays, when the crew narrowly missed their oars.

The present year has started under the most favourable conditions, for a member of the Club, I. M. Lang, has been elected president of the CUBC. We have a substantial residue of old members and our intake of freshman has been most encouraging. The result is that the Club is numerically stronger now than it has been for many years, and much keenness, enthusiasm and willingness is evident amongst all members. We hope, therefore, but we can look forward with justified confidence to a successful year's rowing.

The Club started the year somewhat depleted in numbers. The memory of the previous year's unsatisfactory and dispirited performances served to show how easy it was to allow the fortunes of the Club to slip into a gentle decline, and so the immediate aim this season was numerical strength at all costs. We hoped that by the end of the year we should begin to reap the advantage of this increased membership, but we all realised that it was a hope and not a certainty, and that in the last resort the success of the Club depended on our own keenness, happiness and individual loyalty.

25 freshman responded to the call as full-time rowing members - a further sixteen joined us in the May Term and enabled us to muster seven crews, six of which rowed in the May Races. This marked the achievement of our immediate objective and also constituted something of a record, for it is the first time that Caius has ever had six crews rowing in the Mays. We were pleased that many of those joining us in the Easter Term were second- and third-year men, and as the year progressed, there was much encouraging evidence to show that the Boat Club's performances were being watched, and the efforts of its members, albeit sometimes unsuccessful, appreciating to a much greater extent - indeed, one of the features of this year has been the consistent mutual support of the various Amalgamated Clubs in Caius for each other, and for our part, we hope that interest in rowing is no longer the specific preserve of oarsmen alone.

We were fortunate at the start of the year in that Ian Lang was elected President of the CUBC, but he was not destined to complete his term of office as he was called up early in the Lent Term before the Boat Race was held. John Walker rowed in the second Trial Eight and we must congratulate him on being awarded his Trial Cap in his first year.

We entered five boats for the Fairbairn Race, an increase of two on the previous year. The First Boat dropped to 13th in a somewhat unspectacular row, but it was never a very powerful crew and seemed unable to race in a really full-blooded fashion. The Second Boat went up one place but was not outstanding. The Third Boat put up the best performance by going up eight places to 45th, which was a welcome indication of the racing ability of John Knight as a stroke. The Fourth and Fifth Boat came in 64th and 76th respectively, the latter being stroked by Brian Sitch, who, with a very rough and untrained crew behind him, brought them home as a rating of 36 - we were to see more of this later in the year.

There were four Boats rowing in the Lent Races, one more than last year. The First Boat retained its position of 13th in a series of keen races with Selwyn I, which included a bump by Caius on the second night, although Selwyn returned the compliment on the last night after very stiff race. The Second Boat stole the honours in the Lents by making three easy bumps, and they only failed to make their fourth because of an early bump immediately ahead of them. They were a powerful, confident crew, stroked with determination by Adrian Struve and they deserved every bit of the success. The Third Boat went up two places and down one, being bumped by Queens' III only 50 yards from Chesterton Bridge on the third night after a very keen race. The Fourth Boat which was composed of freshman, got on to the river via the Getting-on Race and went up one place.

The Bump Supper this term was a most successful function. Our two principal guests were the Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Rev. W. L. Anderson and Colonel H. Eaton Hart, both of whom have sons now rowing for the Club. Needless to say we were kept amused by reminiscences of the Boat Club in the years immediately preceding the 1914-18 war.

After the success of the Second Boat in the Lents, we decided to send it to the Head of the River Race at Reading, but unavoidably we had to make some changes in the crew which weakened it somewhat. Nevertheless in the race they did quite well to rise nine places to 22nd, although they could have gained many more if they had really taken advantage of the fast conditions.

We sent only the First Boat to Putney Head of the River Race this year, where it was coached by none other than Dr Drury Pennington, who came all the way from the Channel Islands to spend a week on the tideway. It was a pity he was not able to coach the crew for a longer period, because it was a tentative First May Boat containing several radical changes. Nevertheless considering everything, this boat did very well to come 22nd out of the total entry of 195 crews and retain its position in the First Division - it was above all a testimony to be able coaching of Dr Pennington to whom we are all most grateful for his sustained interest in the club.

In the Easter term we ran seven crews, three of which had to get on to the River. The Fifth Boat won the getting on race and the Sixth Boat came 7th and thus became the only Caius Sixth Boat to row in the May races. The results of the Races, as a whole, were somewhat disappointing. The First Boat became quite fast, but not good enough to go up, and by rowing over all four nights, retained its position at 13th. The Second Boat was a failure and went down three places. The Third Boat was rough, but powerful, and with a good capacity for racing. They made a bump on the second night - disputed by Downing and re-rowed emphatically in our favour - whilst on the other nights they were just inside their distance on Queens III and Christ's III, which were a couple of good boats. The Fourth boat went down four places, but this was largely due to changes in the crew preceding and during the races through sickness and injury, because no one wished to disrupt the remarkable harmony of the Fifth Boat. This was a very strong crew composed of a "old hands," and they made three bumps, all of them inside 30 strokes. It was the acknowledged hard luck story of the Mays, but they did not at a fourth bump, for they were unfortunate in having behind them a fast Trinity crew which came second in the Getting-on Race. Although not as fast as our Caius boat, it managed to make an over-bump on the first night. On the second night it made a quick bump with the Caius crew so close behind them that they were obstructed in passing; nevertheless, they went on for an over-bump, and although they got within striking distance by the Railway Bridge they just could not make it. On account of the obstruction a re-row was ordered for the same evening. Caius V started at their post six lengths behind Peterhouse VI. By Ditton Corner they were only six feet away and remained in that position all the way down the Reach to the finish. This was a big hearted crew, stroked with great determination by Brian Sitch. It included also Brian Evans and Clive Foster-Barham who were rowing for the last time in a Caius boat to end their active membership of the Club which dated back to the November Eights of 1940. The Sixth Boat consisted mostly of Rugger men who put in one or two days a week throughout the term. Coached by John Jardine and coxed by Norman Roderick they developed into quite a reasonable crew, and astounded everyone by coming seventh in the Getting-on Race out of the total entry of 27. During the Mays, however, they were not able to reproduce such form, and falling victims to the tension of a Bumps race, managed to get themselves bumped three times.

A Four was sent to Henley, but it never came to very much. For a variety reasons we scratched from the Wyfolds, where we had been drawn against Lensbury R.C. the eventual winners, who broke the 28 year old record for the event. In the Visitor's Cup we were beaten by Magdalene College, Cambridge, in the first round.

A Clinker Four was formed during this Long Vacation and it enjoyed some considerable success at Bedford and St Neots Regattas. At Bedford, Caius reached the semi-final only to be beaten by Corpus Christi in a close race. Corpus Christi eventually won this event, but they were hardly the better crew - in fact over a 4 1/2 minute course during the next week at Cambridge the same crews raced each other and Caius won by three lengths. At St Neots the Caius Four won the Town Challenge Cup by beating Norwich union RC, Evesham RC, Crowland RC and Boston RC. The last-named gave Caius the closest race although we won by a clear two lengths. It is a coincidence that this Challenge Cup was first competed for in 1877 and won in that year by a Caius crew - until this year it had never since been won by Caius or any other Cambridge College.

So much for the past year - on the whole it was marked by only mediocre performances on the part of the First Boat, although the success of the low boats is evidence of the talents and keenness among those who remain. It is upon them that we rely for the continuing improvement in Caius rowing, for we have lost our usual complement of keen and trusted members - Digby Crozier under whose able Captaincy the club has grown into something worthy of Caius; John Jardine who will long be remembered as one of the characters of the towpath and our Bump Suppers. We shall also miss Eric Smith for his quiet efficiency and example as First Boat cox.

No review of the season 1948-49 could close without acknowledgement of the loyal services of two past members of the Club, namely Dr J. A. R. Miles and Colonel H. Eaton Hart. The former has been invaluable as a coach for the First Boat for a period each term, whilst during the bumps he has taken over every Caius Boat. In the Mays this was a remarkable feat, for in addition to the six Caius Boats he also looked after Corpus I in the Second Division. Colonel Hart has been a welcome figure on the towpath and at our Bumps Suppers. We have appreciated his enthusiasm and the interest he has shown in all our activities, but we are particularly grateful for his visits from London on Saturdays to help with the coaching.

1949-50

Just as certain of the college societies are part of the Amalgamated Clubs, so the Boat Club ought to be more of a true society. "On Tuesday at 8.0 the Secretary will read a paper on Backsplashes." "6.30 Wednesday, Mike Bailey (bank-tub) will give a performance of Fairbairn's Chat No. 8." at all events, last year's most imaginative and efficient Captain, besides improving both the numbers and equipment, did a great deal towards provoking interest and esprit de corps. I believe that if the spirit can be maintained, and the numbers of settle down at a high-level, our most pressing need now must be a clarification of coaching policy, combined with a painstaking attack upon freshman (amongst whom , let us hope, will be a leavening of men from rowing schools).

One gets the most out of rowing not by taking it lightly but by trying to win races, and in the Fairbairns the first of our seven boats came nearest to this when it surpassed itself by coming second to Jesus; but six months later, in the Mays, we had difficulty in catching Jesus II and we were ourselves bumped by the Lady Margaret Second Boat. The obvious conclusion - that we did not develop the material during the course the year - must have some truth in it. On the other hand most of our lower Fairbairn crews successfully left room for further progress, however hard they tried to do otherwise.

We entered six boats for the Lents, but the lowest two were eliminated in the 'getting-on' race and of the remaining four only the Third Boat managed to improve its position.

The prospective First and Second May Boats then went to Reading for the Head of the River Race and finished quite respectively at 9th and 25th, 51 crews taking part. Six boats were entered for the Mays, of which the First Boat was unlucky not to improve its position of 13th. The first night was wasted in discovering how not to bump Jesus II, but on the second night we achieve the bump. On the third night we were thwarted by bumps fore and aft, and on the last a crab served to send us back to 13th position again. With a relentless Lady Margaret crew behind us our tactics were to repeat the "bomb-start" of Thursday in a do-or-die attempts to catch Christ's I; but alas, a crab is a thing of some consequence. Of the other boats, the Fifth or Rugger Boat deserves special mention for showing us how muscle and good temper may gain two places.

A still optimistic First Boat went into training after the Mays for Marlow and Henley, whilst a four of spare men kept fit by entering at Reading Regatta; the latter did very well to reach the final of their event (as a previous four have done earlier in the year in the University Clinker Fours). Regarding the Eight, A. D. Beard sent us off to a good start, and then rapid wonders who worked with us by Dr A. G. S. Bailey. As the exponent of a method of coaching rather than of a style of rowing, he could not possibly have suited us better in our slightly ponderous gloom. At Marlow we beat King's, London, and University College and Hospital in the first round and then lost honourably to Clare after a good row in the second. Continuing under Dr Bailey's care at Henley we improved further to beat Brasenose in the first-round of Thames cup, only to lose by two feet to Bedford RC after a ding-dong struggle in the second round. Above all we enjoyed our rowing and, though we shall never be satisfied, we are assured by observers that we move in the right direction.

Two other coaches need special mention; first, Dr J. A. R. Miles. After long and faithful service to the Boat Club he is leaving, we hope only temporarily, to take up an appointment in Australia. For his unfailing interest and good nature he will take with him the gratitude and good wishes of everyone of us. The other coach to be mentioned is Dr Drury Pennington, who gained his Blue in the 1890's. He returned to us yet again just before the Mays and though he only had dealings with two boats, I am sure that the whole club was aware of his personality and was impressed by his vigour. On one occasion he stepped into the First Boat and stroked it in order to put over a point. We cannot thank him enough for giving us the benefit of his coaching, and we are always extremely grateful for such support by old members. This also applies to those who have generously responded to the Henley appeal. Whilst the prestige of a college may still depend to a remarkable extent upon the successes of its Boat Club, it is becoming increasingly difficult for its representatives to bear the cost of a trip to Henley, and it has been with this thought in mind that another Henley Appeal has been made.

As shown in the list of officers of the Amalgamated Clubs in the last edition of the Caian, Dr R. I. N. Greaves, congenial treasurer to the Boat Club for the past 12 years, has retired from this position and his place has been taken by Mr V. M. Clark.

Some old boat club men may be moved to hear that we have changed back from fixed pins to swivels. Though the deed is done, the following points may be made in partial defence: (1) it is quite erroneous to suppose the type of rowlock need dictate the style of rowing; (2) is generally easier to coach the lower boats up to a reasonable standard on swivels; (3) it is becoming an increasing embarrassment to have equipment which is different from that of vast and growing majority of other Clubs.

We now have the material and goodwill, but must still look for a few rowing Freshman and an improved method of coaching, however simple. With all the ovens and flour in the world we need yeast and a bakers' guild. [an error occurred while processing this directive]