SCBC

We were chasing Pembroke II and being chased by Darwin for the first race of May Bumps. We suspected Darwin wouldn't be a problem but we knew we had a touygh race on our hands with Pembroke.

Our row up to the start was tidy and strong. Our practice start was quick and quite neat considering the inevitable first day nerves. The rowing was powerful with us focussing on getting a good ratio and keeping the technique. We spent much of the row up showing off wonderfully sat pauses right up behind Darwin as they rowed ahead of us.

We span on station and pulled in. Our bank party pushed us out perfectly, and we were all calm and as Sophie kept saying 'pretty psyched for this'. The gun went, our start was quick and we pulled away from Darwin but lost Pembroke slightly. We kept sat up into the first corner with Emily taking us expertly round and feeling pretty strong. We were slowly taking water back off Pembroke but they bumped Peterhouse ahead just after First Post Corner.

This didn't affect us, we were prepared for everything. Race 1 to the Plough was over and race 2 to the end of the course was beginning. We did a push into Grassy and held a great line around the corner, then pushed strong into Plough Reach. By this time Darwin were a long way behind but we didn't slack off, we kept it technical and the pressure was there. On to the Reach we has a technical re-focus and Darwing bumped out behind us, so with a lot of clear water we pressed on.

Keeping it professional we carried on down the Reach feeling still strong and tidy, we sat up under the railway bridge and pushed off it; then with no pressure from behind and nothing to chase we wound it down just coming up towards the P&E.

It was a strong a tidy row-over today with everyone finishing saying they still had more to give. So hopefully we can give it everything tomorrow and move for the Bump on Peterhouse! A good start to the May Bumps for W1.