Cambridge University Women's Boat Club get year off to a flyer
Crews take on Tideway test
Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club’s A crew were the fastest crew at the Quintin Eights Head of the River.
The crew of Alice White, Myriam Goudet, Melissa Wilson, Holly Hill, Anna Dawson, Ashton Brown, Kirsten van Fossen, Claire Lambe and cox Matthew Holland set off behind the University of London Boat Club.
But after overtaking them in the first third of the race, they moved clear of their rivals to finish 21 seconds clear of any other women’s boat in the elite category.
Newnham College student Dawson said: “Ultimately, it was an encouraging performance.
“We were able to experience all sorts of conditions. We identified some technical aspects which we will look to improve going into our next set of races.”
CUWBC’s B crew of Emma Andrews, Lucy Pike, Imogen Grant, Tricia Smith, Thea Zabell, Paula Wulff, Rachel Elwood, Karolina Farr and cox Evie Lindsey were second in the senior category and fourth women’s boat overall.
“While we had some tough and challenging parts of the race, with strong headwinds and varying conditions, there was a complete focus and composure when making a move to overtake BMS and Radley College as well as a determined push as a crew from Chiswick bridge right to the finish,” said Wulff.
The lightweight crew of Iona Casley, Rebecca Abbott, Dorottya Nagy, Fenella McLuskike, Freya Casson, Izzy Edwards, Ellie Hopgood and cox Akil Hashmi were fourth in the Intermediate 1 category.
“It was good to be back racing and the lightweights have an exciting platform to build on in upcoming weeks,” said Hashmi.
Cantabs’ senior women’s crew of Millie Perrin, Ellie Darlington, Clare Hall, Eve Caroe, Merodie Rose, Bailee Stratton, Anita Holender, Georgia Vann and cox Jamie Wooller raced in the Intermediate 2 category and were 11th fastest of the 93 women’s crews, clocking 15.02.8.
Cantabs’ second crew, coxed by Leanne Fiddian on her Tideway debut, did well to finish ahead of the top crew from the University of East Anglia and the top crews from some of London’s Tideway-based clubs.
Cantabs’ men’s crew of Jimmy Adams, Guy Fiddian, Ricardo Hererros-Symons, Hannes Dinse, Finn Grimwood, Andrew Marsden, James King, Hadi Boukhatmi and cox Sara Russo had to borrow a boat from KCLBC after they lost their fin in their pre-paddle, and they were 30th overall and seventh in IM2.
Hills Road’s crew of Eddie Crampton, Fin Beauchamp, Robert Oxford Pope, Sam Gibbs, Olly Brigstock, Harry Selwyn Smith, Will Bryant, Inigo Hunable and cox Ben Whitelaw clocked 15min 12sec for 102nd place overall.
