Paul Townshend, boathouse manager and rowing coach, gives us a rundown of all the action on the river from day three of the May Bumps.
“On a day where the weather would have been disappointing for a day of the Lent Bumps THBC took to the water for day three of the 2024 May Bumps.”
As always, M2 were first out where yet again their improvement over the past weeks enabled them to hold off charging M2s from Churchill and Selwyn College long enough for those to bump out behind. Despite their best efforts they were not able to bump back the Peterhouse M2 crew that had bumped them on day two before they had bumped Queens’ M2 in front of them. These valiant efforts had taken their toll on the THBC boat and so unfortunately in the end we were unable to rebuff a very fast Fitzwilliam M2 that eventually caught them way down on the Long Reach (this Fitzwilliam M2 crew enjoyed a remarkable Bumps and moved up six places which has softened the blow a little! Well rowed Fitz!)
W2 had a dominant row-over at the Head of Division 3 finishing their first race of the day rating 24 and many lengths in front of LMBC W2. Both crews rowed over. Our crew then returned to the lock to race at the bottom of the next division and they fought incredibly hard all the way down to the Bottom Finish chasing Pembroke W2 for an over-bump, after Hughes Hall W1 (who bumped W2 yesterday and eventually went up five places in this year’s Mays) bumped out Robinson W1 in front. In the end Pembroke escaped and THBC would return for the final day as sandwich boat. That made five races for W2 in three days with one day to go.
M1 took to the water with the aim of bumping Caius M2 as fast as possible and hoping to avoid a very fast Wolfson M1 boat (that would rise three places in the rankings this year). The plan meant that three quarters of the way down the Long Reach M1 were on three whistles and just three feet from the Caius stern. Wolfson reacted in superb fashion and raised the rate extraordinarily and effected a bump on THBC just as M1 raised their rate yet again in a final effort to catch Caius. This was a superb effort from M1 and the heart and determination shown would no doubt stand them in good stead for the final day.
W1 again provided the result of the day by dominating Newnham W1 from the very first stroke. From the start THBC did not stride and completed a textbook bump (to quote distinguished Alum, Kate Grose) building through the rates and bumping Newnham ten strokes after First Post Corner. This was an extremely powerful display and one that placed W1 6th on the river and meant they would be chasing a strong Churchill W1 on the final day.
Top image: shows M2 (by Mary Hockaday, Master of Trinity Hall)
M2 pre-race Friday (By Alum and 2022-23 Women’s Captain, Evie Mollitt)
