Lessons to learn

Words: Tom Ransley

The Trial Eights sees evenly matched crews from the same club race against each other over The Championship Course; these races form a key part of the Boat Race season. They come at the end of the autumn academic term for the student-athletes and are usually the last key event before the Christmas break.

Roaring Light Blues

Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) held their trials on Wednesday 13 December 2023. The day started with an unplanned test of strength for the Cambridge men. A parked car was blocking the doorway to Thames Rowing Club, preventing access to their boat. The team eventually pulled the offending vehicle clear of the boat bay but the delay meant their morning pre-paddle was replaced by an erg warm-up. Yuck!

The first crews to take to the water were those of the openweight women, named after characters from The Lion King; Mufasa and Sarabi. Even though there was little to no stream, conditions were extremely rough. Before the race, Head Coach Paddy Ryan suggested there might be a repeat of last year’s Boat Race tactic, deployed by cox Jasper Parish, of cutting the first Middlesex bend.