Category Archives: Intercollegiate Races

Frustration for KCLBC at Allom Cup

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KCLBC had a frustrating days racing at the 2011 Allom Cup, making four finals but failing to win any medals after a controversial disqualification for the Men’s Senior VI against UCL.

The Men’s Senior VIII went out in the semi-finals to the eventual winners UCL, losing the Allom Cup, which has been held by KCL for all but 2 of the preceding 13 years.  Half of the VIII then raced in the Men’s Senior IV, against half of the UCL VIII who had just beaten them. Determined not to let get UCL get away without a fight, King’s had a strong start, and were ahead of UCL for most of the race and across the finish line. However, a disputed clash of blades led to disqualification. The Men’s Intermediate VIII got to their final, where they were beaten by ICSM.

The Senior Women’s crews reached both their finals, with the Senior Women’s VIII going out to ICSM and the IV being beaten by RUMS. The Intermediate crews reached both their semis, with the VIII and the IV being beaten by Bart’s and ICSM respectively.

Fresh from racing the UH Novice Sprints the previous weekend, the Novice squad were keen to prove themselves. However, after several crew changes and last minute scratchings, the Men’s Novice VIII lost to Royal Holloway in their semi-final, and the two women’s crews were beaten by RVC and RUMS.

Following the unusual regatta training in the depths of winter, both squads are now looking to the head season. More urgently, there is the Boat Club Christmas Dinner – one of the year’s highlights – to look forward to, not to mention the annual Christmas Pudding Races!

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KCL rowers looking to Bumps success

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Members of KCL boat club are looking forward to continuing their run of success at the United Hospitals (UH) Bumps, which are raced on 28th & 29th May on the Thames at Kew.

The Bumps, which have been raced since 1953, are traditionally contested between the 5 London medical schools and the Royal Veterinary College. In more recent years however, invitational crews from non-medic colleges also race. There are 8 divisions: men’s and women’s first, second and third eights for current students, and respective alumni crews. King’s, who still race as GKT currently hold the headship (i.e., are winning) in 7 of the 8 categories, and are looking to repeat this success. The men’s squad have held the head of the bumps since 2006, when they ended 8 years of dominance from Imperial Medics. The women’s squad have held the headship for 5 of the last 6 years. KCL alumni, the formidable ‘Juniper’ crew have also dominated their division racing for several years.

The Bumps are not your usual, regatta type race. Rather than crews all starting from the same point and aiming to cross the finish line first, crews are spaced out along the river at equal distances. On the starting horn, the aim is to row off as fast as possible in order to catch up with (and physically bump) the boat in front, without being caught up by the boat behind. Lucky crews will ‘bump up’ early on in the race, sparing themselves the gruelling race to the finish line that awaits if they are neither caught by, nor catch another crew.  Crews who fail to bump early on in the race have to dig deep and fight their way down the rest of the course. For the crews at the head of the race, there is no crew in front to catch, and the only option is the long slog to the finish line without being caught. To add an extra dimension to the racing, the event is staged over 3 separate races in each category, and the only results that count are the results of the final race. In 2010, GKT men’s 1st VIII were bumped by St Georges crew in the second race, and had to fight to win back first place in the final race of the event. This is what it looks like to get that place back:

Bumps racing is unusual in the rowing world, and relatively few places still hold bumps races; the UH bumps are the only ones held on the tidal Thames, and only Oxford, Cambridge, and Eton College have bumps races elsewhere in the UK. Because of the unusual nature of the racing, close finishes and clashes are common, making it one of the most exciting forms of racing to watch. The course used for the UH bumps stretches along the Thames next to Kew Gardens, finishing just before Chiswick Bridge by the University of London Boat House. Any cheers or support from Kew Bridge are welcome!

Are you a rower? Rowed at school or college but gotten out of practice? KCL Boat Club is always on the lookout for fresh talent, and in particular is looking for people to race the Bumps with us. If you’ve rowed in the past but let it drop off, why not join us for a weekends racing in May?

Any rowers who are interested in rowing the Bumps should contact edward [dot] griffiths [at] kcl [dot] ac [dot] uk. More information can be found at www.uhboatclub.co.uk

KCL Wins First Annual Varsity Race VS UCL

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In the first Annual KCL vs UCL Varsity race – KCL stomped to a victory that could only be referred to as “easily.”

The crew of Ed Hull, Ed Griffiths, Max Gerrard, George Halse, Darragh O’Reilly, Seb Thomas, Henry Hoder, Adrian McCague and Anna Turner (cox) lined up against a potentially strong UCL 1st VIII at Putney ready to row the full course down to Chiswick Bridge. However, in a turn of events the UCL coach announced they would only be racing half of the course as they were competing in a race that same weekend.

Each to their own, KCL was there to practice for the Men’s Head of the River Race so that’s exactly what they were going to do. And for the record, most of the crew will be competing in THREE races that very weekend as well.

Conditions were tough and saw waves flooding into the boat on the racing line. King’s opted for the wider course around Fulham to take advantage of the stream and slightly better water. UCL on the other hand took the very inside of the corner (renowned to be ‘dead water’) as opposed to challenging for the racing line allowing King’s to pull ahead by 6 lengths at Hammersmith.

Pacing themselves as it was only coming up to half way, King’s hit a rhythm and stuck to it for the journey to Chiswick. UCL on the other hand knowing they were only racing half way put in a push for their finish closing the gap down to 2 lengths by the end of the island (Chiswick Eyot) before winding down.

King’s raced to the end, proving that this year KCL will be on top form at the Head of River Race in April.

UH Head 2011

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The UH Head in recent years has always been an area of controversy for GKT, with our Championship VIIIs mysteriously finishing minutes slower than the timer on the coxbox. Nevertheless GKT showed up determined to make this year stick.

The women’s Champ VIII finished second to ICSM by a mere 10 seconds over the course between the Pink Lodge just short of Richmond and Chiswick Bridge. Following down some 13 crews behind were the GKT Novice Girls who must have known the Seniors needed avenging. The crew of Amy Fanning (Bow), Sophie Crooks, Zoe Aubugeau-Williams, Yu Jin Lee, Jess Thuringer, Anna McSweeney, Hannah Carr, Claire Knapp (Stroke) and Adrian McCague (Cox, 73Kg of pure encouragement) stormed down the course overtaking 6 crews in its wake finishing 19 seconds ahead of ICSMs novices and winning themselves a nice set of medals.

As previously mentioned the men went out with something to prove, despite a scratch crew, scratch order and a couple of rowers that hadn’t rowed in months (standard GKT Men). Despite getting obstructed and pushed out the racing line by UCL B (whom subsequently received a 10 second penalty, thank you marshals!) the men were pleased with their race. Club Captain Ed Griffiths afterwards stated:

“Let’s be honest, we rowed like s***, but everyone was fully committed for the entire race.”

The crew of Tom Hodkinson (Bow), Tom Webb, Adrian McCague, John Denny, George Halse, Joe Hetherington, Ed Griffiths, Ben Soni (Stroke) and Anna Turner (Cox) finished as overall winners 10 seconds ahead of tied second placers St Georges Hospital and RUMs, which to their credit were looking very tidy on the row up to the start.

A member of ICSM later commented on a photo of the GKT Men’s Champ VIII:

“They must be monsters on the erg to get away with rowing like that.”

It’s good to be GKT.

UH Regatta 2011 & Allom Cup MChamp VIII Final

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The UH Winter Regatta hails a ’3rd time lucky’ moment for the fresh with their standing starts (after the Novice Sprints and Allom Cup). Luck of the draw however – this year the majority of our male fresh are in fact studying ‘Strand’ subjects allowing us to field the Invitational Novice VIII against UCL!

The crew of Alex Drewett (Bow), Sam Rowe, Rory Sherlock, Michael Bradley, Deji Olanilua, Alex Franklin, Jamie Barrell, Simon McTurk (Stroke) and Cox won their straight semi-final against UCL A to go on to defeat UCL B in the final. Great job from them and a good sign of things to come from KCLBCs home grown rowers.

The seniors had a great day as well. Following the disappointment of the Allom Cup where light, extended lunch breaks and perhaps questionable organisation resulted in many finals never having been raced – GKT were ready to show what they could do without the backup of our KCL (read: non GKT) students.

Both the men and women’s GKT (A) Senior IVs won their events easily, with the men’s final being a straight up GKT A vs GKT B and the women’s KCL vs GKT. Well done to Darragh O’Reilly, Ed Griffiths, George Halse, Ben Soni, Kate Horne, Emily Frost and Anna Turner (Cox).

Equally GKT made a clean sweep of the Senior VIIIs as well. Going up against RUMs in the semi-final, GKT Senior Men agreed with RUMs that this would be the decider of the Allom Cup final that was never finished – even though the GKT squad was missing some of its key KCL members. GKT won to go on to the final, marking probably the first time GKT has actually won the Allom Cup.

The final, however, was not so straightforward. A failure with the rudder mechanism meant the boat was locked on to a hard right course pushing the other finalists, ICSM, more and more off their course. Long story short: ICSM failed to challenge for their line allowing GKT their victory. Well done to Ed Griffiths, Ben Soni, George Halse, Darragh O’Reilly, Adrian McCague, Joe Hetherington, Tom Hodkinson, John Denny and Anna Turner (Cox).

The Women’s Senior VIII GKT crew of Kate Horne, Emily Frost, and Anna Turner (Cox) also won making the event a decisive victory for GKT to add to KCLBCs already successful year.

New 4+ named at Alumni Evening

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Following the day’s racing and running around in lycra at the Allom Cup, past and present members of the boat club gathered in rather more splendid attire for a special alumni evening at the Boat House. Guests enjoyed champagne and canapés in the club room, whilst listening to guest speaker Rupert Obholzer (who won the Boat Race with OUBC as president and won bronze in the coxless four at the Atlanta Olympic games whilst working as a surgeon).

Following this, the party migrated to the boat bay for the naming of the clubs new Fillipi Coxed Four. The ‘Jonny Bryant’, named after a much loved cox who spent many years at the boat club, where he even met his wife, Hannah, who he married in 2006 and was in attendance, along with budding coxswain Bryant Jr!