Women’s side

In Hilary Term, the second VIII qualified comfortably for Torpids – a great improvement on the previous year. Overall, the women’s side had the most success Torpids since before the pandemic. W2 went +2 despite multiple klaxons in their division, and W1 also went +2, moving up to 5th in Division 2.

Open side

Hillary Term was initially stunted by heavy rain and flooding impeding our training; however, Torpids was just around the corner. Four of our finest were still training with OUL and so were only going to return for Summer Eights.

On Day 1 of Torpids, M2 was chasing Teddy Hall, however, an unfortunate run-in with an unaptly placed tree at the end of the gut saw them plummeting down the division, from 45th to 48th. They bumped Regents on the second day before Donnington Bridge, and St. Annes before the gut on the third day. On the final day, they were chasing Magdalen M2 who were they not able to catch, they finished -1 across the campaign.

M1 started Torpids 5th in Division 1. They rowed over on Day 1 as Wolfson caught St. Catz faster than we could catch them. Quick work was done on St. Catz on Day 2. M1 rowed over on day 3 after a thrilling battle with Oriel. On Day 4 we were ready, and rumour has it that the bookies were placing 100:1 bets against Oriel. An unfortunate crab shortly after Donnington Bridge saw the crew tangle with Keble and a houseboat, unfortunately ending the successful start to this campaign with a plummet down to 7th on the river.