Congratulations to the women's squad on a great performance and on well-deserved blades for the men.
The arrival of Lent Term can only mean one thing - Bumps!
Second only to the May Bumps, Lent Bumps is a true highlight of the Cambridge calendar.
For the preceding six weeks, Lucy’s rowers had been spending hours working hard on the rowing machines and getting up at the crack of dawn to take to the water to train; we couldn’t wait to show the other college clubs what we were made of!
The weather in Cambridge has been, unfortunately, exceptionally wet. The River Cam as a consequence was in flood for a significant amount of the Term; rising waters and strong streams made conditions often too unsafe for training.
Whilst we had four crews ready to go for Lent Bumps - an M1, M2, W1, and W2 - it was with great sadness that the Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs (CUCBC) cancelled the qualifying Getting On Race, which our M2 and W2 needed to participate in to take part in the Bumps racing, on safety grounds.
Whilst as a club we were devastated that our lower boats would not be able to race, our First boats were nonetheless still raring to go.
The rain held off, and for a few days, the sun even broke through the clouds. Read on for a day-by-day update!
Day One
M1 - bump on St Catz before the A14 Bridge
Three crew members of M1 had never rowed Bumps before, so the excitement was palpable on the start line. Following the “bang!” of the cannon, the crew began their start sequence. However, they only made it halfway through their first ‘Power 10’ before completely overtaking St Catherine’s M2, who had rowed straight into the bank off the start! It was quite the underwhelming bump, taking less than 30 seconds, but it was a bump nonetheless!
W1 - bumped by Newnham on the Reach
It was a longer fight than the crew thought it might be - and the first time due to illness that this crew had been able to row completely together. Starting out strong, W1 gained some distance, but Newnham W2 slowly encroached. Lucy didn’t give up, but as they turned round Ditton Corner the conditions were against them and Newnham slowly closed in for the bump.
Day Two
M1 - bump on Lady Margaret Boat Club on First Post Corner
Having shaken their nerves from the day before, M1 again set out to hunt the boat in front. Gaining three whistles rapidly, the crew overlapped before First Post Corner and our bowman secured the bump by reaching over and slapping the stern of LMBC M3!
W1 - bump on Newnham on the Reach
Revenge is a dish best served black and blue. Determined to remedy the events of the day before, the crew came back with more spirit and motivation than ever. Though the bump was not as speedy as had hoped they fought and fought and fought and eventually it was theirs!
Day Three
M1 - bump on Clare Hall on Grassy Corner
The third day of bumps is always the turning point if a crew is on a blades campaign. Significantly, chasing Clare Hall M1 meant that securing the bump would make Lucy’s M1 no longer the bottom-ranked M1 after just three years of existence! Chasing them down all the way to Grassy Corner, the crew bumped Clare Hall M1 with a very loud thud!
W1 - bump on Girton on the Reach
Spurred on by the previous day’s success W1 were more determined than ever, and eager to capitalise on their newfound confidence. With gritted teeth and focussed spirits, the crew tailed Girton W1 down to the Reach once again, relentlessly pushing until they got their second bump!
Day Four
M1 - bump on Trinity Hall on First Post Corner
Victory was within reach on the final day. The whole crew was switched on from the boathouse, and the practice start was their fastest ever. Trinity Hall M2 didn’t stand a chance, with M1 closing in along the First Post Reach with some of their cleanest rowing to date. M1 bumped in front of our Boatman, Pete, and the Master of Emmanuel, who had come to spectate. With this final bump, the crew achieved the first-ever “Blades” in Lent Bumps for a Lucy men’s squad!
W1 - rowed over
Adrenaline high and hopes higher, W1 prepared for a final day of an exciting Bumps campaign. Unfortunately, boats failing to clear the river ahead led to an unsatisfying and unclear conclusion. Although awarded a technical row-over, the crew shared a glorious moment of blazing hope as, in a surge of energy, they chased down Darwin W1 for an overbump. Despite the confusion, the perseverance shared by the boat at that moment was electric and will carry them forward to Mays, better and stronger than ever!
Both our First boats had novice rowers join their ranks for the Lent Bumps, which was fantastic! Here’s what Michael Marshall, a first-year in Economics and new M1 rower, had to say about his first Bumps experience:
“I can honestly say my time so far at Lucy has been improved 10-fold by being a part of the boat club. This has obviously been topped by this amazing week, where we achieved the first-ever Lent blades for the Lucy Cav men. The whole crew has been so welcoming, and they’ve been the most enjoyable crew to both row and complete your first Bumps with. I didn’t know what to expect on the first day and of course, the nerves were intense, but as soon as the cannon blew at the start, I felt as though the whole crew were putting all our focus and energy into perfecting each stroke. It felt incredible to celebrate each day and to feel how we grew stronger each day as a crew.”
And, here’s what Olive Moore, a first-year in Natural Sciences and new W1 rower, had to say: “My first Bumps experience was filled with chaos and fun - it was safe to say I hadn’t had a clue what to expect. The adrenaline built as we rowed up to the start line and nervously anticipated the warning bangs of the cannons before we were off. Although successfully bumping on two of the days was obviously a highlight of the week, what I really loved about it was the community on the
river. From the bank parties that came to support to cheering on the men’s M1 as they rowed past us with their flag on the last day, it was so fun to see the whole boat club support each other after each day of rowing our hardest!”