BUCS Regatta 2018
Greeted at weigh in on Saturday for the official start of BUCS Regatta 2018, the sun was shining and Holme Pierrepont took on glass like conditions. Setting the tone for the weekend and giving the club momentum for the days ahead crews took to the water with great energy, finally given the chance to test out what they have been working on and building in the past months.
The WInt4x took the fight to their final winning it with a time that would be competitive against those above them. Starting off the run of medals across the event the lightweight double of Imogen North and Lucy Gillbanks returned and won a convincing gold in their first of three events. Tying off the day with a race for the spectators, the lightweight men’s four push defending champions Newcastle right to the line, missing out on the gold by hundredths of a second to secure the silver, comfortably ahead of the rest of the field.
Moving into Sunday more crews took to the water, many racing for the second time that weekend. In the heavyweights the intermediate coxed four put in a strong effort having come together with their cox just a week or so before, finishing up in a competitive B final with a respectable time to end it. The coxless four went into a tougher field than last year, closing the gap on the top crews, missing out on the A final by just half a second behind Oxford Brookes. The lightweight men’s 8 took it to the line for a second time against Newcastle, crossing just hundredths of seconds behind them, missing out on the medals. Joining up with two more of the lightweight women, the double from Saturday raced in the lightweight women’s fours, defending last years title, coming away with a second gold from two days. More medals and strong performances, the weather was set to be a hot one again for the bank holiday, and a final opportunity for crews to give it everything they had.
From the four and into the quad, the lightweight men were back at it again, now facing Newcastle for the third time, and a challenge from Bristol the men showed true grit in a tough field, coming through the line for the final time to claim a bronze medal. Standout performances in the beginners were from Mike Trubshaw and the novice women’s eight. In his single, Mike cracked out a great time when it mattered in the time trial, setting him up for the rest of the day he move from strength to strength to bring home a 5th place in the A final, a fantastic effort for such experience in the boat. The women combined the fours from the day before, taking their experience from BUCS head, and brought home an emphatic win in the B final, nothing short of a convincing margin and something to be proud of. The lightweight men’s pair reflected the success of their counterparts, with one of the biggest builds to the line of the day they took it home in classic lightweight style with a great end in the A final. Rounding off the day the lightweight women brought home the final piece of silverware. Ending the weekend, and a record breaking BUCS regatta, the girls finished a good second in a tough field.
“We do the work in the winter, so that we can pick up the medals in the summer.”