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Tim Koch reports with images from yesterday’s Tideway Week:
History above their heads:
Perhaps Steve Trapmore, the Cambridge men’s coach, is contemplating what lessons can still be learned from Steve Fairbairn, the famous Cambridge, London and Thames coach.The Oxford men’s coach, Sean Bowden, at his base for the week, a building originally constructed for the great boat builder, John Hawkes Clasper.
In the same boat:
Oxford are in the Empacher that they have used for the last two races, Acer.Cambridge have a new boat, but it is also in ‘go faster yellow’.
Down by the riverside:
Goldie (Cambridge men’s reserves) discuss tactics in the morning haze.The Oxford boatman arranges the boots belonging to Isis (Oxford men’s reserves) in crew order, ready for their return from their outing. I suggested that he put ‘L’ or ‘R’ on them as well.
Oxonian aquatics:
The Oxford Blue Boat goes afloat.Oxford row away from Hammersmith Bridge.Blues and boat working in harmony.
Calling on the reserves:
Isis in action.Osiris – Oxford women’s reserves.Goldie in a spin.
Meeting the press gang:
Formerly two, now four press conferences are held on the Thursday of Tideway Week with the coach, president and cox from the men’s and women’s squads of both universities meeting the press. It is election time in Britain so we are used to people trying to sound confidant and attempting to talk a lot without saying too much. One day in the future a coach may admit that the opposition is better. Until then, they will continue to say that they are ‘relaxed and confident’.
Oxford’s coach Sean Bowden, cox Will Hakim and president Constantine (‘Stan’) Louloudis. Photo: Tim Koch.Cox Hakim is unworried.The Oxford women’s Blue Boat cox, Jennifer Ehr, makes an amusing reference to the sinking of her crew earlier in the week.
Then and now:
Oxford in their Putney boathouse, 2015.Oxford in their Putney boathouse, 1872.
Hear The Boat Sing 