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Stroke of the Sarabi crew and Cambridge Women’s President, Jenna Armstrong, backed up by Gemma King at “7”, lead the attack on their squadmates rowing as Mufasa during the Cambridge Trial Eights held over the Boat Race course on 13 December.
Last week I previewed the Trial Eight races that will aid selection for the 2024 University Boat Races. These are not contests of Light versus Dark Blue, they are intra-university races, Oxford racing Oxford and Cambridge racing Cambridge, where the last sixteen rowers and last two coxswains from each potential crew battle it out in theoretically matched boats, all eighteen hoping to impress the coach who has to make the final selection.
The Cambridge women named their openweight and lightweight Trial crews after some of the big cat characters in The Lion King, noting that, “Lions are the symbol of Cambridge University. They are the only cats that live in social groups and are fiercely loyal to their pride, who they rely on for all aspects of survival.” Thus, the openweight crews were Mufasa and Sarabi.
Famously, cats do not like getting wet, so it was doubly unfortunate that there was a strong wind from the north-east with gusts of up to 25 mph meaning there was a cross wind against tide between Putney and Hammersmith and between Barnes and Chiswick resulting in some “Biblical” conditions, particularly at the start. Between Hammersmith and Barnes however, there was a brief respite with a tail wind in the same direction as the tide.
Off the start. Mufasa on Surrey with white sleeves was coxed by Hannah Murphy and stroked by Megan Lee. Sarabi on Middlesex with blue tops was coxed by James Trotman and stroked by Jenna Armstrong. Both stayed in the middle, neither deciding to try and seek better water on the Middlesex side.Mufasa in action. While Sarabi went ahead off the start, Mufasa soon took a slight lead despite the other crew having all three returning Blues on board.
In viewing pictures of boat races, it must be remembered that parallax error makes images taken behind and to the side of the two boats look as if the crew nearest to the camera is further up than it actually is.
Approaching the Black Buoy (which is yellow), Mufasa is about half-a-length up. Trying to establish a rhythm in such conditions was obviously difficult and the rates were at 28 in the worst water, going up to a low 32 when things got a little better. Passing Barn Elms, Mufasa still about half-a-length up.Coxswains James Trotman and Hannah Murphy urge their crews on.Approaching the Mile Post, Sarabi may have moved up a little but Mufasa maintained its lead (despite parallax error making the opposite appear true here).Mufasa’s cox, Hannah Murphy, and stroke, Megan Lee, both had a good race and must have impressed coach Paddy Ryan.By Harrods, Mufasa had a three-quarter length lead.A screenshot from the livestream coverage showing the crews approaching Hammersmith Bridge.Passing under Hammersmith Bridge where the conditions improved considerably and the rates increased to around 34.A screenshot taken just after Hammersmith and passing St Paul’s School with no parallax error showing Mufasa increasing its lead. Sarabi was obviously desperate to maintain overlap.At Chiswick Eyot, coach Paddy Ryan gives the photographers a wave.Around the half-way mark, Mufasa got a clear water lead over Sarabi.Approaching Barnes Railway Bridge, it seems all over for Sarabi.Shooting Barnes Bridge.Approaching Mortlake. Mufasa finished two-and-a-half lengths ahead.As the press launch returned to Putney, it passed the Cambridge Women’s Lightweight race with crews Nala and Simba. Nala leads here and went onto win. The race had been restarted after Simba was swamped on the start.At Putney, we found one of the Cambridge Men’s Lightweight crews, Gates, heading in the wrong direction. They were returning to their boathouse after their opposition, Greatorex, was swamped before their race reached the end of Putney Embankment.Greatorex’s abandoned boat. It seemed that the Filippi boats handled the conditions better than the Empachers but all modern boats have impressive buoyancy and cannot sink as such.The Greatorex crew, all safe and well. The two crews were named after Richard Bates and Bob Greatorex who founded Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club in 1974.The two crews raced again the following day and Greatorex won by five lengths.
The full Cambridge openweight crew lists are on the official Boat Race website.
A recording of the livestream is on YouTube.
A report on the Cambridge openweight Men’s Trial Eights will be posted tomorrow.
The 78th Women’s Boat Race and the 169th Men’s Boat Race will take place on 30 March 2024 at 14.46 and 15.46.
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