Words and photographs by Andrew Muston (m. 1981) 

Storm Henk caused the River Cam to flood in the first week of January, preventing rowing for a few days, but the water has now returned to normal, Lent Term has commenced, and College rowing is once again bustling on the river. Looking back at Michaelmas, it was the normal pattern of the old and the new. The Club welcomed its intake of novices while the returning senior rowers shrugged off the excesses of the long Summer Vacation to re-acquaint themselves with ergos, and academic studies of course.

Some respectable results in the preparatory races on the Cam were achieved while all crews built towards the pinnacle of the term – the Fairbairns. Over two very cold and crisp days a total of six   student crews and four alumni (Cross Keys) crews raced (86 people all in).

Results in the respective Cambridge College categories were:

PBC student crews

M1  -  7th 

M2   -  6th

Novice M1  -  23rd

W1  -  16th

Novice W1   - 9th

Novice W2 -  10th

Cross Keys alumni crews

M1   - 9th

M2  -  5th

W1  -  3rd

W2 (4+)  -  1st

While not all Colleges field crews in all categories, this is a decent set of results and of course we hope it will be the foundation of further successes in the rest of the year. Of particular note was Cross Keys M2 (average age in their thirties) finally bringing in sufficient young talent to beat Cross Keys M1 (average age in their sixties). Increasing age might reduce strength and cardiovascular capacity but increases camaraderie – after all when reviewing past rowing glories over lunch or dinner. ‘The older we are, the better we were!’