Today was a strange day for M1. The row-down to the start for Division 1 was easily the worst row down to any race this crew has done this academic year. It was un-sat, out of time, and frustrated. However, after a swift talking to by Rebecca at marshaling at the top of the reach reminding us that we should actually enjoy racing and should just chill-out a bit, we paddled the last few strokes to the start in what felt like much improved mood (if not much improved paddling).

Our start was less than spectacular and we could (and should) have found much more length and timing off the draw strokes (but our recent technical changes we were concentrating on for the wind worked nicely) . Even though it didn't feel stellar, it did the job and the boat moved relatively well around Dittion at a nice sedate 34. From the exit of Ditton the crew found a nice 'chilled-out' rhythm of 32 into the brisk head-wind right the way to the finish line . For the length of the reach we concentrated on technical focusses identified in paddling the week before and this served to give the crew a focus for our efforts. Coming off the railway bridge and past Morley's holt we tried to improve the flow and let the rating come-up with work towards the line in the hope of making up a few extra seconds. However, this didn't work at all and the rate and cover stayed resolutely where it had been. We finished in 3rd with a time of 04:50.6 behind Downing and Caius with Caius being only 2 seconds faster.

Our second run in Division 2 went much the same as our run in Division 1 except with the addition of a HUGE amount of wind. The wind was genuinely ridiculous on this run coming in gusts from ever changing directions. Approximately half- way down the reach we were hit by a massive gust which almost brought the boat to a complete stop - its fair to say that this row was hard work. However, after the railway bridge the wind seemed to calm-down slightly and was more consistent. this allowed us to concentrate on making a change to our run to the finish identified in the first race. In the break between divisions we had thoroughly discussed why we thought that it was so difficult to make that final sprint for the line and the appropriate technical changes we should make. It worked - the boat flowed nicely, and from Morely's holt to the finish we began to wind the rate again finishing at a much more respectable 35.5 with identical cover and good rhythm. We finished 1st in this division with a time of 05:21, 12 seconds faster than the next fastest boat in that division (Churchill).

I'm very happy with today's results, as given the quality of the row to the start, we could have imploded and put down a shocking time. Instead we knuckled-down, got our heads back in the game and produced a good result. I feel confident that had the row-up been better our confidence would have been much better and had we incorporated our finish 'wind' (developed in the Div 2 run) into the first run our time would have been slashed further.

With three weeks left till bumps, we must now knuckle-down, keep working, consolidating and making improvements as we know that all the crews around us will pushing hard. If my time rowing with Queens' has taught me anything it is that cockiness does not get a crew bumps. Practice, hard work and determination gets a crew bumps.

Ed