The Boat Club

OLD PETERTTES 0. M. R. C. W. Gough ... 15 6 41 P.D. F. James 4 0 15 D. Kirby ... 15 5 23 M. Willstrop ... 8 1 20 E. M. H. Ranson 14 4 36 N. J. Magson ... 6 2 14 M. W. Woodruff 5.4 1 22 W. Av. 2 20.5 0 co 3 7.67 20 36 0 co 22 ST. PETER'S 0. M. R. W. Av. J. D. Carr ... 12 2 30 0 J. L. Richardson 11 3 48 4 12 R. W. Metcalfe 10.3 1 37 4 9.25 P. F. Nettleton 3 0 23 1 23 J. R. Rowbottom 3 0 16 0 a

ST. PETER'S (2nd Innings) J. R. Rowbottom, ct. Johnson, b. Kirby P. F. Nettleton, ct. and b. Gough ... G. W. Cloughton, b. Gough T. J. Haggie, run out J. L. Richardson, ct. Johnson, b. Ranson ... T. C. Mitchell, st. Johnson, b. Kirby ... J. A. Eatough, b. Kirby ... J. J. Vooght, ct. Woodruff, b. Magson R. D. Harding, ct. Ratcliff, b. Magson R. W. Metcalfe, not out • • • • • • • • • Extras ... OLD PETERITES (2nd Innings) 4 M. Wilistrop, b. Carr 19 E. M. H. Ranson, ct. Metcalfe, b. O Rowbottom O D. L. Brown, ct. Cloughton, b. Rowbottom 5 K. M. Ratcliff, b. Carr ... 6 D. Kirby, ct. Richardson, b. Rowbottom 32 N. J. Magson, ct. Richardson, b. Rowbottom 4 M. W. Woodruff, b. Carr ... 42 M. I.. Swain, st. Mitchell, b. Rowbottom 24 P. D. F. James, b. Carr ... 5 C. W. Gough, not out ... 6 R. N. Johnson, ct. Metcalfe, b. Carr Extras

TOTAL. ...

Fall of Wickets: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 147 TOTAL - Fall of Wickets: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

4 14 14 26 32 43 56 94 126 17 68 72 85 91 93 94 97 97

OLD PETERITES 0. M. R. C. W. Gough 11 6 25 D. Kirby ... 25 10 61 E. M. H. Ranson 11 2 44 N. J. Magson ... 3.4 0 11 Bowling Analysis:

ST. PETER'S W. Av. 0. M. R. 2 12.5 J. D. Carr ... 16.4 2 53 4 15.25 J. L. Richardson 6 1 22 1 44 J. R. Rowbottom 10 6 17 2 5.5 W. Av. 5 WA 0 5 34

Two days of almost unbroken sunshine—quite an event, but whether the cricket lived up to the occasion is a matter of conjecture.

Having been put in to bat, the School dictated the policy on their terms. In making their total of 198 runs, the School took an inordinately long time for such a festive occasion, but were struggling considerably against the seam bowling of David Kirby (3 for 23), having lost more than half their wickets for 103 runs. In reply the Old Boys did all within their power to regain the initiative, thus declaring in a little short of 2 hours for a total 30 in arrears.

A feature of the School's 2nd innings was their recovery after losing 7 wickets for 56 runs, with the result that the Old Boys were left with more than they had bargained for. Carr (5 for 53) bowled for a prolonged period and Rowbottom (5 for 17) bowled better than at any time in the season. Ranson (33), opening bat, did his level best to hold the Old Boys innings together when the quest for runs became hopeless. The innings however developed into an unpredictable collapse, and when Ranson was ninth out victory, with one minute to spare by 79 runs, became a reality, in a manner Which was far from the intentions of the Old Boys.

Two factors, one all too rare, the other unprecedented, were to dominate the 1963 season: the first was a ready-made 1st IV, being Bow, 2, 6 and 7 of last year's 1st VIII, which possessed a cohesion which accounted for the remarkable improvement in the 1st VIII; the second was the complete absence of rowing in the Easter Term, which deprived the 1st VIII of experience as a crew, and made selection of the Lower School IVs. extremely difficult.

The 1st VIII was soon settled, and decided to train in IVs during the first three weeks in order to gain racing experience and to benefit from the stimulus of paddling side by side. Entering for York Spring Regatta after only a week's training much improved the crew's fitness and gave them racing experience, but also produced the irksome result of our 1st IV being beaten by Archbishop Holgate's G.S. 1st IV, a crew later beaten by our 3rd IV when the season was really under way. The 1st IV had two races and the 2nd IV three, both being beaten by the winners.

Now started the real training of the season, in the form of long outings beyond Poppleton, paddling mile stretches of firm at 23 with hard attack. This is most gruelling, and in a short time both IVs had much improved their stamina, the obvious weakness at York Spring Regatta. The 1st IV was now using "spade" blades, while the 2nd IV, taking longer to settle, decided to delay the change until after Nottingham Regatta.

The results of Nottingham are listed below. Here the real qualities of the crews were apparent. The 1st IV rowed strongly and were well together, yet seeming too tense to be moving very fast. In contrast the 2nd IV rowed with a fair amount of wasted effort, but hitting the water very hard and apparently delighting in it. Mention must be made of their first race, when thanks to some inspired stroking and coxing, the crew rowed themselves out in a splendid finish. Both crews eventually lost to the winners.

There was now one week before Chester Regatta, where we had entered as an VIII. During the odd outings of the crews in an VIII, I was not particularly pleased with the order of the 1st IV as stern IV, and the 2nd IV in the bows, either with or without interchanging 2 and 4. There was an awkward break in the middle and it was all very wooden. The IV's performances at Nottingham, however, seemed to resolve the problem; the 1st IV was to be left together as the engine room and the 2nd IV split either side. This used Le Pla and Jowett as a fine stern pair; the 1st IV were much happier in the middle of the boat; and the onus of creating a crew fell to the two most experienced oarsmen, M. A. Clegg and J. R. Brown, now at 5 and 6. In this order and with the incentive of the new blades, the VIII improved remarkably over three outings, and at Chester was to profit from all the competitive paddling and racing in Clinker IVs.

Chester Regatta provided us with the most exciting day of the season. Having difficulty with the Whit-Saturday traffic, we arrived twenty minutes late for our first race, to discover that the boat and oars had not arrived at all! We are grateful to the Regatta Committee and to our opponents, King's Sdhool, Chester, for being so considerate in waiting another half-hour before we were ready in a borrowed boat.

We had the easier half of the draw, and the first two races were not difficult, the crew rowing well for the first half, and losing over the second 45

half of the course. The final was an excellent race. We jumped King's School, Worcester, off the start and led after two furlongs by length. For the remainder of the race, our opponents gradually crept up, just drawing level on the finishing post. We had one of the most spirited rows of the season, though it was obvious that the crew was stiffening up when under pressure near the finish, and the blades were coming off the water. King's won the re-row by a length, nevertheless Chester Regatta was the culmination of a most remarkable week.

Races against Durham School, Lancaster R.G.S., and York City R.C. were arranged during the fortnight before Leeds Regatta. Against Durham we went ahead by a good half length, but becoming rather tense we could take no more, and after a tough race, won by the same margin. We beat Lancaster, and so won the Margaret Clegg Challenge Cup, given by Mrs. W. Clegg to the winning VIII of the triangular fixture. We are most grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Clegg for their great interest and kindness in presenting this cup and may I add that we were not to know their son was to be its first recipient. In the friendly race against York City, after we had had some difficulty with pleasure craft, we gained another deadheat.

It was a great pity that for this latter race and for Leeds Regatta, we had to row without J. R. Brown, who was in hospital; C. G. Evans and R. J. D. Wilson did well at 6 and 4, but of all positions a 6 is irreplaceable, and the boat lost some cohesion and run. Thus Leeds Regatta, normally the occasion where we excel ourselves, found us at our weakest, though we gave both winners their closest race.

As a result of Chester Regatta, we had entered for the Public Schools' Vase at Marlow, an event open to Schools' VIIIs., bar those going to Henley. Marlow is surely the most delightful regatta in England, and perhaps invigorated by the excellent hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, or simply inspired by the occasion, the VIII, again in their normal order, had their best row of the season.

We had drawn two of the fastest crews, Shrewsbury and St. Edward's 2nd VIIIs, both winners of this event in recent years. In the race the former beat the latter by two feet, and St. Peter's by I length. We started at 44, and strode excellently at 40, with a lot of time over the stretdher, and maintained this throughout. •St. Edward's gained length, but soon the three crews were again level, and remained so till after halfway. Here Shewsbury forged steadily ahead, and towards the finish St. Edward's spurted and virtually drew level. Both crews were fully extended, a situation which could have been much to our embarrassment. All the crews finished at 42.

I could not have hoped for our VIII to row better. There was plenty of run on the boat, even at that rating, as well as good length and a hard attack. Only with another term's rowing could the crew have moved faster. This was the last VIII's event of the season, bar the Old Peterite races. Judging by their form at Chester and Marlow, I would say this was the fastest crew over seven furlong's in recent years, though they would not have beaten the 1960 VIII over four furlongs. The Diving Board and Full Course records which had been made with slight to moderate stream, were both broken, the former by one second in still conditions, the latter with no stream but with a following wind by 5i seconds, after the crew had been one second outside the record three times. 46

The season ended with Durham Regatta, where the 1st IV, perhaps with some bad luck, lost to the winners of the JuniorSenior IVs, while the 2nd IV won the maiden event with ease.

The Lower School crews perhaps suffered even more from a lack of winter rowing. Certainly Mr. Bolton and Mr. Nixon found crews difficult to select, boys improving out of all recognition over one week, and form simply being turned upside down. The 3rd IV illustrated how important it is to do well at the first regatta. Shortly before Nottingham, they were nearly as fast as the 2nd IV, but they just lost their first race, whereas the 2nd IV just won theirs. The 2nd IV went from strength to strength, while the 3rd IV were deprived of racing so essential at this stage. Happily they recovered, winning the Maiden IVs at Leeds, and at York lost to Durham School 1st IV by only six feet.

The 4th and 5th IVs won no cup, but, as the results show, more than held their own against other schools at that level. The Colts VIII lacked long distance training and racing experience, but there is certainly some good material. This year's new boaters are particularly promising, and the selection of next year's Colts VIII should be agreeably difficult.

The standard of the House VIIIs continues to rise, whereas that of the House IVs, most of whom started rowing only this term, was understandably lower. The Grove VIII was obviously the strongest, the Manor giving them the closest race, being six feet down at the Diving Board before cracking on the corner. In the Final Queen's were led from the start, but held on, and The Grove were not allowed to ease up. Their Captains, Clegg and Evans, must certainly be congratulated on their crews.

So ends another season, mention must be made of M. A. Clegg's two years' excellent captaincy, during which he has done a great deal in the boat-house as well as in the boat. Finally, may I say how pleased we have been to see Old Boys, both at the Commemoration Races and at

Regattas during the season.

D.S.M.

RESULTS

Saturday, Irth May. YORK SPRING REGATTA. Six Furlongs. Schools IVs. 1st IV beat Durham School by 4 lengths, and lost to Archbishop Holgate's

G.S. by ri lengths (winners). Maiden IVs. znd IV beat St. John's College 1st IV by 2 feet., Hull B.C. and lost to Grey

College, Durham, by length (winners). Maiden Sculls

N. J. Smith beat York City and lost to Bede College, Durham.

D. C. Royle lost to Agecroft.

Saturday, 25th May. NOTTINGHAM REGATTA. Five Furlongs Upstream. School IVs 1st IV beat Magnus G.S., Newark easily and lost to Derby School (winners). 4th IV lost to Hymer's College easily. Maiden IVs 2nd IV beat St. Ives R.C. by J length., Nottingham Britannia by 6 feet., Loughborough Colleges "A" by 2 lengths, and lost to Nottingham and Union by 2 lengths (winners). 3rd N lost to Nottingham High School 3rd IV by 2 feet. 47

Saturday, 1st June. Schools VIIIs Wallasey G.S. Nottingham H.S. Nottingham H.S. Royal Shrewsbury znd

CHESTER REGATTA. Seven Furlongs Upstream. Royal Shrewsbury znd

King's Worcester Sir John Deane's King's Worcester King's* Worcester

Merchant Taylors' l Chester City G.S. f Merchant Taylors'

St. Peter's King's Chester

St. Peter's (zi lengths) * Dead-heat; and King's won re-row by r length. St. Peter's* ( length)

School IVs 3rd IV lost to King's, Chester by length (winners). Novice IVs 4th IV beat Bradford G.S. and Chester College, and lost to Liverpool Victoria, (winners).

Wednesday, 5th June. Races v. Durham School and Lancaster R.G.S. Six

Furlongs at York.

v. DURHAM SCHOOL 1st VIII won by length. (To win the Margaret Clegg Challenge Cup). 3rd IV won easily. 4th IV won easily. Colts VIII lost by z lengths.

v. LANCASTER R.G.S. ist VIII won by 4 lengths.

3rd IV won by 4 lengths. 4th IV won easily. Colts VIII lost by I length.

Saturday, 15th June. LEEDS REGATTA. Four Furlongs. Senior VIIIs 1st VIII lost to Royal Chester 2nd VIII by J length (winners). Junior-Senior VIIIs 1st VIII beat Hollingworth Lake by I length and lost to Nottingham High School by 2 length in the final. Maiden IVs 3rd IV beat Merchant Taylor's, Archbishop Holgate's G.S. 1st IV, Hymer's

College 2nd IV, Runcorn R.C. and St. Peter's 4th IV to win the event. 4th IV beat Newark R.C., Hull University, Bradford G.S. and lost to St. Peter's 3rd IV in the final. 5th IV lost to Runcorn R.C.

Saturday, 15th June. LANCASTER COLTS REGATTA. Four Furlongs.

Colts VIII lost to Lancaster R.G.S.

Saturday, 22nd June. MARLOW REGATTA. Seven Furlongs. Public Schools Vase 1st VIII lost to Royal Shrewsbury 2nd VIII and St. Edward's znd VIII by

I length.