The Boat Club

v. SCARBOROUGH COLLEGE Played away on Wednesday, 10th February. Draw 1-1

This was a very scrappy game in which the School held the lead until the last few minutes of the game. The Scarborough left back was the main strength in their defence; however he was caught out of position by a cross-hit from Vooght which was collected by Cloughton who put in a shot past the goal keeper. The pitch was very lumpy and this led to many defensive slips. Late in the second half Scarborough maintained the pressure and scored in the last minute after a misunderstanding between the goal keeper and his defence.

v. BOOTHAM SCHOOL Played away on Wednesday, 17th February. Won 4-1

The game started off with the sides evenly matched. However, the School gradually began to overcome Bootham and after two short corners Baxter opened the scoring. In the second half the School did the majority of the attacking and Morris was sent away up the wing. He cut into the circle and put in a feeble shot which the goalkeeper miskicked and the ball trickled into the goal. After this the School missed several opportunities. Cloughton also scored two goals.

v. WORKSOP COLLEGE Played at home on Wednesday, 24th February. Lost 1-2

The sides were evenly matched and the School opened the scoring when Mitchell half-volleyed a shot past the goalkeeper. The School maintained their lead until well into the second half. However, after Worksop had come into the game much more they took the lead through two well taken goals. The School nearly equalised when Cloughton broke through but had his shot well saved by the goalkeeper.

v. OLD PETERITES Played at home on Saturday, 27th February. Lost 0-2

The School came up against a very strong defensive side. However, the Old Peterites were not two goals better than the School side. The School did a great deal of attacking but the skill of the old boys broke down many attacks, especially the centre half Jackson who covered a great deal of ground, and scored both goals. McKay, who kept goal for the old boys, deprived the School of several scoring opportunities.

The Old Peterite XI was: —A. McKay, R. A. Stratton, P. Crowe, P. Netherwood, R. H. Jackson, M. Hallas, P. H. Moat, M. Willstrop, M. J. Wood, K. M. Ratcliff, G. E. C. Graham.

The rising standards of regattas all over the country make pre-season training imperative, and the success of the 1st VIII in the Head of the Ouse and its very satisfactory position in the Schools' Head at Putney stems from getting fit by circuit training throughout the holidays. Rowing over 3i miles at 30, dropping at times to 28, cannot be satisfactorily accomplished

26

after only ten days boating without prior training by every member of the crew. This need is naturally even more evident before the Summer Term, and has in some measure been met by a short rigorous spell of rowing at Easter.

Of the ten oarsmen of suitable standard the 1st VIII was chosen in January with some difficulty, but once selected, the crew developed straight away. The four old colours, C. W. Birch, M. H. Bowe, G. F. Hardman, and I. L. Boyd, form the nucleus of the crew, rowing together behind R. W. Oliver, who is proving a good stroke, and in fact, there is no weakness throughout the boat. All weights were between 11 st. 6 lb. and 12 st. 3 lb. Starting later than most crews, we were slower than those with whom we trained, but we profited immensely from these combined outings. Early in the term, Leeds University and York City were faster, and in midseason, when we were developing more power, University College, Durham, still managed to beat us comfortably. (All these crews, incidentally, contained several Peterites). We continued to improve however, and the extra pace on the boat could be discerned every outing. A week before the Head of the Ouse, we beat York City by 49 seconds over the 3k mile course. We were very disappointed when Leeds University, whom we were eager to meet, split their VIII to enter two IV's for the Head of the Ouse, for we were left with the prospect of too comfortable a win. In fact we beat York City by 30 seconds, 5 seconds more than I had anticipated, for it was obvious York City had not done themselves justice the preceding week. We started at 37i and rated 34 over the course.

It is interesting to note that The Head of the Ouse, organised by the Yorkshire Rowing Council, was stimulated into being by our School Head of the River last year, when we invited other clubs to take part. Representing every Yorkshire club, to whom the event was for this year limited, this first Head of the Ouse attracted thirty-four crews in the five divisions.

This race concluded school boating, apart from the 1st VIII, who went to Putney ten days later. As a new entry, we started 75th of the 120 crews, and finished 25th, just in the first division and 31 seconds behind the winner. We had a fine row, but not being used to the notoriously "lighter" water of the Tideway, were perhaps a shade below out best. As planned we rated 36, 34, 35, 36-7 in each successive two minutes of the eight minute course. St. Peter's has entered once before, in 1962 when we came 49th in a clinker boat. It is hoped we may enter annually in future.

The 3rd, 4th and 5th IVs, coached by Mr. Nixon and Mr. Bolton, were selected only after two or three weeks, when every oarsman in the top half of the club had been considered. Illness slowed their training, but once settled they improved quickly, the 3rd IV being well together, the 4th and 5th powerful but less experienced. In the Schools Division of the Head of the Ouse, they came 1st, and 2nd equal, all beating Hymer's College and Archbishop Holgate's 1st IVs, a fine achievement.

We have been very lucky with coaches this term. We welcome Mr. Austin to the club, and are grateful to Mr. Metcalfe for his help during his term here as student master. "C" VIII indeed has often been taken for the School 2nd VIII, and, "C" VIII would claim, with justification. Mr. Duncan has coached the Colts VIII, and it is regrettable that this promising crew will have to be altered on account of recent revision of the age limit.

We congratulate H. N. Blackford, Captain of Boats last year, on his success in winning the Freshman's Sculls at Cambridge. This is in fact no mean achievement.

The Lent Term is largely a term of preparation, and its success will depend on performance in the Summer Regattas. We will be greatly assisted by the two new Clinker IVs we are to receive from Banham's, Cambridge, in May, and we are very grateful to the Headmaster and the Governors. D.S.M.

RESULTS 6th. March. THE HEAD OF THE OUSE.

Senior VIIIs: 1. St. Peter's School, 18.36. 2. York City A, 19.06. 3. Bradford G.S., 19.30. 4. York City B, 19.37.

School IVs: 1. St. Peter's School 3rd IV, 14.231. 2. J St. Peter's School 4th IV, 14.39. St. Peter's School 5th IV, 14.39. 4. Hymer's College 1st IV, 14.50. 5. Archbishop Holgate's 1st IV, 14.55. 6. Archbishop Holgate's 2nd IV, 15.02. 7. Archbishop Holgate's 3rd IV, 15.45. 8. Bradford G.S. Colts IV, 16.35. 16th March. SCHOOLS HEAD OF RIVER, PUTNEY. 25. (out of 120). St. Peter's School, 8.31 secs. 3rd March. SCHOOL HEAD OF THE RIVER.

Intermediate VIIIs. (21 miles): 1. C VIII, 14.11. 2. D VIII, 15.17. 3. B VIII, not rowed out.

Junior VIIIs (1i miles): 1. Colts VIII, 10.55. 2. Pacers VIII, 11.20. 3. E VIII, 12.55.

CREWS 1st VIII—M. A. Town, C. W. Clegg, K. D. Lockwood, I. L. Boyd, G. F.

Hardman, M. H. Bowe, C. W. Birch, R. W. Oliver, C. Ryan. 3rd IV—C. J. M. Duckworth, M. J. Oxley, T. B. Ward, J. S. Atkinson,

K. H. Murray (A. Youle vice. C. J. M. Duckworth for the race). 4th IV—A. Youle, P. St. G. Stephenson, M. Donnelly, N. E. Tomlinson.

M. E. Gough (P. M. Shepherd vice A. Youle for the race). 5th IV—S. Croft-Baker, P. S. Oglesby, J. R. S. Lazenby, D. E. Rowbottom.

P. L. R. Younger. `C' VIII—W. H. Marshall, M. N. Webster, M. J. Thompson, D. Hillaby,

M. Senior, R. K. Hall, S. J. Hackney, B. Lumley-Holmes, C. W. D.

Wood. Colts VIII—P. J. Doyle, P. R. H. Blackford, A. J. Moss, M. A. Groundwater, R. I. Moss, I. R. D. McGrath, C. J. Pearson, C. S. Martinson.

R. J. Mawer.