developed well and did much to reduce •the 1st IVs advantage. At this point the new Shell VIII arrived, and the crew trained as an VIII for the remainder of the season. Though the boat proved excellent and the crew achieved a fair speed (the Diving Board record was soon broken), the two IVs never completely blended together as an VIII. The 2nd IV could not achieve the control and smoothness of the 1st IV, though they excelled in power. York and Leeds Regattas provided plenty of racing in Senior and Junior-Senior VIIIs, and the crew set off for Henley confident they could last the distance, but conscious that they had yet to coax more speed out of the Shell VIII. Henley exceeded all expectations the sense of the great occasion, the quiet efficiency perfected by generations, the calm of the enclosures punctuated by tasteful applause, the rain, all was impressive. The course is long and straight, so long and so straight that, seen from the start, Henley Church seems to nestle below the horizon. The course is also uphill. Conditions for our race against Bedford School were good, and we were level off the start. After a minute, however, they had half a length lead, and a length and a half after two minutes. Our main effort was made in the third quarter of the course, and we made some impression, but from the mile post, Bedford kept us at bay without difficulty. The result was undoubtedly disappointing, but a first appearance at Henley is an ordeal which the School has now undergone, and we have been most grateful for this opportunity. We hope to enter whenever our standard of rowing and the dates of the Regatta permit, and with our training geared to Henley from January, we shall find the experience we have gained this year invaluable. :
Henley, 1968.
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