BOAT CLUB
The Head Season Our first Head race was the Ancholme Head. We entered two Senior III fours and one Novice four. Our Senior HI fours finished first and second in their division and so we picked up our first "pots" of the season. We took eight boys and two coxes across to the Runcorn Head and they all raced in both divisions. Racing at Senior III level in the first division they were well matched with only five seconds between the crews. They finished third and fourth in Senior III. After a rearrangement of crews for the second division they raced at Senior II level and the faster combination succeeded in coming second in this class. In November we headed down to the Tideway for the Head of the River Fours Race. One girls' crew and two boys' crews raced and enjoyed the experience of such a big event; racing some of the best crews in the country. I saw the crews out but before they had landed I was on my way to catch a 'plane to India (see Travel Section!). In my absence the captains coped admirably with the paperwork and administration for three hectic weeks and the coaching load fell on the capable shoulders of John Ward and Jacqui Finney. Several crews entered the York Small Boats Head which took place in even worse conditions than usual! There was another first as a St. Peter's School Staff crew entered and.... survived! Most of the sixth form boys raced twice. One of our Senior III fours came well up in the finishing order, in twenty-sixth place overall (out of 300 crews). Our Junior four raced well and finished fifty-eighth to win their event.
We then travelled up to the Tyne for the Rutherford Head. The boys' Junior 1.8 crew won their event easily whilst the girls' Junior 18 crew and the boys' Junior 16 crew both came second in their events. The floods in the Easter Term were more dramatic than in 1990 but we actually lost less time on the water. Our boathouse was three feet deep in water at one stage but fortunately there was very little damage. When we were forced off the river Jacqui Finney joined Gary Lawrence to devise various land-based tortures. At half-term we were unable to raise a full Viking Longship crew but four of the girls were able to team up with Tonbridge School. They formed a formidable combination and knocked out the unbeaten champions, York City, in the semi-final. They just lost in the final but won the prize for the most successful Junior crew. Tonbridge have promised to return next year! We travelled to Nottingham for the Head of the Trent. The girls' Junior four won their event and the boys' Novice four were second in theirs. In the Yorkshire Head our Senior III eight finished in eleventh place overall (out of 117 crews). The girls' raced in a new bow-stroked combination and came second in the Senior III class. We raced two eights in the North of England Head (at Chester); some of the oarsmen doubling up to make it possible. The Novice eight raced particularly well and finished second in their class, beating several university crews. The day that term finished we headed south for the 67
