Torpids 2015: PCBC notch up W2 blades and M1 headship

Torpids 2015 has been one of the most exciting, with record numbers of bumps, crashes and appeals. After the cancellation of last year’s event, a complete change of personnel had led to dramatically over and under-placed boats.  Despite this, Pembroke -  with only five 2013 veterans in the crews - showed the strength of the system to deliver some of the club’s best ever results.

The club qualified five crews; three men’s and two women’s – M3 and W2 providing the lunchtime excitement before the nervousness of M2, W1 and M1 in the late afternoon.

W2 have been the success story of PCBC lower boats over the last few seasons and this year provided no break from that narrative. Rising five places into Division III saw them earn Blades and the highest finishing spot since 1980.

M3, a crew composed entirely of this year’s novices, saw the half hour tests pay dividends as they climbed Men’s Division V, despatching Merton II, St Hugh’s II and Regent’s Park. Only a klaxon on the Friday as they closed to a canvas off Lincoln II denied them Blades.

It would have been impressive if  M2 has simply stayed level, starting the week at at 6th in Division II.  The nearest second boat was a full eight places behind, and crews such as IWL winners Jesus and University were chomping at the bit for a supposedly easy bump on a boat containing four novices. It was not to be; Brasenose gained overlap on Wednesday and Saturday but were thwarted both times as LMH and Teddy Hall both fell victim to M2’s glorious advance to 4th in Division II.

W1 never quite seems to get Torpids right, a quick crew frustrated by a nervous starts never quite delivers on their potential. And so initially it proved to be this year; overlap not converted on St John’s on the Wednesday before equipment failure gave Christ Church an easy bump off the start on Thursday. Fortunately New College chose the wall over the river and allowed W1 to stay level for the day. From there though it was a change – potential was to be realised – as an epic race saw revenge taken on Christ Church meters before the finish line and Saturday a clinical and effective bump before the Gut on Teddy Hall. They now rise to 5th, their highest ever Torpids finishing position, with the Headship now finally in range.

And last – but by no means least, as the accompanying picture of a burning boat may have led you to surmise! – a Headship.  M1 have made Torpids their own since 2012. Despite a near complete crew change since the 2013 defence the result stayed the same. A dominant Michelmas Term gave the crew confidence approaching Wednesday and even when Magdalen gained off the start it was a calm and controlled Headship defence. Despite the commentator’s occasional excitement the outcome was never in doubt and Pembroke burns its fifth boat in four years.

Five Headships in four years and a Summer Eights still to come….

Jonathan Ross (2006)