Oxford Torpids 2023

Last year I made an Open View on this fixture in the University rowing calendar, here.

A year has passed and the whole circus repeats itself again, and here are highlights from my brief spells on the riverbank: first up the picture-postcard view,

1

Boathouses

I was stationed a couple of hundred yards downstream from here, where the river narrows and can lead to heated actions. For example, this St Hugh's team pulled over after bumping and hit the concrete river bank here at the wrong angle,

2


3


Expensive: I heard someone say 'I spent all summer repairing that boat!' as it was towed away.

In case anyone is tempted to think incorrect thoughts about the gender of the rowers, in the next race Trinity men came a cropper too,

4


For some reason they decided to resume the race and pulled out into oncoming traffic and parked crews

5


Causing a five-boat pile up

6


Otherwise it is quite the festival of colour out there:

7

St Catherine's College Women's first team; they had a pretty poor week falling ten places across two divisions.

8

Division of labour

9

Heave and Ho

10

Fetching in pink

11

Victory
Or at least a bump upwards - St Hugh's again and the broken boat a distant memory.

All photos A7 III and FE 70-300 G OSS except 1-3 2 and 3 (Pixel 7 Pro). EXIF on Flickr (click through).

As ever, thanks for looking!

Edited by Howard_S - 27 February 2023 at 12:33

Nice pics and commentary. I'd like to see some action shots, if you have some you'd care to share.
A rowing team working in unison is quite a sight to behold.
Regards
Sashi

Well documented again, Howard. Do you get river rage during this event?

Some lovely varied expressions from the women in #7 and #11, and the men in #9. I consider #10 to be a fashion fail as the red clashes with the pink

Great shots Howard, my favourites are the first and last. Especially the facial expressions in the last are a hoot!

I just read in the paper here that the Belgian Crown Princess Elisabeth was in the first women's team of Lincoln College where she is studying at the moment. Did you get any photo's of that team, if yes maybe you can make a fortune selling these to the tabloids

Thanks Howard, let's hope you can catch her (on photo) for the summer eights. I think she's supposed to stay there at least to finish this year and mabe even next year.

Rowing also was my sport in when I was in university, so I follow all these repartages you show us here with great interest

pegelli wrote: Thanks Howard, let's hope you can catch her (on photo) for the summer eights. I think she's supposed to stay there at least to finish this year and mabe even next year. Rowing also was my sport in when I was in university, so I follow all these repartages you show us here with great interest

Following this up I see Elizabeth is regarded as 'the world's second most desirable royal bachelorette', according to Pointe de Vue magazine (said to be the "go-to" publication for all things royal-related in France), & the 21-year-old is second in desirability only to Dutch Crown Princess Amalia.

There are photos on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/p/Co__WXONi_b/ of the successful team, but I can't make out which one is the royal. Still, I have a few months to work on this, assuming she holds her place, and I hope to be there. (I'm ruling myself out of the running for a surprise royal match-up; my republican leanings might not fit so well ... )