The Second Eight's season started auspi- ciously. The coaches, if not the trialists, appre- ciated a fine set of trials, and even after two former 2nd VIII colours had decided to row in a pair, there were more than eight hard working, competent candidates to choose from, plus a very experienced and large cox. Then the prob- lems started. Through the season we suffered: a broken hand, a fine selection of bugs and muscle strains, a promotion to the 1st VIII and a head injury. By June, we had got through two coxes, thirteen oarsmen and, in training, one oarswo- man — not bad for a club that does not operate a squad policy!
To be serious, it was irritating for all members of the crew never to be able to settle down properly as a unit. It was even more irritating, albeit nobody's fault, to be able to return in the Head Race Season to only one of the scenes of last year's victories; but to win again at Avon County was pleasing. We were unlucky at Glou- cester, beating all the club crews present at Se- nior C level, but pipped by Teddy's Colts who had changed status at the eleventh hour. We make no excuses for Henley and London. We were dreadful.
The regatta season started well, with a win at Junior C at Avon County. The crew was looking less tidy than last year's, but stronger, more assured and faster. At Hereford Schools we were as close as we deserved to Radley and St. Edward's II. We felt sure of success in our three half term regattas. Then disaster struck, with the loss of number 7 four days before to the 1st VIII, and 6 the night before to an argument with a bicycle and some tarmac. The crew did its best and was still able to hang on the rudders of Radley II, Belfast and King's Worcester I. It says much for its morale that it came back fight- ing after a half term of losing in first rounds.
The next row was at Birmingham. The crew disgraced itself at Senior C. A criminally incom- petent start left us a length and a half down and we stormed back up, but too late. At the end we were third, with less than five feet between us and the leaders. Enraged, the crew went back and trod all over King's Worcester I in Junior B, leaving Bedford II far behind. At last honour was restored.
As all but two of the crew had O's and A's, training was very gentlemanly after this. It was a relaxed crew that went to Reading Town. It had nothing to prove, and rowed for pleasure. The relaxation showed in the excellent starts — none of its competition went off faster. It was sat- isfying to ruin Oratory's day and to feel in the finals that the crew was outmuscled by the Cam- bridge crews and outclassed by the school first eights, but disgraced by neither. As their coach, I can only make public my thanks to our many substitutes, pay tribute to the unfailing good humour of the members of the crew, even under exasperating circumstances, and assure them that anything I said about them in training I meant absolutely.