The season got off to a good start in the Michaelmas Term, when three oarsmen who eventually gained places in the crew chose to row in small boats, gaining valuable experience of watermanship. The training was not hard enough, neither was there enough dedication towards the goal of rowing in national crews by the two who registered for the selection scheme. Others who want to aim for the top in future years must train in small boats as much as possible, and they should start at Colts level or younger.
Another encouragement, not only to the 1st VIII, but throughout the club, was the acquisition of a modern ergometer which proved to be a popular training aid. Tentative arrangements were made before Christmas for our 1st VIII to take part in some research being done into ways of getting fit; we hoped to form a control group, undertaking normal training, but our inadequate weight-training set-up prevented us from helping even in this ordinary way. Since then we have rescued some weights from various corners of the school, and have supplemented them with new ones. It is hoped to make better use of them next winter, to make fitter and stronger crews for the 1990 season.
The weather was kind in the Lent Term; interviews and field trips were few, and all crews were able to train properly. Selection of the 1st VIII did not take as long as usual, and it turned out to be the heaviest ever. Five oarsmen who had a taste of senior rowing last year (when the 1st VIII rowed several times at Senior 2 level, and once as an Open crew) were joined by an experienced Second VIII man and two ex-Colts.
The first outing of the crew was one to be remembered. Square blade paddling, technical exercises and general skill were much as most crews manage several weeks later, if ever. The stroke was longer than that of most 1st VIIIs. (The coach usually encourages 'strong', rather than 'long', and deliberately went for a different style this time; this decision had a major influence on the seating arrangement within the crew.) A few days later, the first trial head race was rowed at about 27, rising to 30. The time was only about 12 seconds outside the record, and has been bettered on very few occasions. The length of stroke was maintained throughout the course and morale was boosted by this excellent time, achieved in beautiful conditions for the time of year. Training outings for the first two weeks were made longer than usual (the crew doing 3 to 4 trips instead of just 2, as is sometimes done), and land training was harder than ever. The crew was worn down by its own efforts, and training had to be cut back to allow some recovery time.
The days leading up to half term were lack- lustre. Times got slower, and morale dropped. (If the coach had been a football manager, he would have been sacked', someone said! Yes, and the whole crew realised that things were not going well.) Two further courses were done in poor conditions, but even so they were disappointing. Half term training, which can be so positive, was almost a wash-out. We went to Saltford, only to be met by a howling wind; the Monday and Tuesday sessions saw morale plummet, and there was a feeling of resignation in the air — maybe even resignations. When faced with this problem, a change of crew order was tried (just for the sake of change, rather than as a permanency), but heads still hung low on the Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, with the prospect of a poor showing at Henley Head only three days away, the crew talked some problems through before resolving to tackle the next outing at Saltford in a more positive frame of mind. Individuals who had despaired of making much progress by themselves were encouraged to help each other along. Thursday was a more pleasant day than the other two we had spent at Saltford (as guests of Avon County Rowing Club), and a better attitude in the crew helped to make the outing more productive. The coach had been chewing over the crew's problems, and came to the conclusion that the good policy of aiming for a longer stroke was back-firing slightly. Some members of the crew had begun to feel that this was the only important aspect of the stroke; they were proud of reaching well beyond the rigger. The snag was that their rowing was beginning to lack drive and sparkle, for the same reason that a car started in high gear cannot cope, and either grinds to a halt or splutters its way along. So,... towards the end of what had been a much better outing anyway, the crew was asked to be a bit stronger, perhaps losing an inch or two of length, by gathering with a less strained back position than the over-extended one they were beginning to get used to. The result was somewhat shaky, but there was more than a hint of extra power, together with a more comfortable rhythm that came naturally instead of having to be forced. There was insufficient time to practise for long, but a major cause of trouble had been isolated, and the crew packed up for Henley Head knowing how to tackle the race.
Conditions at Henley were not too bad, bearing in mind that gales had been predicted; the steady head wind did not kick the water up too much. Starting 6th out of 7 senior crews entered, we overtook St. George's and Shiplake near Temple Island. The rate was about 30 all the way up the course, and the crew felt the benefit of their stronger stroke in the steady head wind. Video shows that blade work and catches needed improvement, but determination showed through in a way that it had not done for two weeks. The time placed us 2nd overall, behind St.Edward's. Shiplake and Winchester had some oarsmen at trials, but other 1st VIIIs appeared to be complete. The Monkton VIII was pleased of course, but they had higher aims than 2nd.
Two members of the crew had been attending national selection trials. Ergometer tests placed them within the first 50 or 60 out of over 200 oarsmen attending, amongst possible national team members. However, they lacked time on the water, and their boat was too small to carry them properly. Weight training early in the year was non-existent. They went to Chester on the day after Henley for a long distance trial race, which involved rowing at full pressure for over 30 minutes. They showed a marked improvement over their usual performance during training. Steering caused difficulties (as it did for many other crews), and their time was not good. Some other schools had several pairs taking part; J16 crews were there as well as senior. Both the coach and our oarsmen realised that dedication and training for this class of rowing has to be on a different plane from what we regard as good. This cannot be undertaken without equipment, time and effort; above all, single-mindedness.
The row at Bristol Docks was aggressive; conditions were warm and sunny for this local head race; parents and supporters turned out in good numbers, and the opposition included University of Bristol, Bradford on Avon and Avon County — none of them are easy meat. The supporters and coaches were able to see the start from the road bridge. The University started first (after their one second win over us in 1988). They looked controlled, but somehow lacked the determination which should have taken them into an immediate lead. Their coach had told them to go steadily because 'schoolboys cannot last the course, and undergraduates can catch them up towards the end'. The Monkton crew had been told to go off the start fast, and not to worry about the second half of the race. The combination of these two tactics ensured that we caught up in the first few hundred metres; and the University were put off their stride, and we beat them convincingly by 13 seconds. The two crews were well matched and trained together during the following week, giving us much needed company.
As is customary, we entered Bristol Ariel as an Open Eight: the opposition is sometimes poor, and the aim is to win overall, rather than just pick up a cheap pot; this aim has been achieved about six times in the past 20 years. We started Head of the River, and beat the University by 24 seconds. The Bradford-on-Avon and other local crews were left some way behind. The only crew close to us (9 seconds slower) was a composite from Bristol University and Bristol Ariel.
The Schools Head Race was one that crew and coaches would rather forget. Everyone seemed to be in good form for the race itself, but rumblings of discontent about training and crew discipline had been in the air for some time; the outing on the Tideway on the eve of the race was a disappointing one; off the water, there was too much individualism and not enough crew- centred dedication to the task in hand. The only good thing about the race was that all members of the crew knew they had done badly. (There have been years when Monkton crews have come off the water saying what a great race they had rowed, only to earn low positions in the final order.) The Head of The River Race was held on the day after the Schools' event. Perhaps the crew had been jolted into action, so the rowing was better and the position earned was the best for some ten years. However, the cracks in crew morale which had been present for much of the season were plain for all to see. The discipline of regular hours, hard training and cooperation amongst nine individuals is never as easy matter, and this year's crew found these vital components of success difficult to come to terms with.
After the very successful trip in 1988, the crew had no doubts that a return to French waters would be good for training. The journeys passed much as in the previous year; the water at Macon was just as inviting, and the hotel produced rather better food than last year. We had one extra day at Macon this time and fitted in many more kilometres on the water. Each outing was longer; the physical strength and endurance of the crew meant that 'The Chateau' did not seem so far upstream. The French provided some training company on our last day, and the two crews formed international composites for a short outing before a race which we won by about a length. The weather in Macon had been cold and wet, so we hoped for better when we travelled North to Laon. Our hosts here were members of the Boat Club at Soissons where we trained on the Friday before moving to the water sports centre on the Saturday. The weather came up trumps; outings and tempers were immediately improved; parents came over from England for the weekend, and we enjoyed some worthwhile racing experience on our last day in France. The Junior event was not difficult to win, and we came third in the Senior Eights which was contested between the best representative crews from each of four regions as well as ourselves.
Some of our training in France had been directed towards sprint courses so that we could take part in the DAF Sprint races at Abingdon two weeks after the start of the Summer Term; twenty-two eights raced off in the morning, with just twelve going through to the afternoon and the chance to appear on television. A spirited and rather untidy, lurching row brought us home seventh in these eliminating races. We then met Monmouth School, who were about half a second faster than us in the morning. They were tidier than we were, and they beat us by about one and a half seconds in the afternoon race. The quality of the crews was much as one would expect at an early stage in the season; most were unpolished (with the notable exception of Hampton), but none was slow. Five seconds covered the twelve qualifiers which included Isis with four Blues on board (just over one second faster than us), and Marlow (1.4 seconds faster). The schools were well up in the order, and they all demonstrated that school rowing in general is of very high quality.
After the DAF sprints, the time had come to learn more about technique; BSM took over the coaching for a while, and JMB went off to have a look at the J14A crew. This change was a good one for all concerned and it was certainly a contributory factor of the excellent wins achieved by both crews at Swindon. As a temporary outsider, I can say how thrilling it was to see a Monkton 1st VIII lift its boat out of the water in the final against St. Edward's. It was quite clear that the stroke had the will to win, and that this will was shared in an instant by the seven oarsmen behind him. So often our crews go fast; occasionally they go slow, and they progress much as expected. Here was a crew that raised itself above the ordinary. It was a great sight to see, and made the whole of the year's effort worthwhile. There were more important races on the horizon, of course.
Training now centred on preparation for the National Schools Regatta, the plan being to use Wimbleball as part of the schedule, rather than an end in itself. We met Radley 1st VIII in the first round of Senior C Eights, and lost to them by little more than a length when they put in a burst which we did not answer, knowing that there were two more opportunities to race them over the course. The Schools' event gave us a comfortable win over Radley II. The final of Senior B Eights against Radley I and Wadham was a close run affair until the half way point; then Radley slipped ahead, and we were happy to let them go, conserving our strength for the final of Senior C. This was rowed about an hour late, at a time agreed by all the coaches and the Regatta Secretary, so imagine spectators' horror when they saw the race approaching with no Monkton vests visible; worse horror for the crew when they saw their race start before they arrived on the line. Despite all the arrangements and protests from the other crews, the starter let the premier race of the day go with only three of the four crews present. For Radley and ourselves, the day lost its purpose, apart from easy wins for both crews.
Training did not go well in the week leading to National Schools. The frustration of Wimbleball carried over for a few days, and staleness (an affliction feared by oarsmen) was all of a sudden with us. Rest seemed more important than mileage, so hard work was abandonded in favour of light and enjoyable pieces on the water together with early nights and more free time than usual. It was in these circumstances that an enforced change had to be made to the crew after its last training session. We all grieved that crew discipline had been broken at such a time. The boat was taken to the river again, to give a new crew a chance to fuse together after the new man had been given individual coaching in the tank; this was successful, and the crew left for NSR eager for a medal. We arrived at Nottingham in time for an outing, but conditions were dreadful; the other crews, which left two hours later got stuck in traffic jams, and would have had to choose between outings and supper. Luckily the water had calmed down by the morning, but the crew was still weighed down by the trauma of the week before. The paddle up to the start was thoughtful but tense and the row lacked the fire which could have brought victory. The start was sluggish, and despite valiant efforts during the whole race, we came in a length behind the winner, missing the final by about two feet. It was a dejected crew that watched the final won narrowly by an Irish crew, very closely followed by two crews we had beaten earlier in the season. Spirits were not much higher at Monmouth the following day, when we won Senior 3 Eights, with rowing that lacked zest. Even this victory hardly raised morale. Hereford, the third of our half term regattas, saw an improvement in performance, but not sufficient to overcome a good Royal Chester crew in Senior 2 Eights.
After this all too difficult time and the rest of the half term break free, there were no outings in the following week. We should have been fresh on return to the boat, but there followed a period of gloom, when minimal progress was accompanied by talk of resignation. The crew was generally as unhappy as unhappy can be, and every outing was a strain for all concerned. After a week during which there was much talking and behind-the-scenes encouragement to soldier on, morale began to revive. Starts were practised and improved, and the 500m record was broken; we went to Marlow Regatta feeling more or less ready for the fray. We had drawn Oundle and The Oratory School in Senior 3 Eights. Unusually, we went down a few feet on the start, but soon picked up and rowed past Oundle, going up well over a length by the half way stage of the race. (Oratory were left some way behind). Then the crew lost its resolve, and Oundle crept back relentlessly, not only to pass us, but to win the race by a clear length. Our victory over them in the sprint Eights by a similar distance did little to ease worries brought on by this unexpected and unnecessary defeat. We returned to Monkton thoughtfully; the coach spent the journey chewing over the problem, and the crew were hardly roused by a barbecue orgainsed for them at very short notice by thoughtful parents who realised that broken spirits needed reviving.
After this worrying disappointment, which raised again the spectre of resignation, something radical had to be done. There was no criticism of individual efforts (though some technique had not come on as well as it should), but the rowing had lost impetus, looking aimless at times. Way back in January, when the order of rowing had been chosen, it was fixed as a Winter combination, with a long rhythmical stroke, enabling the crew to perform well over head race courses. It was realised that Summer racing might call for a more lively stroke – dare one say slightly shorter? So the coach decided to change the crew order to one that had been planned several months before, to encourage a sense of urgency and a new beginning. The first outing was approached with some trepidation, because Henley was less than two weeks away, and we could not afford to make any mistakes, or allow morale to slip again. All was well on the water, and smiles were seen on faces which had been drawn and worried for too long. Concentration, which had evaporated over previous outings, was back, and every stroke paddled during the afternoon was rowed precisely. Two separate miles were paddled at low rate, and they both reinforced the crew's determination to put their troubles to one side for good. We had done the right thing, and were back on course for victory at Henley. On the second outing, the mile was rowed in 5 minutes 12 seconds, which was equal to the existing record. This was the first piece of hard work in the new order, and was a a great encouragement. More than one member of the crew commented that it all seemed so easy, and was a welcome change after the troubles of the previous weeks. There was no wind to help, so the time was a very fine achievement. We had not intended to make another attempt on the record too soon , but the upstream breeze two days later beckoned the crew to have a go. It was one of those chances that comes only once or twice a year, and it had to be taken. Two crews were parked at the bottom of the Long Reach, and gave very welcome support at the site of a weak patch of two days before. At the 3/4 mile post, we were within the required time, and the last quarter was rowed with great determination – the rate being raised from 35 to over 37. The final time (5.08) broke the record by four seconds.
While the rest of the school had a week-end off, the crew used the peace and quiet of an empty river to train for Henley, which was now only a week away. Outings in this week were restricted by exams, and the crew spent much of its time rushing around fulfilling other commitments at school. We envied other school crews which were are Henley for the whole week improving their performance dramatically in a few days of single-minded training. (Next year's Regatta takes place a week out of term, so, if qualifiers are not required, we should get a proper week's training there for the first time in over twenty years.) Despite the restrictions, the crew was able to learn racing tactics thoroughly, and the coaches discussed the various situations that might arise. We had drawn Oundle for the third time in two weeks, and concentrated training on our weakness at Marlow, the second half of the race. The first half would be straightforward, we assumed, and there was no doubt in the coach's mind that we would go up by a length or so in the first two minutes. Our tactics were to conserve energy at this time, so that an effective and lengthy burst, which had been practised successfully, would keep us in the lead in the second half of the course. Meanwhile, in Peterborough, the Oundle coach was working on his crew's weakness, the first two minutes. They determined to hold us, come what may, at this vital time. The race itself demonstrated that both crews had listened to their coaches. We lacked bite in the first half, while Oundle raced at a slightly higher rate, going up by about 3 length; we let them slip by, not reacting quickly enough to the situation. The coach must take his share of the blame for this weakness. However, repeated bursts were effective. They would have been even better if the crew had shortened up slightly when changing gear, as they had been trained to do. This blunder was another losing factor. We came back to half a length at the finish in a very fine race which was the fastest heat by about 10 seconds; even allowing for the fact that the other three heats were each won comfortably, it is fair to say that with a luckier draw we would have been in the final and that final would have been a close one.
Not since -losing a Henley race by two feet in 1974 has a Monkton crew been so shattered by defeat. They had set their hearts on victory, and all other successes in the season are eclipsed by this disappointment. But therein lies the thrill of racing at Henley; without the tears of defeat there would be no thrill of victory. Either way, a year's training was aimed at those few minutes; it was a privilege to compete in the 150th anniversary year, and memories of the occasion will be with us for years to come.
The crew met for the customary Summer camp in the week following. The weather broke, and our first night under canvas at Bedford was interrupted by a thunderstorm and well over an inch of rain. We won Senior 3 Eights against eight other crews, winning each race confidently by over two lengths. At Burton, the following day, the crew was over-qualified for Senior 3 Eights, so rowed in an invitation race against the winners of that event. We were in a class above any other crew there and rowed superbly over the short course. If only that form could have been achieved at Henley!