Crew: Bow G R W Purves, M Wadham, S A Martin, S P J Stephens, J G Alford, G G Flower (stroke in Lent Term), S Pemberton, Stroke O Cantwell (Captain), Cox: M Knight. Lent Term Cox: S Springett, and others.
The J15 group started the Lent Term with enough manpower to fill two eights, with one or two left over. On just one occasion, two eights took to the water, but numbers soon dwindled so that eventually there was an eight, a four and a double.
We started with high hopes, because the oarsmen were certainly the biggest and potentially the strongest J15 group we have had for some years. As it turned out, the season was disappointing; with few exceptions, the oarsmen lacked self-discipline and motivation; attention span was minimal, and there was little willingness to work hard consistently. For a variety of reasons, the VIII had less than 20 training sessions on the water in the Lent Term, and fewer than that in the Summer Term. Skill, fitness and enthusiasm cannot be built up in such a limited time, so it should not come as a surprise that there were no wins during the season.
Fourteen members of the J15 group went on a week-end training camp at Wallingford during the February half term break as guests of Oxford Brookes University. Conditions were cold, and the river was running fast, but good work was done, and the four outings covered more miles and made more progress than all of the rest of the term put together up to that time. Steve Williams (OM and World Champion member of the GB team) coached the group on the second morning, and spent a long time after the outing answering questions. The first event for the VIII, at Bristol Head, showed that it is not possible to switch on a good row for a race, where performance always depends on engrained habits and well-earned fitness which have been built up in the weeks and months leading to the event.
The crew later rowed the traditional training course at Monkton, and when the time turned out to be slower than any of those recorded regularly between 1974 and 1984, the coach's worst fears about their absolute standard were confirmed.
The crew was much more focussed at the Schools Head where it didn't take long to overtake a very weak Bryanston crew. A more interesting battle, lost by Monkton, was against a technically neat but very much lighter crew from Bedford. The big Monkton crew could not help noticing how much better the Bedford rowing was, because they did not waste effort, and the boat was not slowed down by poor watermanship. The crew had said before the race that they would be pleased to come in the top five of the 21 J15 entries. This was unrealistic after the poor training done during the term, and they came 15/21. They would have had to be a minute faster to be in the top 5. The best part of the whole day was the transformation of attitude in the crew, and there was a more united wish to train well and achieve good results having earned them. How long would this new attitude be maintained?
It was with some trepidation that the coach met up with the crew on the day after this race, to continue training. (So often, good intentions can melt away.) Many other crews had a day off, but the J15 VIII was keen to go out and build on its newly found enthusiasm. It was immediately apparent that all wanted to make progress, and the outing was a thoroughly worthwhile experience. The balance became far more natural, and the crew was therefore in a far better position to use its strength to move the boat faster and more comfortably. They willingly helped with unloading boats on the Monday before another good outing. Things were looking up!
At Reading Head the stroke maintained a rate of about 32, a pip or two higher than at the Schools' Head. What is more, the crew was working well, and the boat was more comfortably balanced than it had been in previous weeks. In the Summer Term, the crew had trained for a total of seven outings before going to Wallingford Regatta (held at Dorney Lake), including one before the start of term when everyone had arrived early for a training day. They were hard-pressed to learn about racing in that time, but sufficient progress had been made to enter J15B VIIIs.
We launched on the late side for the race, but the warm up was as instructed, in three stages - loose and light, followed by firm and row, followed by start practice. The start itself was efficient, and the Monkton crew was very much in contention, being placed second of six for most of the close race. They maintained a high, though rushed, rate throughout, and at no time did the crew give up the struggle. At the line, Monkton was 3rd, in a close bunch. Only two crews qualified for the final, and we missed out by just one second. We were grateful for the willing help of one of the girls (a rower, not a cox), who stepped into the cox's seat to steer in the absence of the regular cox (not included in the crew list at the top of this article!) who had not turned up for the regatta. There is no doubt that the absence of the cox cost the crew a place in the final, and so halved the racing experience that the crew had during the day. The crew could well have won the race, and finished 4th or 5th in the final. What a shame.
At Coate Water Park the crew was entered for both Novice and J15 VIIIs. Novice Eights is probably too difficult a target for a J15 VIII, because the event is entered by more senior crews including Oxford Colleges, adult crews from clubs, Colts VIIIs and other more senior school crews - including, this year (at another regatta) the Monkton 1st VIII. But the point of the exercise was to get some much needed racing experience. The first round was against a Canford crew, who looked like Colts (J16), but turned out to be the same age as the Monkton crew. The third crew in the race was from Lincoln College Oxford. The Oxford Colleges enter all sorts of crews from 1st VIII downwards, so we didn't know what to expect. Off the start, the Monkton crew went ahead. This was not entirely unexpected, as the coach has a reputation for crews which go fast early in the race, even if they fold up after 500 metres or so! By the time the race came into sight at the viewing area, it was clear that Monkton was going to beat Lincoln without difficulty. Canford were a different matter, but we had a good race with them, going down by about one and a half lengths. The Monkton row was a bit scrappy, but looking slightly more confident and competent than in previous weeks. It would have been good to come closer to Canford, but they were rowing well within themselves and went on to win the final by about two lengths.
For the J15 race, the crew sat at backstops for a few seconds on launching to get thoughts together. It was clear from the bank that they were well focussed, and knew exactly what it wanted to do. Normally this exercise fails because the crew is talking, waving, scratching, fidgeting, mind-wandering. This time, suddenly, they appeared to have grown up. The coach was confident from then that the race would be good. The aim was to achieve a rhythm and stride which has been missing till now. It was lucky that the other crew was slower than Monkton, which allowed us to settle into a confident and steady row, and for the first time in the year they looked good. The win was by by three lengths, but the way in which they did it was of far greater significance.
After taking on water to drink at the boating area, the VIII went back to the start, for the last race of the day, against the same Canford crew that they had earlier met in Novice VIIIs. This time, Canford went off the start very fast. Monkton could have collapsed; they rowed well throughout the race, but not with the confidence and poise of the earlier round; it's always more difficult to row well when behind. The result was a Canford win by about 3 lengths.
The two weeks leading to the National Schools Regatta saw more enthusiasm in the crew, and they trained with a greater sense of purpose than usual. However, there was a constant underlying problem. Several oarsmen who claimed to be keen had to be constantly cajoled and persuaded to do more than the barest minimum. If we attempted to do any more than one and a bit trips of the river during an outing (when three were needed), there were rumbles of idleness from various parts of the boat. As for running to the river, or doing regular land training - one might have been asking for the moon. It was only as NSR drew near that the faint glimmer of interest began to burn a bit brighter, and the crew managed to use a Wednesday session (the first and only such in the year). If that all sounds gloomy, it is. But there was also a good side to the crew. Several members were prepared to try and to train hard.
The National Schools Regatta took place during the Queen's Jubilee week-end. Getting to Nottingham could have been a nightmare journey - it's never an easy one. Fortunately, we got permission for the crew to leave school at break instead of lunch time. This was most helpful; we arrived at the course in time for some fresh air before a short training outing, and then had a civilised supper, which all made a very pleasant change from the usually late and tired arrival, missing training, and almost too late for supper.
Monkton's first race in the J15B VIIIs, which took place in good weather conditions, was in mid-morning, against Eton, King's College School, King's School Worcester and Cheltenham (with Monkton in lane 5, and no crew in lane 6). Monkton went off the start effectively at 44. We had been working hard on starts, and it was pleasing that this work paid off. Eton went ahead quite quickly. After 400 metres, Monkton were still at 38, with the order being ETN, 1.5 lengths, KSW, then the other three crews in line a little behind. Monkton did an effective 'Burn' at 500m (at 38), which took them up 1/3 length, to pass one crew. Good. With 250m to go, Monkton were at 35, four or five feet ahead of Cheltenham. A spurt at 36 gained a few more feet at the scoreboard. Cheltenham were getting scrappy, with Monkton looking tired but happy. Monkton got there with 1/3 to half a length spare on the line. Phew! A good race. A fuller account of this race and others entered by the crew during the year is at www.bluefriars.org.uk/mcsbc/2002
So we had got through to the semi-final, and judging by the times on the other heats, the coach reckoned that 5th in the final was the best we could hope for. So, with two or three hours till the next round (on a hot day), the most important thing after taking on water and a bit of food, was rest and quiet. The parent supporters, based at the Monkton tent, did their bit, as they have done so well during the whole season, and provided refreshment, whilst the tent itself gave good shade and a quiet resting place. The crew was told to lie down and go to sleep for as long as possible before the next round.
The coach left his duties at the computer for an hour or so to go round to see the crew and their supporters, only to find that not all the crew were there. Lack of discipline in a crew is not helpful to the common effort, and can sometimes lead to a breakdown of morale, as well as failure to achieve objectives. On this occasion, two of the missing crew members were involved in an accident in which one of them tripped on some stairs, and fell so awkwardly that an old back problem was severely aggravated. Even before the doctor saw the oarsman, it was clear that he would not be taking part in the next round. We considered substituting the cox to row, but the almost unanimous view amongst the crew was that it would be best to withdraw. The coach agreed, so we did not row in the semi-final. All very disappointing, not only for the crew but for the families who had come a long way to Nottingham with their ever-loyal support which has been so helpful and encouraging this year.
As expected, other school commitments made it impossible to get an eight out after the half term break, as all four week-ends were booked by other activities for some. A four from the eight managed to get only one training outing. Whilst individual members got out in smaller boats occasionally, and benefited from them, an almost complete lack of crew training was bound to lead to a disappointing performance at any regatta - win or lose. The members of the VIII unavailable to row at the regattas quickly melted away from the river, and we didn't see them after half term.
There were half a dozen entries at Tewkesbury. The Monkton J15 Four won its first two races without any difficulty against crews from St Edward's, whose two fours were made up from their J15C VIII members, Clifton and Cheltenham. Despite good efforts, we did not balance the boat at all well, so there was little hope of rowing with enough power to beat the stronger half of the Teddies crew who won the final by two and a half to three lengths. Thames Valley Park Regatta took place the day after Tewkesbury. The J15B Fours event had nine entries, including some pot-hunters from crews who had thus far not had wins. The Monkton crew raced hard for the first time in the season, at nearly 40 strokes a minute for the short course, to win its heat by a few feet. The final was against half the St Edward's J15 VIII and half of St Paul's B VIII.
This again was a good race, with Monkton chasing St Edward's just a third of a length down for most of the course. St Edward's pulled away in the last few strokes to win by a length. The Monkton crew came off the water having learnt more about racing, not too disappointed, and keen to earn better results next year. If only the term had been a bit longer, or this enthusiasm and experience gained earlier, the crew could have had a win or two in 2002.