Lincoln Crews Give Spirited Performance in the Summer VIIIs

It's been an interesting year on the Isis - due to poor weather, there was virtually no racing and very little rowing until Trinity term. However, that didn't stop Summer VIIIs from being a gloriously sunny and fun-filled affair.

This year's M2 was a shining example of LCBC spirit in the face of the difficult year. Their crew came together approximately two weeks before VIIIs from novices who had almost no water training during Michaelmas and Hilary, rowing together as a full crew for the first time in Rowing On. So began their truly noble quest to reach the promised land beyond Donny Bridge without getting bumped. They never quite made it, but they had a blast and were easily the most stylish crew on the Isis with their crab hats.

W2 also had a tough bumps campaign. Like M2, many of the crew did not get a lot of water time, but they took their place at the top of Div IV like champs, donning the classic LCBC blue face paint every day. They remain one of the highest W2 crews on the Isis, and they'll climb right back up next year.

This year's W1 was an experienced bunch, so the weather was no problem for them! They were off to a blazing start on Wednesday with a bump on Hertford, and on Friday they got their bump on the GTC women, which they've been waiting for since VIIIs last year. They went +3 for the week after bumping St. Annes and are now in striking distance of Div I next year.

Finally, M1. They had a bit of a rough start, with some early bumps after the bridge on Wednesday and Thursday. However, Friday and Saturday had some heart-stopping row overs, with incredibly shrewd coxing denying Oriel M2 the bump even when they had overlap.

Above all, Summer VIIIs was a really fun week for everyone, and a great reminder that even after a year of storms and flags and canceled races, there is nothing quite as exciting as bumps racing in Oxford.

 - Ellis Capp. President LCBC