 A truly unforgettable experience.
WHAT - A - CLUB.
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🌟 W2 Bumps Report - By Kathy Begley🌟 There were times when the prospect of writing a post bumps race report seemed like an impossibility…but despite some trials and tribulations 😨 we got there - and my god we got there in some style in the end! Yeah W2 !!! Having taken on W2 Captaincy part way through Easter 🐣 term we had a bit of push to get organised in time for the GOR, but thankfully due to general team work across the whole women’s side and the dedication of coach Toby, we came into the GOR quietly confident 💪🏼 . Although, this was not without drama as one of our rowers was struck by food poisoning 🤮 meer hours before race time! Thankfully our saviour Xen came to the rescue! A very solid row in diabolically windy 🌬️ conditions saw W2 officially “get on” for Mays. Apparently only the second time in Eddie’s history! 🥳 Day 1️⃣ This was, ahem, the first time our W2 actually rowed as a complete crew 👀🙈🫣, and they had the soon to be infamous Peterhouse W3 chasing them (I mean they bumped in the GOR let alone bumps!!) After a good start, with albeit a fairly sedate rate, we were gradually gaining on Jesus W5, however Peterhouse were bearing down on us and coming into grassy they were on three whistles 📣. Our girls valiantly held them off and overlap was never achieved, but the bump did look inevitable. However, the bumps gods were in our favour 😮💨, Jesus failed to make the turn around grassy, and quite literally crashed out. At this point Toby & I on the bank knew that all they needed to do was to hold off PH until we had got past Jesus and thus got a bump ourselves…we roared at the crew “YOU HAVE GOT TO MOVE, NOW. EVERYTHING NOW!!!!” The crew had no idea what was happening but duly delivered, pulled away from house, overtook Jesus and got the bump. Still totally clueless as to what was happening, they now had to contend with pulling into grassy at race pace, trying not to impede the chasing PH crew. I can neither confirm, nor deny, the integrity of Dottie’s bow for the remainder of the week…🤕 A full 1m30s after “parking” (ahem..) Kiran finally realised we had in fact bumped 💥 and not conceded! It was quite the first day! Day 2️⃣ Thrilled with the excitements of Day 1, and armed with a 3 time W1 blade winner (powerhouse Xen) in the boat 💪🏼, we were confident that we could hunt down Girton W3 with relative ease. Day 1 may have been a stroke of luck, but W2 absolutely smashed it Day 2 and smoked Girton by 1st post. Pure scenes from the Eddie’s squad - their first proper bump!!! 💥 Day 3️⃣ Full of confidence from Day 2 we were quietly confident (apart from Beth who takes pessimism to new heights 😅) that we would be able to pull off another bump today. We knew it would be a harder day chasing Newnham W4 but were feeling good. The main concern was that we were on the outflow station 😭…however we roped in an extra bank party (thanks Pablo) to hold bow’s blade so we didn’t start horizontal in the river. Tho we may have slightly over done it and almost took bowside out on the bank 😬 (!!) thankfully no one panicked and Alexis safely steered them out of trouble. Up ahead, Newnham had a good start and, unfortunately for us, Medwards had a distinctly sub optimal start. Newnham were instantly on whistles and although we were slowly gaining it looked like we were going to have to go for the overbump. However, for the second time in a week the bumps gods were in our favour 🙏. Newnham were on 3 whistles, but Medwards refused to give in, Newnham completely fell apart and we started to gain - quickly!! Our superb cox Alexis once again came into grassy with a spectacular line 👌 , the fading Newnham crew missed the apex and failed to turn, having to drop out the whole of stroke side so as not to crash ❗️, Alexis kept our crew on their perfect racing line 👏 and we once again undertook a crew on grassy!!!! Another fabulous bump 💥 (even if a little dramatic once again!!!) Suddenly it dawned on us that the hunt for blades WAS ON!! 😲 Day 4️⃣ The nerves were real. No powerhouse sub in the boat, could they get it done? Could the good luck continue?! 🍀🤞 I was sure they could bump Medwards, but also aware that Medwards showed real tenacity the day before (👏) and may well manage to get their bump before we could hunt them down. Confidence seemed a little low at Marshalling, but after a few pep talks the crew rowed up in fine style. With a fabulous burst down the reach and a great practice start it was time to give it everything. I had stayed back to assess Medwards and was sad to see their practice start also looked GOOD! The instructions to the crew “if you want this, you give it EVERYTHING for a 400m sprint. Do not hold back, do not leave anything out there”. Well, with no outflow to contend with, the crew hunting for blades, another sublime start from Alexis, it was all over by 1st post 👏!!! The girls absolutely smashed it 🥳! I have never seen them row so well together 🥰. Despite a rather late (non existent) concession from the cox and multiple “bumps” the umpires called it and it was DONE! BLADES SECURED!!!!! WOW!!! 🤩 👏🥳💥 As a rower myself, this was my first experience of bumps from the bank and it was SO much fun!!! 🤩 I am SO proud of what W2 achieved, and how much they improved as a crew over the week 🥹. It was such an enjoyable experience and I am so delighted for each and every one of them. Novices to blades 💥💥💥💥 - what a way to sign off their first/only year in Cambridge! Yeah Eddies 💙🩵🩶  💙 W1 May Bumps 💙 - By Mirain Lloyd After a fantastic Lent campaign, W1 headed into May Bumps excited to be racing in Division Two. The week began with a crew chew, making friendship bracelets for everyone to wear throughout the week and getting ourselves ready for four days of racing. Although I wasn't in the boat this year, it was a privilege to support the crew from the bank as Women's Captain. Watching a term's worth of hard work come together, while seeing Bumps from a different perspective, gave me a whole new appreciation for just how exciting the racing is. Day 1️⃣ The first day naturally brought a few nerves, but W1 settled quickly once the cannon fired. Chasing Emma II, they put together a composed race and secured the first bump of the week, giving everyone a huge confidence boost heading into the remaining three days. Day 2️⃣ Day two saw W1 chasing Robinson I, with the expectation that they would bump the crew ahead and leave us with the chance of an overbump. The race unfolded exactly like that, with Robinson bumping at the Plough. W1 then had a long chase ahead, steadily closing the gap and continuing to push all the way down the Long Reach. Despite a huge effort from the crew, the distance proved just too much, and the race ended in a row-over. Although it wasn't the result we were hoping for, it was one of the strongest rows of the week and showed just how much determination the crew had. Day 3️⃣ With Pembroke II ahead on day three, W1 knew another opportunity was there to be taken. They got away quickly and rowed a composed race, maintaining their rhythm while steadily applying the pressure. Their persistence paid off with another bump, setting up an exciting final day. Day 4️⃣ The final day saw W1 chasing Newnham II, with an ever-growing crowd of Eddies supporters lining the towpath, including Kathy's parents, who had come to cheer the crew on. Despite Matt predicting the bump would happen at Grassy, W1 had other ideas, catching Newnham at First Post Corner. It was the perfect way to finish the week, followed by well-earned celebrations and a memorable row past the Plough with supporters cheering from the bank. Three bumps and a row-over while chasing an overbump is a fantastic result and a fitting end to the season. This brought the women to highest they have been on the bumps charts ever. More importantly, the week summed up what makes rowing at Eddies so special, that is hard work, resilience, plenty of support and a crew that genuinely enjoys racing together. It was a privilege to watch from the bank, and I couldn't have been prouder of everything the crew achieved.  🥩 O1 Bumps Report 🥩 Day 1️⃣ got off to a promising start, the mighty Beef Barge toying with Jesus at 2 whistles until they were unceremoniously caught by Darwin behind - a bump celebrated by Justin as if it was his own. Ever the optimist, he apparently forgot the aim was to bump the crew ahead rather than simply not get bumped by the crew behind. Unfortunately, a pile up around the following corner robbed us of this chance, and so with spoons avoided off we headed to the pub to celebrate and enforce our ‘drinking ban ban’. On Day 2️⃣, after reaching the dizzying heights of 1:22 in our practice start and having avoided spoons the previous day, never ones to needlessly row more than required, we ensured we were swiftly bumped by Darwin in less than 500m. However, on Day 3️⃣, not fancying the embarrassment of being bumped again and wanting to put on a show for the seemingly endless hordes of Harry’s fans - only half of which appear to be teenage girls - we decided we should probably put a bit of a shift in. Sidney made early gains off the start to 3 whistles but a mixture of Justin’s desperate calls, Rory’s lines and some truly atrocious steering by the Sidney cox, spurred us on to an emphatic row over. On the final day (4️⃣) the Beef Barge continued its honourable crusade, seeking to shake the allegations of unsportsmanlike behaviour decried from the sobbing Sidney crew the previous day. Off the start Sidney was clearly out for vengeance, however no amount of teenage angst could surmount the mighty watts of the Beef Barge and we ended our campaign with yet another incredible showing from the boys. Holding them off to prove that commitment and training are indeed only loosely correlated to performance.  Day 1: Queens W2The most anticipated first day of bumps arrived and we were feeling confident, but also a little nervous. For our four crew members who hadn’t seen or raced bumps before, it was finally time for them to see what all the hype (and stress) was about. We had a nice row up and practised some rolling race starts, which gave us the much appreciated confidence boost we needed to settle before the race. Following our win in Pembroke Regatta we knew that it was within our capabilities to bump all the boats in our division. The cannon went and we had a mildly frantic start (good in the context of previous years and the nerves of the first day of bumps). We gained boat speed at the “stride” call which set us into a good rhythm. We gained on Queens quickly, and, with the final call for “legs, hips” we surged, bumping them just before First Post corner. Day one, done and dusted!  Day 2: Clare Hall W1Following the momentum we had gained from our bump the previous day we were confident that we would be able to replicate it again. We had a calm rolling start on the row up, although the previous division had run over again so we weren’t able to do our race start on the plough. This time we had a much more relaxed start and settled into a long rhythm. Yet again, we surged at the stride call and proceeded to bump at First Post again!  Day 3: Trinity Hall W2After an arguable unnecessary rest day - we hadn’t raced for more than 500m on either day so far! We finally had an opportunity to practise a standing start by the plough! It was a strong and calm start which fortified our confidence that we could bump again. Just before the race, Matt debriefed us that we needed to row long and its safe to say we delivered! We surged again at the final “long, hips” call and bumped Trinity Hall W2 at first post. What was supposed to be one of our hardest races proved to be beaten by our long rhythm. Spirits were high going into the final day.  Day 4: Caius W2 and LMBC W2Our toughest opponent of the week, Caius W2, had been "bumped" by LMBC (Caius had an unfortunate incident with the bank...) the previous day, meaning we would be racing them first in Division 3. We knew this was gonna be the toughest day. Sophie Lewis-Williams, our beloved stroke seat, said en route to the boathouse “ I want a fight”. And what a fight it was. We were powerful off the start and settled into a strong rhythm around First Post and Grassy. Coming into the Plough we were on three whistles- and that is where we sat for the next 500m. We could hear the roar of the crowd and Matt’s screaming was lost in the noise. We called for “long, hips”, “legs, hips” and Matt’s call to “stop using the rudder”, but to no avail Caius wouldn’t break. Approaching Ditton, we started to question how much energy was left in the tank. We were on the reach, the noise quietened and we finally found our rhythm together again! One last “long, hips” and the cox’s hand was up and we’d bumped. In retrospect, it was an exciting race, at the time it could only be described as “traumatic”. We were at the top of division 3 and it was our opportunity to make it to division 2.  After some much needed refueling and resting, we rowed all the way up to the lock for our last race (it felt far after we had just been at the top of the previous div). Caius W2 had bumped LMBC earlier in the week so we knew we could catch-them. The cannon went and we were strong off the start. With technical calls implemented under the motorway bridge, we gained quickly on LMBC. It was a calm row, and after the final “long, hips” we bumped them. We had achieved superblades! We got our greenery and, of course, the flag and began to row home. Rowing as a crew of friends past the Plough, flag held high with the roar of Eddie’s supporters from the bank is a lifelong memory we’ll never forget.  Lent Bumps 2026 will go down as a landmark moment for St Edmund’s College Boat Club — because for the first time in the club’s history, Eddie’s fielded a Women’s Second Boat on the start line at Lent Bumps. That alone is extraordinary. But this crew didn’t show up just to make up the numbers. They showed up to race.  day 1 - Nerves, noise & new ground
 Day 2 - Chaos & composure
 day 3 - The setback
 day 4 - Grit to the end
 On paper: Row Over, Row Over, Bumped, Row Over But this campaign was never just about results. It was about:
Final Thoughts This crew faced everything Bumps could throw at them — nerves, chaos, resets, setbacks — and came out stronger. They didn’t just race. They set a new standard. Eddie’s W2 isn’t a one-off anymore. It’s the beginning of something bigger. Historic. Resilient. Proper Eddie’s energy. W2 — you’ve made your mark. #YeahEddies 💙🩵🩶 #W2Era 🚀  At times it has been a difficult term for M1. Beset by injury we have frequently rowed in scratch crews; with our first full crew outing only a week before bumps. As a result, we’ve had to draft up a few novices this term, notably Pablo, Daniel D and Daniel T who have each taken a massive step up and it’s been a real pleasure having them in the boat. To counter our relative inexperience, we sought the calming presence of our sole Men’s trialist, Ed, who, we thought, would help to steady the ship. However, whether blasting ‘My Hump’ through the cox box at marshalling, repeatedly woofing at competitors, screaming Panic off every start (which actually means relax - as he likes to clarify every time), and insisting on shouting ‘yeah Eddie’s’ at any crew with even vaguely blue blades, he has been anything but calming - not only living up to the usual Men’s side antics but injecting real energy into the crew and spurring us on to an incredibly enjoyable if not wholly successful campaign. Nevertheless, Day 1 got off to a tricky start as the dreaded sandwich crew. This of course risked the possibility of rowing twice, not something the mighty Beef Barge fancied and so we ensured we were swiftly bumped by Christs in less than 500m. However, on Day 2 having survived the great stroke side tsunami off the start for a second time and not fancying the embarrassment of being bumped again, we decided we should probably put a bit of a shift in. Queens made an early attack, but we held them off for an emphatic row over. The first time we have rowed anything more than a UT2 all term and the first time Justin has been above stroke rate 16.  On Day 3, having by this point racked up a sizable number of fines (sorry Kathy) and repeatedly threatened to ‘shark the Clare undergrads’ …Cheers Ed… the mighty Beef Barge continued its crusade, toying with Clare at two whistles for a while to ensure a crowd-pleasing bump outside the plough – the first (and sadly final) of our week. On the final day we were once again the dreaded sandwich crew, however this time we were up for the challenge. With Clare quickly dispatched for a row over we set our sights on catching Downing in the second race. What we lacked in fitness and technical prowess we made up for in energy and general chaos. When then starting canon fired, we gained on downing until a division stoppage unfortunately robbed us of a bump, ending our campaign with a technical row over. All in all its been an incredibly enjoyable campaign and I hope we can really build upon this into next term. Pembroke Regatta was described to the uninitiated as “that cursed race” (Kathy Begley, President), and more reassuringly “We don’t row this for fun. We do because we have to” (Mirain Lloyd, Women’s Captain). Morale: high from the outset. In a knights move from Newnham head, Eddie’s arrived to marshaling early. Mirain insists this was the sheer power of the Eddies steady state paddle. Skeptics might attribute this to her pathological avoidance of lateness. Who’s to say? They say only time can tell; now if only the W1 could learn to tell time. The “land warm-up” featured yet another expert demonstration of conserving energy through complete physical stillness (we we’re saving up the watts, Mirain!). Wedged into the ‘why are you here already’ parking spot of shame, Eddie’s endured an oblique-destroying preview of the suffering to come. Paling in comparison, of course, to the perils endured by our cox whenever she comes down with yet another case of The Leaning. Entertainment during marshalling was provided by Sophie LW, who staged an unsolicited mic takeover and delivered the Word of the Day: laconic. Ironically. Race 1: Eddie’s vs Wolfson W2 | Win by 1.5 lengths Technique at the start of race 1 was at best, theoretical. The first 500 meters would come to be described by Matt Hunt as “not necessarily really moving the boat,” which does not do justice to what really was, to date, our best interpretation of a dyspraxic spider. Wolfson shot off the line and promptly exited the field of vision of stern pair. What followed was a 500m so emotionally harrowing that Matt later skipped the traditional post-race pub, citing his need “to lie down after all that”. Somehow undeterred, Eddie’s placed their trust in their rhythm - excellently set by Sophie LW and Kathy B, translated down the boat by Megan E, and 5 seat… well, 5 seat was given the highly technical instruction to “just put down watts”. After what has since been formally recorded as “the most dogs**te 500 meters” Eddie’s soared ahead to cross the finish line 1.5 boat lengths ahead. Wolfsons PB advice to “be brave but not too brave” was well intentioned and comprehensively ignored. Semi-Final: Eddie’s vs Churchill W2 | Win by 1.5 lengthsPanic levels at the start line were noticeably improved for round two, although not fully eradicated, especially as we watched (for the second time that day) the two boats racing right before us collide into each other within 20 strokes. Comforting. Fortunately, our line remained safely in the hands(-only taps) of expert bow pair Allie B-L and Maxanne M, which meant Eddie’s managed to save the bumping for Bumps (and the very occasional morning outing oopsie). This time, the Eddie’s existential crisis dissipated within 20 strokes before settling into a composed rhythm, dispatching Churchill by 1.5 boat lengths. Final: Eddie’s vs Emma W3 | Win by 3 lengthsBy the third attempt, something extraordinary happened. Eddie’s rowed well the entire race, securing not only a 3 boat length win, but an end to the longstanding Eddie’s x Pem regatta curse. We don’t know who lifted it suspect it may have required sacrifice. As per win-or-lose protocol, Eddie’s headed to the pub, where Allie B-L claimed a decisive victory in the category of “Most Unhinged Behaviour of the Week.” Bring on Bumps! Saturday: Eddie’s Eagles arrived to the meet time fashionably late, having prioritised pistachio croissants and an aggressive pre-race yap over something trivial like punctuality. Morale? High. Organisation? Theoretical. In a display of tactical innovation (read: numbers), we fielded a beautifully blended W1/2 composite; a boat built on coffee, compromise, and some mild confusion about seats. Leadership was briefly entrusted to a senior (who will remain nameless) who rose to the occasion by forgetting a small administrative detail: collecting the race numbers. Oops. On the water, the crew made great strides to further chaos. The only successful stride that day. Our cox, Nadia, who has spent the term being gently encouraged to project beyond a contemplative murmur discovered her inner motivational speaker on the start line and never looked back. The sudden vocal renaissance was so profound that Matt was heard shouting for her to “CALM DOWN”. Growth is not always linear. Eddie’s crossed the finish line to a deafening, relentless rally of “LEGS, HIPS” without ever - at least, according to ever-honest stroke Megan - having found a rhythm. Legend says they are still out there, searching. Bring on PembRoke!  “Third on the Cam — First in Our Hearts” Fairbairns — the grand finale of novice term. A 2.7 km test of grit, rhythm, and sheer determination. St Edmund’s NW1 arrived ready to take it on. Coaches Toby and Matt had prepared the crew well, and cox Jill Leung knew every corner of the course. The boat — Florina (stroke), Aurélie, An Mei, Maxanne, Beth, Gabby, Juliane, Mia (bow) — sat poised at the start, calm and focused. The Race — Power, Rhythm, Grit NW1 came off the line cleanly, settling immediately into a strong, controlled rhythm with Florina setting the pace and Jill calling the boat together. They found length early and stayed composed as the course opened up. Through the middle stretch — where novice crews often start to unravel — Eddie’s held firm. They kept the power on, responded to every call, and maintained pressure all the way down the Reach, moving confidently and staying sharp. In the final push, the crew lifted together, emptying the tank with a committed, unified drive to the finish — exactly the kind of racing Fairbairns demands. The Result — THIRD Overall When results were released, NW1 had placed: 🥉 3rd fastest women’s novice crew overall An incredible achievement for a small college and a brand-new crew. It’s one of the strongest novice women’s Fairbairns performances in St Edmund’s history — a testament to teamwork, consistency, and the energy this group has built over the term.   Final Thoughts
From their first wobbly outings to becoming the third fastest novice women’s crew on the Cam, St Edmund’s NW1 have shown outstanding progress and heart. They’ve ended novice term not just strong, but dangerous — and ready for whatever comes next. #YeahEddies 💙🩵🩶 |
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