Paul Townshend, boathouse manager and rowing coach, gives us a rundown of all the action on the river from the final Bumps of this academic year.
Day three of the 2025 May Bumps got off to the most wonderful start with M3 achieving their first ever bump for all concerned catching Peterhouse 100m past the Road Bridge. The crew are pictured rightly enjoying the fruits of their victory and can now look forward to tomorrow with renewed confidence and hope for more foliage! Huge congratulations to M3!
Both M2 and W2 had a day of mixed fortunes. M2 fought valiantly with a fast Christ’s crew behind with honours even for the vast majority of the course. Out crew powered their way down the Long Reach and under the railway bridge before finally succumbing to their more experienced opponents with only 200m of the course left. Congratulations to Christ’s for their bump, commiserations to our M2. Onwards and upwards. Are there many things more satisfying than a revenge bump?
W2 had by far their best row of the week and put together a super start and stride powering around First Post corner and into The Gut as Downing began to claim whistles. W2 fought all the way until eventually Downing effected a clean bump at Grassy Corner. Our crew has learned so many valuable lessons at such early stages of their bumps journey which will stand them in great stead for the rest of the week and for the remainder of their time at THBC. Well done!
M1 also had by far their best row of the week rowing over despite a charging Emmanuel crew trying their very best to catch. After a super start the THBC M1 powerful rhythm took over as they absorbed everything that Emma could throw at them including repeated pushes and one whistle along the Long Reach. At this point our M1 made a clear decision to push away and that is exactly what they did with great execution rowing over to Top Finish a good three lengths clear of a spent Emma crew. Huge congratulations to all of the M1 crew who had a race and a performance to be proud of today. Tomorrow they get the opportunity to avenge day one as they chase Christ’s! A superb effort from all nine in the boat today!
And then came W1. A brilliant week went up a notch today. Starting at 3rd they first had to make sure not to let LMBC into the race which they did promptly. Next was to focus on chasing down Caius W1 who started the week on Head station. The crew settled into a strong rhythm and began to hear whistles as they approached Grassy Corner. Along The Plough Reach as the cheers from the bank became louder so the whistles continued to come. On three whistles as the passed The Plough and the bump was made as the crews entered Ditton Corner. Yet again this crew had executed exactly what they had planned to do and in doing so moved up to 2nd on the river after Jesus W1 rowed over today on Head Station. The crew are, and should be, enormously proud of everything that they have achieved, not just this week, but over the past year and further back for some of those concerned. Three days down…..one to go!
This is our final callout for as many people as would like to come down to the river tomorrow (Saturday) and cheer on all the crews! Let’s aim to make Row Hall the loudest call on the bank! The crews, coaches and everyone involved in THBC appreciate the efforts everyone makes to support what we do and just as it is for the crews it’s three days down….one to go! Come down, shout as loud as you are able and get our crews over the line one last time this academic year!
ROW HALL!
Things are certainly heating up at this year’s edition of the May Bumps – in every respect!
For M3 and M2, day two was a consolidation day with M3 putting together a much-improved row with a comfortable row-over which will build confidence in the crew for the days ahead. Well rowed M3!
Meanwhile, M2 produced a very strong row-over never coming under any threat following the crews behind bumping out meaning they experienced what might well be their most relaxed bumps race ever. They effectively paddled from Ditton Corner to their finish with the rating below 20 strokes per minute for the final 500m. Another good row for the M2 boat and they are now looking forward to moving on again on day three which sees them being chased by Christ’s M2 and looking to have another go at bumping Selwyn M2 who also rowed over yesterday.
W2 made great strides in their second race of the week producing a clean and powerful start holding off a very fast St Edmunds boat for as long as possible. In the end, the power and experience of the Eddies first boat told and they completed a clean bump. Our rowers can now tell the story of how they raced a Cambridge Blue Boat rower and Boat Race winner! There were enormous positives for the THBC crew who will have learned an enormous amount in their first two days and they will take that forward for the final two days. They start day three on station three with Downing W2 behind.
M1 had a tough day at the office. The crew got off to a good, strong start and made their stride hitting a solid rhythm. Unfortunately, Girton M1 held their high rate and started making inroads. Despite their best efforts, the THBC M1 were eventually caught at Grassy Corner. M1 have dusted themselves off and will be seeking a ‘revenge bump’ on Girton while aiming to push away from Corpus M1 behind.
The finale for the day was again left to W1 (pictured). After bumping Emmanuel W1 in clinical fashion at Ditton on day one, W1 lined up on station 4 behind the top three of LMBC, Jesus and Caius at headship. A lightning start from W1 in wonderful conditions brought them a whistle on LMBC W1 well before First Post Corner and within the next 45 seconds they effected a powerful bump 50m before Grassy Corner. Their race totalled 1 minute 50 seconds. Once again W1 had carried out their race plan to perfection and go into day three up two places for the week and in the top 3 crews on the river. Station three will see them looking to hold off LMBC and look towards Caius W1 who were bumped yesterday as Jesus W1 regained the Mays Headship.
The support from the bank has been amazing, as it always is for THBC, and we would love to see as many supporters as possible down to cheer on the crews for the final two days of this year’s Mays. How loud can we make ‘Row Hall’ reverberate around the Cam on day three?
Row Hall!
May Bumps 2025 edition has arrived! After a successful Getting On Race M3 reclaimed a starting position in the Mays after a break. Commiserations to W3 who narrowly missed out qualifying but will be back for more next year!
M3 was our first crew of the day with almost the whole boat experiencing a bumps race for the very first time. After a slightly chaotic start from our crew, and all of those around them as it turned out, THBC managed to find some rhythm and get into their rowing securing a well-fought row-over. Day two will see them chasing Clare Hall M2 and being chased by Kings M3. Well done to all those in the first bumps race!
W2 were up next starting at the head of the W3 division. After a strong start, where they held a strong Lady Margaret boat to station, an unfortunate heavy stroke gave LMBC the opportunity they were looking for with the bump coming on Grassy Corner. This crew, a mixture of experience and first-year rowers will have learned an enormous amount from this race and without doubt will come back on day two looking for a revenge bump.
M2 next. Having enjoyed a good build up to this year’s May Bumps, this crew, comprised of six rowers in their first year of rowing at THBC, made a superb start moving on Jesus M3 after the initial 30 seconds of the race. By First Post corner it was all done with a textbook bump! Short and sweet and a great boost of confidence as a result of a powerful, disciplined and controlled race. A superb effort from this boat who will be eyeing up Selwyn M2 on day two.
M1 began their Mays 2025 campaign in good spirits after a very good period since the Lent Bumps where they have made enormous advances both on the water and at the golf range! THBC were chasing a strong Churchill M1 and being chased by an equally strong Christ’s M1. The crew held station on Churchill until half way along Plough Reach. Meanwhile Christ’s had been inching themselves towards THBC and a battle royal ensued from The Plough all the way down the Long Reach and past the railway bridge. Only then did Christ’s manage to summon the final burst of energy to achieve the bump. Congratulations to Christ’s but also a huge well done to our crew which rowed beyond it’s relative inexperience with four members of the crew in their first Mays in M1 and three of the in their first year of rowing meaning the experience gained here will set them in great stead for the rest of the week and in the years to come. M1 look to chase Christ’s M1 down on day two while being chased by Girton M1.
W1 finished off the first day in great style. Starting off from station 5, they made a superb start and got into their rhythm well as they have done all term. They were chasing Emmanuel W1 while being chased by Churchill W1 intent on reversing the result from the final day of the 2024 Mays. Within a minute, THBC had pulled right away from Churchill and through The Gut the whistles began. W1 kept to their race schedule and soon onto two whistles and closing in on Emma. Outside The Plough three whistles and within 8 strokes of continuous whistles the bump was made. This was a superbly executed race and the crew should be enormously proud of their race. THBC W1 now sit 4th on the river! Day two will see them chasing LMBC W1 so everyone keep everything crossed.
Row Hall!!
Reminder – Midsummer Common and Jesus Green will be very busy due to Midsummer Fair. To avoid the crowds, you can travel to the Boathouse via Magdelene Bridge and Chesterton Road, or travel down Newmarket Road to join the river past Elizabeth Way Bridge.
If travelling by bike, please also be aware of the likely increase in traffic on the roads.