On Friday 8th February, W1 raced in Robinson Head. The race runs over the Bumps course, beginning with a rolling start at the Bumps Headship Station to a bow finish at Peter’s Post.

With 40 mph gusts, we were warned that Robinson Head may not go ahead. Fortunately, conditions did not prove dangerous enough to cancel, and we set off with a strong row downstream to the start, egged on by a strong tailwind. However much we anticipated the powerful headwind that we would be up against during the race upstream, it was nevertheless a shock to come up against such a force. As we launched into our rolling start, we pressed into the wind and established a strong rhythm. We maintained this rhythm throughout, using it as a constant while the unpredictable gusts of wind caught our blades. On Plough Reach, we responded well to cox Amritz’s call for a push. However, as we rounded the corner onto the Long Reach we were caught off-guard by a strong wind and we floundered slightly. Emma W1 gained on us, yet we recovered along the reach and gave a huge push off the Railway Bridge, making the most of the calmer waters. We finished in good time (10:06), ahead of all but one women’s boats, although we had two men subbing into the boat.