Ah well, it isn't looking like a good year. I've now gone down 4 places in 2 boats in two days... and none of the rows were very long. Ladies two, who I'm coxing, got taken by two fast crews fairly quickly; not a lot to be done about that, my coxing was OK in terms of steering and in terms of patter; they didn't row badly for their division, we were just too slow. M1 yesterday got eaten by City 2 rather convincingly; but at least we rowed well and were caught by a good crew. Today alas we didn't row well - crab off the start (not me!) and failed to recover - and got caught by a not particularly exciting crew. some faint hope of a return match tomorrow.
For those interested, pix are at http://www.jetphotographic.com/browsecat.php?id=6327. In particular this is us sitting sadly on the side having been bumped yesterday, watching with no great interest as Champs 1 (who got us today) row past.
On the plus side, M2 rowed over yesterday and bumped up today - I should have stayed in M2 where I was happy.
Paul Holland (M3 stroke) has a blog for the CEN which introduces the subject to newcomers in typical Paul-like language. Paul links to www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=3478 which is some Pathe archive footage of bumps in 1933 - good to see that the art of late conceeding isn't a new one.