Huntsville gazette., 1886-06-12
ROWING AT OXFORD.
The Training Required to Meet It's
Ancient Rival Cambridge, =

Great interest is generally shown
throughout the country in the month
of March in the preparations that are
made at our two chief English univer-
sites for the annual boatrace; but few
of those. that read the newspaper
accounts of the daily practice of the
crews know how much energy and
time have been devoted by their indi-
vidual members to acquiring the skill
which; will qualify them for seat in the
varsity eight" Hence we propose
here to. give short account of rowing
at Oxford, and the different college
races that man has almost invariably
taken part in before he is even tried for
"the varsity"
The academical year commences with
the October term. and it is in that term
that the majority of the freshmen come
into residence; accordingly, this is the
time chosen by the captains of the vari-
ous college boat-clubs for testing the
rowing capabilities of the freshmen of
their college, aud ''coaching" all those
who wish to go in for boating. Every
afternoon during the greater part of
this term, the captain and other MEM
bers of the college eight may be seen
standing up in the stern Of ''tub-pair"
or four, instructing and exhorting their
crews. as they paddle swiftly down to
Ifey lock-: OF toll up again against the
swolleq stream. Towards the end of
the term, the men who have been
coached in this way are formed into
regular crews; and after one or two
weeks practice together, these crews
row against each other in 'stub-foursn
for the Silver Challenge Oars, or some
prize given by the college boat-club.
Passing over to the next. that is the
Lent term, we come to the first eight
cared college races. which at Oxford
are better known as the Torpids. In
these races, the colleges compete
against one another for the honor of
first place or ''fead of the river" No
man who has rowed in his college
''eight' in the previous year is eligible
to row in his Torpid; the. majority of
the crew'consist of men who have re-
ceived coaching in the October term,
and have taken part in the four-oared
races described above.
The first week or two of this term
is occupied by the captain in selecting
and arranging his crew; when that is
made up, regular practice is the order
of the day, for the most part on the
stretch of water between Oxford and
I1ey, but occasionally varied by a
"long course to Abingdon, distance
of seven miles. Coaching is done by
members Of the "eight," who run
with the boat along the towpath,
shouting at the top of their voices to
the different members Of the crew,
and sometimes, when the floods are
out and the towpath is covered, splash
ing through water nearly up to their
knees. Practice of this kind is con-
tinued daily, no matter what the
weather is, until the races take place,
which is usually about the middle OF
the term. Each college is represented
by one boat, and in some cases by two
boats, so that, there are generally from
twenty to twenty five boats entered,
and these are divided into two divis-
ions. The races occupy six days, each
division rowing once each day, the sec
ond division always commencing. The
boats are placed one behind the other
in the order in which they left off the
year before, with "a clear space OF
about two boat-lengtAs between each.
The object aimed at by each boat is to
overtake the boat in front and bump
it. If successful in doing this, these
two boats at once draw out of the way,
and leave room for those following to
pass; and on the next day they change
places. The. head boat Of the second
division is called the Sandwich
boat, and rows again the same after
noon at the bottom of the first divis-
ion, in this way forming link by
which boat may pass from one divis-
ion to the other. ess -sess
Having padded down to their re-
spective positions. the boats are turned
and preparations are made for the race.
A line attached to the bank is held by
the cockswain, and this, with the assist
snce of a waterman with long pole,
helps to keep the boat in position and
prevents it drifting out OF its place.
Meanwhile the first signal-gun has
been fired, and the crews are divesting
themselves Of jackets and mufHers.
Soon the second gun is heard, and
there is now one minute before the sig
nal to start is given. What an anxious
minute that is, SO much depends upon
getting off well, especially with crew
in which many of the men are rowing
in one Of these humping races for the
first time A bad start causes furry
and unsteadiness in the boat, and then
there is sometimes a risk of being
bumped before the men settle down TO-
gether to q long and even stroke:
Bang! The starting gun has fired, and
Of 70 the dozen or more boats in a long
line; the towpath il, crowded with men
running with their respective college
crews, shouting, blowing horns and
making usa Of every Copoeivah ".