WEHoRR and HoRR

A busy weekend for NUBC saw eight eights race down the tideway.

WEHoRR

The Women’s squad started the weekend off on Saturday with three crews entered in WEHORR.

After strong performances from the whole Women’s squad at BUCS head, on home water, they headed to the tideway looking to step on again to finish the Head season.

The first eight, including alumnus Nicole Lamb, went off 15th and a strong race out to Hammersmith bridge set them up to finish off the final few kilometres giving them a strong result, placing 11th overall. This placed them around the top club eights of Tideway Scullers and Thames and beating many other University eights.

Our Women’s second eight followed closely behind in 17th place, beating Durham University’s 1st eight by 1 second, showing a big step forwards since BUCS head a couple of weeks ago. The third eight had an impressive row, finishing in 55th position.

With two eights in the top 20 and the third eight placing within the top 60 these results are very encouraging and show the new standards being set by the women’s squad at Newcastle.

HoRR

On Sunday it was the turn of the Men’s squad, with five eights entered HORR including two lightweight eights.

In what may be NUBCs strongest results ever as a club, the men’s squad displayed great strength and depth. The 1st eight reversed the defeat by Durham at BUCS Head to beat our northern rivals by 4.4 seconds, finishing 15th overall, a result which they will look to build on in the run up to this years Siemens Boat Race of the North.

The rest of the squad enjoyed close racing with only 13 seconds separating the next three eights. The 1st lightweight eight won the lightweight pennant with the 2nd lightweight eight finishing second only 8 seconds behind them, both beating strong crews from CUS Pavia (Italy) and Nottingham university. This is testament to the strength of the lightweight squad at Newcastle that has developed over the last few years.

The heavyweight 2nd eight also performed well, finishing 4.3 seconds behind the second lightweight eight and 33rd overall. The 3rd heavyweight eight did well, finishing 90th overall beating several university 1st and 2nd eights despite injuries and illness that caused difficulties during the training running up to the event.

Both squads will now turn their attention to the summer side by side racing, starting with the Siemens Boat Race of the North on Saturday (17th).

Words and Photos by David Stephenson