By Becca Robinson
On Saturday, the senior women’s top 4 represented the University of York in Tees Head. The gruelling 5k course in wind, heavy rain, and a borrowed boat, was tackled by Hannah Kirton, Charlotte Bentley, Katharina Auersperg and Lara Wainwright, with cox Ngaio Simpson – a team that managed to secure a respectable second place.
Conditions on the river Tees were far from ideal, as choppy waters and pouring rain threatened to derail the hopes of York. All the competitors were soaked before they even got out onto the water, yet still there was a palpable excitement in the atmosphere as a very optimistic crew took to their oars.
Without putting off potential recruits the head race is one of the most gruelling challenges that any rower can undertake. Going flat out in a sprint takes around 20 minutes, give or take some discrepancy for the conditions. The pain experienced in these races cannot be described to those who have not experienced it. So this result is testament to all the gruelling work put in by the girls on those cold, wet and windy Yorkshire mornings.
Head races are essentially time-trials in which the each boat’s start is staggered by 30 seconds. The race also included teams from up to two categories above them as well as quads and doubles of ‘skulling’ rowers (with each competitor has two blades instead of one), rendering the girls’ achievement rather more spectacular. Against all odds the girls showed true grit and determination coming in second place out of eleven boats. York was only narrowly beaten by Northumbria University; a team who had enjoyed at least 5 extra weeks of training. Our University came in at over 20 seconds faster than our nearest rivals, Durham University’s Hatfield College who came in third. Senior women’s captain Sophie Mottram remarked that she was ‘extremely proud’ with the result.
And it certainly bodes well for UYBC and after such an impressive start to the season big things are quite rightly expected of the team, particularly with the senior women’s squad growing in numbers from the latest intake in fresher’s fair. So watch out for one of York’s most improved teams.