Summer Eights

The last few days have been the Summer Eights - the University's summer bumping races. It's a wonderful spectacle and after Tom's training this morning I stayed at the club to watch the seventh division which was far from serious. My favourite crew were dressed as pirates complete with inflatable palm tree . They somehow failed to steer into the gut and crashed into the island.  I popped back late afternoon for the other end of the spectrum - the women's and men's finals with the very best of University oarsmen and women - a few internationals and Olympians amongst them. This is the women just after the gun starting their final.  I stayed to see Oriel win the men's final and row back to their boathouse victorious to be sprayed by champagne as other crews who'd won blades threw their coxes into the river before all jumping in themselves. There will be a long night of partying. A great spectacle to watch....  Next year I must try and arrange a blipmeet, complete with Pimms