Lincoln boated from Quintin Boat Club at Mortlake for Women’s Eights Head of the River Race (WEHoRR) on Saturday, 5 March 2016. Overcast, cold, and windy conditions made for some rough water during the warm-up and marshalling. As Lincoln started the race, hail and rain made for harsh conditions, but the boat powered through, pushing up the rate to 34 before settling down onto a race rhythm of 32 strokes per minute. By Barnes Bridge, not only was the weather clearing, but Lincoln was coming up on the two crews ahead and passed both shortly after the bridge. With boosted confidence, they overtook a third crew before Chiswick Eyot, keeping a firm rhythm through the halfway mark. Boat stopping crabs, saw the crew winding up rate and rhythm through the second half of the course, and the rowers persisted in keeping on with a lively and offensive race. Through the last 1k, Lincoln were locked in a battle with another boat, pushing on them and taking up the rate through to the finish at Putney.
Lincoln placed 104th and was the second fastest Oxford college crew. We were delighted to field a boat mixed with veteran and novice rowers, who had the opportunity to prove their fitness and take part in this significant women’s rowing race.
Crew: Elliot Thornton (cox), Leah Rand, Eleanor McKay, Ellie Jaques, Jess Philips, Maxie Scheske, Claire Hammet, Ros Goldrick, and Carrie Talbot.