Exon. - Exeter College - University of Oxford

Exeter College Sport
Another exciting year for Exeter with achievements in a wide range of sports. Team members tell us of their progress.
Rugby
Rowing
BY Jessica Houlgrave,
ECBC President 2009–10
(2007, Economics and
Management)
The year began with an excellent term
of novice rowing in which ECBC,
sponsored by Parthenon, fielded seven
boats into the annual Christchurch
regatta. The Men’s Novice A boat
narrowly lost to a tough St Peter’s crew
in the final, and the Women’s Novice A
boat made the last 16.
Persistent rain throughout Hilary Term
meant the Isis was largely unrowable,
but nevertheless, all crews trained
furiously both on and off the water in the
build up to Torpids. The women’s side of
the boat club was the most successful
on the river with each boat rising five
places on the river and winning blades,
putting Exeter’s women firmly in the first
division. The men’s third boat managed
to bump their way into a fixed division,
the second boat finished fourth highest
second boat, while the men’s firsts
BY Samuel Hitchings (2007, Literae Humaniores)
fought hard and finished the week down
one. A week later, Exeter was the only
college to enter two boats into the
Women’s Head of the River race, giving
the girls their first taste of rowing on the
tideway, an experience re-lived a few
weeks later when 19 of Exeter’s finest
women rowed 140km from Wallingford
to Putney.
Trinity was a term of intense training
for all of Exeter’s six eights, and beautiful
weather in Eights week meant the event
was a highlight of the term for all
concerned. The men’s second boat
bumped their way into the third division
while the first boat bumped Keble. The
women’s first boat went down one,
but the second boat fared better and
once again went up four places to
win blades.
The women went on to compete at
Henley Women’s Regatta while some of
Exeter’s best men competed at Henley
Royal together with Balliol College.
ECBC looks forward to another great
year on the water.
Last year was one of
mixed fortunes for Exeter
rugby, but promised great
things for the future. At our training in
Freshers’ week, the first years
demonstrated exceptional quality in
droves, and it was unfortunate that
several were forced to miss many matches
because of clashes with their science
labs. Despite this setback, with most of
last year’s team still present we played
with confidence and spirit. In the first
round of matches, we showed ourselves
generally equal to the competition. It was
most satisfying to see that in the crunch
game against Turl Street rivals Lincoln, to
determine who would stay in the third
division, the boys stepped up their game
and won a thrilling encounter 15-11. The
second round was unfortunately less
successful, the highlight being an
agonisingly close 15-10 defeat at
Worcester. We will therefore start in
Division Four in October, although swift
promotion looks likely. Our Cuppers
campaign was inhibited by the loss of
players to Torpids and Rugby League
Varsity, and we eventually lost in the
Bowl to Merton/Mansfield, who would go
on to reach the final of that competition.
However, we finished the season in style
with an epic Old Boys match, which the
alumni only just won, 47-43.
Quentin MacFarlane, who unfortunately
played his last season for Exeter, and
Charles Rowe, who fortunately has two
more to go, both represented Oxford at
the Rugby League Varsity Match and
always played superbly for Exeter.
Special mention must also be made
of reliable departing veterans Joe Haley
and Oli Gordon. With so few leaving and
those who were first-year scientists able
to commit to rugby in the coming season,
great and exciting things must be
expected of ECRFC for 2009–10.
www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/alumni EXON Autumn 2009 17