Varsity IInds-IVths 2007
By James Kelly
For most of the Hare & Hounds, the trip to Shotover for the IInds-IVths Varsity Match represented the pinnacle of Michaelmas term competition, and it was with due excitement that the runners boarded the coaches to meet their Dark Blue rivals. A cold wind greeted their arrival, and unfortunately foreshadowed a difficult day for the Cambridge contingent, which was vanquished 4-1 by the hosts.
With the hilly Shotover course providing Oxford with a considerable home course advantage, the task that faced the Light Blues was always destined to be difficult. But a strong start from the Spartans in the Men's IInds Match suggested that the disadvantage could be overcome.
The Cambridge eight, joined only by Oxford's Martin Bishop, led as the race entered the gruelling forested section of the course. Oxford's steadier starting pace saw them move through the field, but it was Cambridge's impressive fresher duo of Tim Pattison (Downing) and Robin Brown (Jesus) who led Bishop and the rest of the field into the second lap. Brown began to suffer with a chest problem, leaving Bishop and Pattison to contest victory. Ultimately the experienced Oxfordian held off his younger rival, but the Varsity Match debuts for both King Spartan Pattison (2nd) and Brown (4th) were nothing short of outstanding. Jamie Brunning (Jesus) might have misjudged the position of the finish line, but he timed his finish to near-perfection, overhauling two Oxford athletes in the final stages to claim 7th place. The Cambridge scorers were rounded out by Joe Stevick (Wolfson, 10th), David Lock (Trinity Hall, 12th) and Diarmuid Ó Séaghdha (Corpus, 13th). Alas, the spirited performances of the Spartans were trumped by Oxford, who won the match by 32-48.
The Oxford victories in the IInds Match were unfortunately repeated in the IIIrds competition. Ex-Hare & Hound Matt Sims quickly established a lead, and produced an impressive and confident performance to win ahead of teammate Nick Juravich. John Redshaw (Trinity Hall, 4th), with one week of training behind him, bravely tracked Sims for the first lap. As he started to fade he was joined by James Gill (Hughes Hall), who paced himself superbly to lead Redshaw home in 3rd place. The result of the race was in doubt, as the Cambridge pack, consisting of James Chettle (Clare, 7th), Lee Harper (Clare, 8th), Oliver Turvey (Fitzwilliam, 9th) and Ben Stevens (Trinity Hall, 10th), arrived at the finish en masse before the two remaining Oxford scorers crossed the line. Ultimately, though, Oxford's strength at the top of the field secured a 37-41 win over the Barbarians.
The six Cheetahs sought to reverse Cambridge's fortunes in the Women's IInds Match, but the relatively inexperienced squad faced a strong Oxford team. Indeed, the Oxford women, in the shape of Carolyn Plateau, Julia Lange and Hannah Bowe, claimed all of the podium positions. Angharad Porteous (Jesus, 6th) was Queen Cheetah, with Stella Deakin (Girton, 8th), Alex Bell (Selwyn, 9th), and Sabrina Verjee (St. Edmund's, 10th) completing the scoring positions. A final score of 10-33 did not do justice to the commitment of the women and the way in which they coped with the increasingly difficult conditions. Porteous and Deakin in particular distinguished themselves in their first battle with Shotover, laying the foundations for future Varsity Match success.
A good turnout for the Women's IIIrds Mob Match provided a solid base from which to attack Oxford's hold on the day's events. Helen Mort and Women's Captain Harriet Owles (Selwyn) led the early charge. Owles, gamely competing in spite of a long-standing injury that has prevented training for the entire term, reached the summit of the final hill in 2nd place, but robbed of her customary finishing strength she finished 5th, two places ahead of Mort and four ahead of Alice Fraser (Sidney), the second Gazelle to score. The Oxford triumph, 236-359, overshadowed a number of excellent performances by the Gazelles, who braved the strengthening wind and chilling dampness to compete for Cambridge.
Therefore it fell upon the Trojans to secure a win for Cambridge on the day in the Men's IVths Mob Match. An early lead for Jason Wray (Darwin) stretched the field, but it was the Oxford pack that was first to respond. On the second lap, race winner David Taylor and three teammates overhauled Wray, who ultimately finished 4th and at the head of a group containing Chasz Coulsting (Fitzwilliam, 5th) and Ed Dickins (Peterhouse, 6th). Despite Oxford's presence at the front of the race, the Cambridge pack dominated the middle. With the Trojans spurring each other on, responding to vocal support, sprinting past their Dark Blue rivals in the closing stages and streaming across the finish line, the outcome of the race was finely poised. It was necessary to draft in computers to help establish that Cambridge had won by a margin of 797-811 and so had salvaged Light Blue pride.
Despite the disappointment of a difficult day at Shotover, the Hare & Hounds have a chance for redemption in the Blues Varsity Match on 1 December at Wimbledon Common. With two in-form teams and the promise of hoards of passionate supporters, the club is well-positioned to defend last year's victories.