IM2 4+ champion Ben Anstiss reports on another successful weekend of racing for IC.

Kingston Head of the River 2010: Kingston Head is a bit like the Danny DeVito to the Head of the River Race’s Arnold Schwarzenegger; a bit shorter, a bit smaller and a week earlier, but still good fun nonetheless. Split into two divisions on Saturday 20th April 2010, the first for eights and the second for fours and quads, the beginner novice 8 and the Vespoli crew (minus Carlos, who was believed to be at a George Michael tribute weekend) arrived at Kingston rowing club at 8:30am. As neither crew is racing the HORR next weekend, this was their last chance to get some racing in before training camp, BUCS and the onslaught of the summer regatta season.

Women’s Eights Head of the River Race 2010 (THE HEAD): ICBC’s Mel Wilson, Lenny Kennedy, Ro Bradbury & POD’s lycra became Head of the River in a composite 8+ (Gloucester/IC/Marlow/Reading Uni./Thames/UL) at WEHORR this weekend. They won by 20 seconds (18:10.67) over nearest rivals and hotly tipped Leander Club (18:30.39). The GB crew was stroked by triple Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger and have been training out of ICBC and coached by IC’s Steve Trapmore in the run up to the Head. The Imperial club first 8+ came 15th overall (19:31.16) while the alumni composite came close-by in 18th (19.34.9).

SNOWDON ROWING CHALLENGE 2010: “…and I shit other people’s crushed dreams.”  ICBC Captain Leo Carrington was taking no prisoners in preparation for the Snowdon Rowing Challenge in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Lord Snowdon’s coxing of the 1950 Boat Race. Taking place in London’s Porchester Hall, it was open to six of the top rowing universities in the country: Cambridge, Imperial, Brookes, Oxford, Reading & UL.

BUCS Beginner and Championship Head 2010: IC scooped 106 BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport, formerly BUSA) points at this years Championship and Beginner’s Head. There was gold for the LM4x, MC4+ & WC4+, silver for the WC4x & LM4- and bronze for the MC4- & MB8+, as well as several other top ten placings. Most students doubled and even tripled up in crews, racing down the 5km head course against the stream on Peterborough’s Nene River in snowy conditions.

Winter Training Camp 2010: Still nursing headaches from Chewy’s New Year’s Eve “definitely the last time” Party, squad members piled into the gym on January 2nd to see what Head Coach Steve Trapmore had been planning over his turkey dinner. Despite thoroughly enjoying her NYE Jagermeister shots, it was with deep regret that POD found herself staring at an erg screen with 18km to go; session 1 of 3 for the day, day 1 of 10. The camp follows on from last year’s introduction that accelerated crews back into training after the holidays.

Scullers' Head of the River 2009: Overall winner Jamie Kirkwood (U23.ELI.1x and HEAD OF THE RIVER) collected his prize at Vesta Rowing Club along with fellow club members and category winners Rachael Davies (W.SEN.LWT.1x), Henry Goodier (NOV.1x) and George Whittaker (IM3.1x). Here they are pictured with category winner (W.IM2.1x) and ex-IC rower Nicky Smith and ICBC Head Coach Steve Trapmore.

Gareth Brown reports on the ICBC Annual Novice Head...

As the snow fell around the boat house, ICBC’s new recruits prepared themselves for the 2^nd Annual Imperial College Boat Club Novice Head of the River Race. The 2.5km head race between St Paul’s School boat house and Imperial College Towers was organised for a 3pm start on the fast flowing outgoing tide.

Scullers' Head of the River 2009: Jamie Alexander Kirkwood has become Head of the River after winning outright over the 4 ¼ mile tideway race from Chiswick to Putney. The U23 elite lightweight sculler takes the title from last year's winner GB sculler Alan Campbell. Imperial won four pennants (U23.ELI.1x, IM3.1x, NOV.1x & W.SEN.LWT.1x), had five 2nd placings (IM3.1x, IM2.LWT.1x, W.ELI.1x, W.IM2.1x & W.SEN.1x), and three 3rd placings (ELI.LWT.1x, IM2.1x, W.IM3.1x) as well as nearly all IC competitors finishing in the top 10 in their categories.