Cambridge Trial Eights

Last updated 13/12/96

The verdict went to Guilt by a length and two-thirds, steered by the British Olympic women's eight cox Suzie Ellis. On the Middlesex station Ellis got the better of this year's Blue boat cox Kevin Whyman, constantly trying to bore him off the tide and unsettling his crew more than her own by 'knitting' blades for most of the way to Duke's Meadows. Guilt's No 7, Christian Brun, frequently touched blades with Innocence's No 3, Paul Cunningham. 'Suzie was keen on getting to where she thought the tide was,' said umpire Guy Pooley. She was as close to disqualification as she could get without invoking it, and gave Innocence rough water off Guilt's blades all the way. She was dead ahead at the finish.

A small margin and fast time should not send punters racing to the bookies. The tide was stronger than for Oxford on Monday. Guilt was a clean crew with a smooth stern four including freshman Alex Story from Britain's Atlanta eight and three of 1996's outstanding Goldie crew. The other crew, stroked by the Canadian Olympian Brad Crombie and containing the president, Ethan Ayer, the only Blue, is probably faster in flat water. Most of the squad is grown on the Cam in contrast to the pedigree of many of the Oxford men.

Guilt

Innocence

© Copyright Chris Dodd, 1996.