Students brave the weather for the 2012 BUCS Head

February 24, 2012

Over 1500 students braved blustery conditions at the weekend for the 2012 BUCS Fours and Eights Head.

Roughly 600 students took part in Saturday’s beginner races, battling strong, gusting winds as they raced the 2500m course upstream along the River Nene, Peterborough.

Despite the inclement conditions, crews from Durham, Bristol, Southampton Solent and Newcastle’s beginners all managed to claim medals, and there were plenty of smiles amidst the struggles.

By Sunday ferocious winds had given way to glorious sunshine in time for the Championship events, and more than 50 universities played their part in a tremendous day of racing.

Durham, Newcastle, Reading, and Imperial College crews enjoyed the lion’s share of the gold medals, but they didn’t have it all their own way as crews from 13 other universities muscled in on the medal positions across the weekend.

Newcastle’s Championship Eight was the only crew to break the 12 minute barrier this year, completing the 4500m course in 11 minutes and 56.1 seconds.

The eight – which included World Rowing Junior Championship medallist George Rossiter – secured gold at the expense of fierce rivals Durham and Imperial, whose crews finished in second and third place respectively.

In the women’s Championship Eights, Reading University triumphed in some style – finishing 15 seconds clear of the competition.

The victory was one of many for the Reading women’s crews, who also took gold medals from the Championship Coxed Fours, Quadruple Sculls, and Lightweight Coxless Fours.

Reading’s impressive tally of four gold medals took them up to third in the overall table, as Durham finished comfortably clear of second-placed Newcastle with 15 medals (five gold) across the weekend’s three divisions.

See below for a full list of results from the 2012 BUCS Fours and Eights Head.

			Gold	Silver	Bronze
1	Men’s Beginner 8s	MB8+	DUR	BRIS	SOL
2	Women’s Beginner Coxed Fours	WB4+	DUR	BRIS	NEWC
3	Women’s Beginner 8s	WB8+	n/a	n/a	n/a
4	Men’s Beginner Coxed Fours	MB4+	n/a	n/a	n/a
5	Men’s Championship Quads	MC4x	UEL	LOUGH	DUR
6	Men’s Championship Coxless Fours	MC4-	DUR	NEWC	IMP
7	Men’s Championship Coxed Fours	MC4+	NEWC	DUR	SOTON
8	Men’s Lightweight Coxless Fours	MLwt4-	IMP	READ	NOTTS
9	Women’s Championship Eights	WC8+	READ	DUR	NEWC
10	Women’s Intermediate Eights	WI8+	DUR	WAR	READ
11	Men’s Intermediate Coxed Fours	MI4+	NEWC	YORK	DUR
12	Women’s Lightweight Quads	WLwt4x	SOTON	READ	NEWC
13	Men’s Championship Eights	MC8+	NEWC	DUR	IMP
14	Men’s Intermediate Eights	MI8+	NEWC	DUR	LON
15	Men’s Lightweight Quads	MLwt4x	IMP	NOTTS	DUR
16	Women’s Championship Quads	WC4x	READ	NEWC	DUR
17	Women’s Championship Coxless Fours	WC4-	DUR	EXE	BIRM
18	Women’s Lwt Coxless Fours	WLwt4-	READ	EXE	DUR
19	Women’s Championship Coxed Fours	WC4+	READ	IMP	DUR
20	Women’s Intermediate Coxed Fours	WI4+	WAR	CARD	SWAN