Students brave the weather for the 2012 BUCS Head
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 |
For a selection of images from the 2012 BUCS Head, visit Rowing Photography.