BUCS points galore for ICBC in Boston

ICBC’s high performance contingent made the ever dreary trip to Boston on Saturday 9th February and came out with some good results, hopefully putting them in the mixer for international selection this year. BUCS small boats head was also incorporated into the GB trials, so Imperial athletes were racing for Sport Imperial glory as well!

IC’s London 2012 Olympian Mel Wilson picked up maximum BUCS points and finished 11th in the Women’s trials, whilst Sport Imperial stalwart Zoë Lee finished 14th in the same race. Zoë has now been invited to row with the GB squad at Caversham. Helen Wood and Leonora Kennedy came in 17th and 19th respectively whilst Clio Aubugeau-Williams came 11th of the women’s under 23s.

Wilf Kimberley is a dab hand at this trials business after years of representing GB, and he was the quickest under 23 lightweight of the day (and 11th lightweight overall). He also came 2nd in the BUCS rankings. After Ben Spencer-Jones’ spectacular Sculler’s Head performance, pressure was on to follow it up with another strong row in the single. He finished 8th of the under 23 heavyweight men and 4th in BUCS, just missing out on the ‘perfect’ set of bronze BUCS medals in every boat discipline. There is always next year Ben! Another sculler’s head all-star Georgie Phillips had a good row, picking up the BUCS bronze medal. Lightweight Myles Holborough was the 9th placed under 23 and 6th in BUCS. Paul Jones and Tim Richards both struggled with illness and injury coming into the trials and finished 35th and 36th respectively in the lightweight category.

Sam Scrimgeour has been spending much of the 2012-13 season training with the lightweight big deals away from ICBC, but in Imperial colours he finished 9th overall. Ex-IC rowers Adam Freeman-Pask and Jamie Kirkwood finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. I don’t want to take too much credit but I taught Jamie almost everything he knows.

The evening commenced with Captain Spencer-Jones’ 21st birthday bash; with embarrassing stories and a fully stocked bar, the night was always going to be messy. Those who made it to Fez club in Putney witnessed Matt Whaley’s ice cold persona getting thrown out the window when the Baywatch theme tune was dropped. The biggest light-up dance floor in Europe (allegedly) witnessed some killer moves, the likes of which may never have been seen outside Caius College, Cambridge.

BUCS big boat head has been rearranged at Boston next weekend, so the poor residents will have to put up with Imperial stinky banter for another weekend.