As you may well know, rowing is an important sport at Oxford University.
A Bumps Race is a rowing race taking place over several days in which crews start lined up along the river at set intervals, and all start at the same time. The aim is to catch up with the boat in front, and avoid being caught by the boat behind. If a crew overtakes or makes physical contact with the crew ahead, a bump is awarded.
The starting order of each day's competition is based on the previous day's results. Any boat that has been bumped starts behind the boat or boats that caught it, whereas a boat which reaches the finish line without either bumping or being bumped is said to have 'rowed over' and stays in the same position.
The objective is to gradually progress up the start order day by day by bumping. Typically the first day's starting position is based on the final positions from the previous year, though in lower divisions the boats may be placed according to qualifying races held a few days before the event. (This allows colleges to introduce new crews, hoping that they will move up into the fixed divisions.)
The ultimate achievement in these competitions is to bump up a place (or more) on each of the four days; a crew achieving this is said to have won its 'blades'. Traditionally members of such a crew purchase a rowing oar in the crew colours and inscribed with the crew names to hang on their wall, though today some purchase a miniature replica for reasons of practicality. 'Blades' are also awarded to the crew that finishes first in the overall order; such a crew is said to be 'Head of the River'. Crews that go down four places are awarded the wooden spoon, and the bottom crew at the end of the competition is known as the 'Tail of the River'. See for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumps_race
Trinity College crews proudly display their blades by painting them on the college walls. The paintings fade over the years until they disappear.
True Colors Thursday's meme is hosted at Poopsie's place.
Today's color is BLUE.
Yaaayyy, you found some! Very interesting blues, I especially love the icy blue in the first.
ReplyDeleteIs it still snowing? We have it very mild at the moment, feels like Spring :o)
Slobbers xx
Gawd you were fast with commenting, I posted it and immediately changed a couple of things again, so it was only up for a minute or so.
ReplyDeleteIt almost stopped snowing now. So, I'm going to muck out the stables first and then decide if I'm joining the meme.
Hugs x
A variation on messing about on the river...don't remind me!
ReplyDeleteCan you belive the word verification is ROWNWRO ...
Jinksy, LOL
ReplyDeletethere must be someone reading all the posts thinking of fitting word verifications, this can't be a coincidence ;-)
Welcome on board to True Colours Thursday.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I do have to smile broadly @ your blue post, as I actually live in OXFORD, within walking distance of Trinity & the river.
The colleges & Isis feature frequetly in my posts.
Torpids the Spring rowing event starts next week, I'll be there watching.
Best wishes
Blue
What an interesting post for the blue theme!!
ReplyDeleteFascinating post! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBlue, I'm so jealous now ;-)
ReplyDeleteMar, thanks
Leatherdykeuk, you're welcome
The Blues have it.
ReplyDeleteAileni, they do! Do they?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tradition! Rowing is pretty big in Canadian colleges and university's as well, although I confess to not following it that closely, (unless it's an olympic year... the only time I am a true athletic patriot... oh, and for hockey season of course!). Going to check out the True Colours blog now.. what a great idea!
ReplyDeleteJewels, there are so many great memes in Blogland ;-)
ReplyDeleteCouple of things interested me here. For one, I believe my brother-in-law did a few semesters at Trinity. I'll have to ask him to refresh my memory. Second, my paternal great grandfather won many trophies rowing (sculling) in the 1800's, so any stories concerning it interest me.
ReplyDeleteSuldog, wonderful that you even know your great grandfather used to row.
ReplyDeleteI hardly know anything about my grandfathers, let alone about my great grandfathers or further down the line.
Oxford is a very special and beautiful place and I really liked the stay at Trinity College (although the bed was absolutely horrible!!!!!, the rest made up for it ;-))
Very good post for the Blue Theme, and interesting!
ReplyDeleteT, thanks!
ReplyDeleteInteresting Blue post. I bet it is lovely to watch. It is a shame the the paintings disappear.
ReplyDeletesorry should say *that the* not the the...lol
ReplyDeleteSamantha and Holly and Zac, LOL, I was just thinking: "what does she mean? The the? Huh?"
ReplyDelete;-)
lol... i must remember to read and check before i hit send! :-/
ReplyDeleteI haven't made it to very many of the ABC Wednesday blogs that I wanted to look at tonight, because I keep learning such interesting things in your posts.. shame on you for being a fun and interesting blogger..
ReplyDeletepretty blues!
ReplyDeleteSamantha, Holly ánd Zac, yes
ReplyDeleteLOL Although that might not help, I always check befóre I hit send, and I always see the mistakes áfter ;-)
pictureeachday, oops, sorry ;-)
magiceye, thanks ;-)
This is a fascinating post. I love your pictures, and all of the information (which was news to me!) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDragonstar, gosh, thanks! And I saw you joined the bunch of crazy people that are my 'followers'. Welcome! Hope you will not be disappointed ;-)
ReplyDelete