Blues swimmers sink to Varsity defeat
LAST WEEKEND saw OUSC's final fixture of this year – The 2005 Ernst and Young Varsity match. The team were hopeful of overcoming the Light Blues' home advantage, though Cambridge have excelled in recent performances, demolishing the opposition at friendly galas and gaining a very creditable sixth place in the BUSA southern competition last term.
With an almost unprecedented crowd well in excess of 500 at Parkside, the atmosphere for the 102nd such swimming Varsity match was perhaps the best ever. The level of support was certainly felt by the teams involved and the atmosphere boded well for a good day's competition. From the very first event it was clear that Cambridge were on top form, displaying the talent that has put them in the top three university teams this year.
Despite Matthew Fox and Juliet Tompkins, among others, being well within their respective Blues times, the 2000m event saw Cambridge take the early points lead, before the schedule moved onto individual strokes. There were a number of competent performances, particularly from Phil Jordan in the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle, as well as from Andy Roberts and Dave Baines in the 100m breastroke – all comfortably inside their full-Blues times.
Club President Gemma Tinson won her 100m backstroke with the typical sparkling performance OUSC has come to expect in recent years from one of its most consistent and skilled swimmers. Juliet Tompkins and Aly Rowell then went further and proceeded to stun the home support, clinching an impressive one-two in the women's 200m freestyle with Cambridge nowhere in sight.
At the half-way stage the women were only two points behind, whilst the men trailed by 12 – courtesy of two dubious starting qualifications on the 100m butterfly. As women's captain Grace Marshall urged the side on, the atmosphere suddenly intensified after some close finishes on both sides in the 100m breaststroke and 100m freestyle, before an aweinspiring display from Cambridge in the 400m relay saw them land a second university record of the day.
Although the Varsity match was now won, Oxford kept fighting right to the end, culminating in an impressive effort from the women's freestyle relay team. The men's team put in a similarly determined performance, but despite being only two seconds outside their own record were still narrowly beaten. Despite this final disappointment, the season has been a good one for the Oxford squad, with some outstanding individual BUSA performances making for a potentially promising squad for next season.
17th Feb 2005