Sports highlights: End of term

Thursday 14 December 2023

The following highlights from various sports clubs and teams were compiled from recent reports. If any captains or team members have a result that you'd like to feature in the next round-up, please contact comms@caths.cam.ac.uk.

Rowing

The Fairbairn Cup (known affectionately as Fairbairns) is a head race on the River Cam in Cambridge that is traditionally held during the ninth week of the Michaelmas Term with divisions for both novice and senior crews. This year saw the St Catharine’s senior men finish eleventh and our senior women came second – the best result ever at Fairbairns for our women in an eight. The novice boats were trying out new combinations and gaining racing experience, with the novices finishing 20^th and the women 28^th (an unfortunate crash cost them a minute and 17 places). Thanks to support from alumni, the Boat Club was able to field a four of former and current members in the women’s race, which finished in eleventh place. Well done to everyone representing the College!

The mixed alumni-student women's boat (photo by Hillary Qiu, second-year Natural Sciences undergraduate)	The women's crew with alumnus David Cruttenden (1967, Mechanical Sciences) (photo by Hillary Qiu, second-year Natural Sciences undergraduate)
The mixed alumni-student women's boat (photo by Hillary Qiu, second-year Natural Sciences undergraduate)	The men's eight (photo by Hillary Qiu, second-year Natural Sciences undergraduate)

Seven St Catharine’s students rowed for Cambridge University Boat Club in the Trial 8s:

Crew	St Catharine’s student	Outcome
Women’s openweight “Mufasa”	5 seat: Clare Hole (2020, Natural Sciences), an alumna who has returned for an MPhil in Population Health Studies	Won against “Saraba”
Men’s openweight “Hansel”	2: Nikita Zoglo, a final-year Natural Sciences undergraduate 3: Joe Holey, Maths PhD student Stroke: Matt Edge (2018, Natural Sciences), an alumnus to returned for a Chemistry PhD	Lost to “Zoolander”
Men’s lightweight “Greatorex”	3: William Liu, a final-year Natural Sciences undergraduate	Won against "Bates"
Men’s lightweight “Bates”	6: Tom Heppel, a third-year Psychological & Behavioural Sciences undergraduate 7: Lewis Gray, a second-year Geography undergraduate	Lost to “Greatorex”

The Trial 8s are essentially a dress rehearsal for the 2024 Boat Race on 30 March, which (normally!) enables the squads to test themselves on the full Boat Race course from Putney to Mortlake. There were some fantastic races on 13 December but difficult conditions meant that the men’s openweight race had a shortened course and both lightweight races had to be postponed until 14 December.

Skiing

The Cuppers skiing competition was held during the Varsity Ski Trip in Tignes, France, in December 2023. St Catharine’s dominated the giant slalom relay race, with two teams dispatching their opposition in earlier rounds to reach an all-Catz Cambridge final, which was which was “comfortably” won by the first team (nicknamed the Pole Dancers). (The Kittbag)

Lacrosse

The St Catharine’s mixed lacrosse team topped Division 1 at the end of Michaelmas term, the third consecutive league victory for the club. Their opposition (St John's) for the final match of the term failed to materialise so the team maintained a clean sweep this season. (University of Cambridge Sport)