CCAT Boat Club

CCAT Boat Club (usually said as "sea cat") is the rowing club for members of Anglia Ruskin University. The name "CCAT" derives from a former name for the University, the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, which is abbreviated to CCAT. The boat club has chosen to retain the name CCAT for historical reasons. It was once thought the club would lose its positions in the bumps races if the name were changed, but that is urban legend (as is the notion that a club must retain 'college' in its name).

History

Although not affiliated with Cambridge University, CCAT have rowed in the Lent and May Bumps since the 1980s as a guest club. CCAT first put a men's crew on in 1988 in both events, and has risen quickly to lie in the middle of the 2nd division in both sets of bumps races, although recent progress has been a little slower. The women first appeared in the May Bumps in 1983 and Lent Bumps in 1984, but have only had a continuous presence since 1987 in both events. CCAT 1st women rose to take a place in the bottom of the 1st division in the late 1990s in the Lent Bumps, but since faded to the middle of the 2nd division. However, in Lent Bumps 2007, CCAT 1st Women were awarded blades (up four) and currently sit in the sixth position of the second division. In the May Bumps, CCAT 1st women rose to get into the 1st division only for two days in 2002, and have now fallen to the top of the 2nd division (position 3).

Incidentally, the highest places CCAT crews have achieved in their brief presence in the May Bumps are as follows:
M1 - 24th
W1 - 17th
M2 - 65th
W2 - 44th
M3 - 91
W3 - 57

CCAT crews also participate in other races and regattas throughout the year--on and off the River Cam. Some off-Cam locations include: Beford, Peterborough, and London, where crews have enjoyed numerous success over the recent years. CCAT 1st Women won the ARA Novice 8+ Plate Competition in Bedford Regatta 2006, and both the 1st Men and 1st Women won the Sunday Novice 8+ races at Peterborough Regatta 2006, with CCAT women taking first, second, and third place in the final. In 2007 Peterborough Regatta, CCAT enjoyed particular success with the Men and Women's 1st VIIIs winning their Senior 4 8+ events on Saturday, and the 2nd Women's VIII winning their Novice 8+ event on Sunday. As well, the 1st Women finished 97th out of 274 crews from across the UK and Europe in the Women's Eights Head of the River Race in London in 2006.

Currently, CCAT boat club rents space at the Emmanuel College Boathouse, with a fleet consisting of five VIIIs.

Lent Bumps 2007

CCAT entered five crews (3 women, 2 men) into the event. However, the third women failed to 'get-on' and subsequently did not race.

Results:
1st Women: Blades
2nd Women: Down 3
1st Men: Spoons
2nd Men: Down 1

May Bumps 2007

Last year, CCAT crews managed to secure a permanent place for all five crews entered. This year, CCAT entered a Men's 3rd VIII to the Getting on Race. They have successfully qualified, making it only the third time in CCAT history for the club to have six crews in the May Bumps (1994, 1996).

2007 Results:

M1- +/- 0 (rowed over every day at the top of the second division) Finish position: 25/94

M2- + 4 (BLADES) Finish position: 75/94

M3- +/- 0 (Rowed over, got bumped, bumped, rowed over) Finish position: 91/94

W1- +3 (overbumped, got bumped, rowed over, bumped) Finish position: 20/75

W2- +3 (rowed over, bumped, bumped, bumped) Finish position: 46/75

W3- +1 (got bumped, bumped, rowed over, bumped, rowed over) Finish position: 68/75

References

* Durack, John; Gilbert, George; Marks, Dr. John (2000). "The Bumps: An Account of the Cambridge University Bumping Races 1827-1999" ISBN 0-9538475-1-9
* CUCBC (various years) - Lent and May Bumps programmes.
* [http://www.mcshane.org/bumps/ Bumps Charts Archive 1992-2004]

External links

* [http://www.ccatbc.com/ CCAT Boat Club]