Ron Lowe (UBBC 1965-1968) wrote to share the story of a UBBC victory at the Southern Universities Regatta 50 years ago today:

On 18th Feb 1967, UBBC competed in the Southern Universities regatta at Reading. The attached photo is of the crew who won the 2nd VIII trophy.

Crew as photo: Left to right

Dave Jones (3), John Sharpe (5), Pete Hepworth (6), Ron Lowe (bow)
Kevin Wood (2), John Biskupski (7), Pete Dawes (Stroke), John Filor (4)
Cox Jim Smith

It is scary to think that it was half a century ago! I can still remember rowing at bow and pulling past Reading Uni 2nd VIII to win by 3/4 length.

We had a row against the 1st VIII next morning and they couldn't catch us!

We used to row from Saltford in Autumn Term, then move to St Anne's to the Bristol Ariel clubhouse for Spring term as the course available was longer. The disadvantage was that it was just upstream of several factories. The paper mill added a fine mush to the river and the tar factory an iridescent sheen and distinctive smell to the lower half of the HOR course. The bend by the boathouse was a coxing challenge and several visiting boats would crash each year.

The Exeter HOR was held on the canal with 3 narrow bridges which could not be rowed through as the blades had to be shipped and one was on a right-angled bend where occasionally a crew would get stuck across the course stopping the race. Also, immediately past the finish there was a low narrow bridge under the Exeter by-pass as it then was. so one had to ship blade and duck head instantly after crossing the line at full speed.