Our last Griffin is one of the many ‘lasts’ we’re experiencing at the moment, and marks one step closer to finals and graduation. It’s safe to say we are not looking forward to being kicked out into the real world, and for those of you working on a similar act of running away from responsibilities, this term’s Griffin is packed with lots of grade-A procrastination material. Get Spotify-ing Arjun Sajip’s mixtape playlist (pg. 18), or dream of summer travels inspired by Ellie Jeffrey and Laura-Jane Taylor’s years abroad (pg. 6) We couldn’t resist a bit of nostalgia, and there are plenty of snaps of Downing to flick through (pg. 16) alongside Caroline Wierzejska’s review of Cambridge’s various formal halls (pg. 14), and a look back at the success of Downing Drama in their brilliant production of Gatsby (p.g. 2).
It is also important to look ahead, and we’re determined to make the most of our time left at Cambridge by following Claire Elford’s advice on things to do around town (p.g. 4). Beyond our own graduation, we look forward to seeing what the next generation of finalists can do, which promises quite a lot if Sarah Lombard’s plans for JCR presidency are anything to go by (p.g. 20). We hope you enjoy reading this Griffin as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together - we leave it in the capable hands of Ciara and Bridey, and look forward to reading next term’s edition with our undergraduate careers behind us...
Shannon Keegan
Kate Edwards
GATSBY? WHAT GATSBY? 2 Victoria Fell and Sarah Caulfield look back at Downing’s fantastic Lent term play
EXPLORING CAMBRIDGE
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Claire Elford lists her top 10 things to see and do before graduating
YEAR ABROAD TALES 6 Ellie Jeffrey and Laura-Jane Taylor update us on the highs and lows of their respective years abroad
FLORALS? FOR SPRING? GROUNDBREAKING
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We took the bait and went for a floral fashion shoot - but how could you resist with Downing’s grounds looking this spring-like?
FORMAL HALL REVIEWS
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SNAPS OF DOWNING
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SPRINGTIME LISTENING
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A NOTE FROM THE PREZ
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SPORT
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Back in her first year, Caroline Wierzejska set herself a ‘formal challenge’. Here, she chronicles - and rates - her adventures Photographs by Holly Hemming, Nick Schulman and Chris Tapper Arjun Sajip gives us a playlist for Easter procrastination
All hail our new JCR president, Sarah Lombard (she has an office and everything!)
photographs: Shannon Keegan
Summary: there was a lot, and we’re quite good at it.
Editors Shannon Keegan & Kate Edwards Template Tristan Dunn & Louise Benson Cover Image Kate Edwards & Shannon Keegan Back Cover Kate Edwards
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Lili, Sarah, Lewis and Zee have been an amazing team and Gatsby was an unbridled success (for comparison’s sake, our audience size would have sold out the Corpus Playroom every night). Gatsby has certainly not been the least stressful show I’ve been involved in(!) but it’s been one of my favourites, and to have such a talented, Downing-majority cast and crew was wonderful As a finalist, I am saying goodbye to Downing Dramatic Society this year, but on behalf of DDS, a big thank you to our supporters (especially Steve and Martin) and a debt of gratitude to fellow CoPresident Saul Boyer and Treasurer Extraordinaire Lian Wilkinson. I know the Committee next year will do a fantastic job. Dramatic sob and wave, Victoria Fell (Co-President, Downing Drama Society)
What makes a person mad enough to attempt something like Gatsby? I say ‘mad’ deliberately, because Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel is a masterpiece of imagery and characterisation where very little happens and, when it does, often happens off-script and between the lines. The decision to adapt The Great Gatsby occurred one night in the Downing bar. Trying to choose a play that would make the most of the ridiculously beautiful Howard Theatre, someone turned to me and said: “Why don’t we do The Great Gatsby? It’s out of copyright, after all.” This someone was Lewis Scott, who shortly later on in the evening became my producer, and proceeded over the course of various rehearsals and meetings to stun me with his pragmatism and competence. I said already that Fitzgerald’s novel isn’t an easy one to adapt; Issy Gately managed it in three weeks. Adaptation is in itself a form of translation and Issy’s play incorporates all the elements that I love about the story of Gatsby: the brittle artificiality about everyone and everything that shatters when you look twice, the ‘careless people who smashed up things and creatures’ that populate the story with all their elaborate fictions. It’s never good when the director falls ill; with Gatsby, it unfortunately happened twice. It’s here I have to thank Victoria Fell and Lili Thomas for helping me out on that front. Half the fun of Gatsby was working with such a brilliant cast and crew and it was a great privilege. The party’s over now, but it was a hell of a ride just being able to turn up. Sarah Caulfield (Director, The Great Gatsby)
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Exploring Cambridge
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The University Museums! There is something interesting for everyone at one of the many museums in Cambridge. I highly recommend the Arch & Anth Musuem and the Fitzwilliam.!
Emma Gardens! Emmanuel College gardens seem to have it all…ducks, lawns, flowerbeds, a lake, a sculpture, even an outdoor swimming pool! The ideal place for a post-exams picnic.!
ArcSoc Cabaret! As an architecture student, my opinion is probably slightly biased, but the huge 4 annual party run by the Architecture Society is certainly a unique and enjoyable (if slightly hipster) affair. Highlights include the transformed Union building and plenty of creative costumes!!
Fitzbillies! Beloved of Stephen Fry, this café near Pembroke is perfect for afternoon tea. Its original 1920s façade, famous Chelsea Buns and classy window displays are not to be missed!
Castle Mound! The distinct lack of Cambridge makes this rather small mound seem very exciting…a fun place to have a picnic in nice weather as the view is great!!
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More suggestions…Botanic Gardens, Cardboard Boat Race, College Cinemas
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10 things to see and do before you graduate
Grantchester! The walk to Grantchester takes about 45 minutes along the river. The scenery is idyllic and there are plenty of pubs and the famous Orchard Tea Garden to choose from once you get there.!
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Kettle’s Yard! This peculiar house-turned-gallery exhibits a private collection of 20thCentury art given to the University by the original owner of the house, Jim Ede. Full of sculptures, drawings, plants and paintings, the gallery has a homely and relaxed atmosphere.!
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by Claire Elford
King’s College Chapel! Home of the world's largest fan vault and a world-renowned choir, this chapel is a well-known symbol of Cambridge. Evensong, sung 7 days a week, completes the experience.!
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Night Punting for Trinity Fireworks! A must in May Week. The front-row view of the best fireworks in Cambridge is available for whoever can punt there fastest!!
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Leave Cambridge! You’ve got to have a weekend off at some point during your degree. How about a trip to London, just an hour on the train, or even the Other Place (to see if they’re all that bad after all)? Escaping the Cambridge Bubble for a bit can only be a good thing!
Ely Cathedral, Formals and Ents at other Colleges, Klub Polonia, Clare Cellars
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For some of you, year abroad planning panic will be kicking in around about now; for others, it will be jealousy of our linguist friends escaping the bubble. Both of us fit the latter type, but we were keen to here what Ellie Jeffrey and Laura-Jane Tayor were getting up to on their travels... (prepare to be envious). Ellie Jeffrey - Santiago, Chile An obvious but crucial point about the Year Abroad is the “cultural” differences. These are quite obvious in the social scene in Chile: first of all, in contrast to us Brits, it is definitely fine to be emotional in public, and dare I say it, on Facebook. Online declarations of love are totally acceptable, not just something your University friends dig up from the depths of your Timeline to embarrass you with. The next thing is PDA, and it is bad! I wonder whether this is because Chileans tend to live with their parents for longer, and throughout University, so can’t go home to spend some “quality time” together... Being a typically awkward Brit about such things I’m going with this explanation, although I suspect it is just because it’s not a big deal here. Next: nightlife, and the inevitable comparison to Cindies: firstly it all ends later (5am onwards), but what I really want to comment on is the dancing. Gone are the days of standing in a circle, each individual dancing alone and awkwardly exchanging glances as everyone starts to sober up: instead everyone actually dances together, and I am becoming quite apt at being swirled around in circles by friends and landing successfully on my feet. The PDA trend extends to nightclubs also, and the latino legends are true: they like to get “pretty” close when they dance, whether the couple involved are just friends or romance is on the cards. Sorry in advance to anyone if I try to make swinging people round in circles or grinding with friends a thing in Cindies. Another thing you learn is that whilst you may have been prepared to speak correctly 6 and politely by your teachers, this isn’t that useful in practice. I think every arts student has the occasional thought that maybe their degree is a little removed from reality, and this has certainly been the case in coming to Chile, as the Spanish is pretty different from what you find in Spain. The first moment of confusion occurred on the plane, where I learnt that zumo (juice), is actually jugo outside Spain. Yeah, so what, big deal, it’s just like the difference between chips and fries, right? Wrong. Since that first day I am constantly confronted with Chilean vocabulary that doesn’t seem to exist anywhere else. The next challenge is the pronunciation, and my Chilean friends love to mock me if I speak with the lisp associated with the Spanish accent, or should I dare to pronounce a word correctly or enunciate: here it’s all about ignoring the ‘d’ in the middle of words, or missing the ‘s’ at the end of words. Finally, and most importantly, the slang... Chileans love it, they swear continuously yet it isn’t offensive, and they often go a whole sentence without using a word that exists in another Spanishspeaking country – after a conversation in Spanish with a friend in Buenos Aires she asked if I was speaking Japanese. Textbooks could not have prepared me, but hopefully mastering the mystery of “Chilean” will make “real” Spanish seem simple in comparison. I will just have to try not to swear in my oral exam on my return to Cambridge... Spending a year away from friends and family is obviously difficult, and being in South America does not provide much flexibility for popping home for the weekend. Receiving 21st birthday invitations is comforting and distressing: you have not been forgotten but you wish you could learn the art of teleportation for the evening. Skype becomes a feature of every week and is great for long catch-ups with friends, (and skyping your dissertation supervisor is an interesting experience) but it often doesn’t quite cut it. It also serves to remind you that you are not, in fact, on your gap year, and you probably should start reading, this year does in fact count towards your finals, not that I am complaining, as I regularly find myself thanking Cambridge for making this year part of my degree.
y Laura-Jane Taylor - Paris, France Unfortunately, I have fallen into a common trap on my year abroad and established a social life cemented firmly within the international student community. I can count the number of young French people I feel nonchalant and cool enough to talk to on one hand. Not too big a deal when you’re exposed to a huge range of diversities and cultures and you never have to buy your own vodka because most nights on campus are hosted by the polish contingent. I can, nonetheless give a little insight into the French work ethic. Work starts at 9 in the morning only if you’re keen. My two glamourous and mettlesome colleagues usually rock up about 10:30. Every small achievement is celebrated with cake and wine in someone’s office putting work on hold for half a morning and lunch comprises two hours; one for lunch and one for coffee / natter about Francois Hollande. I am of course working in an educational institution, not a corporate giant based in Paris where no doubt these gags wouldn’t go unaddressed but I like to think this more relaxed environment is one within which you can best observe and get to the core of the French condition; laissezfaireism. This is not to say my department is not efficient – most deadlines are met and most disasters avoided and even if my north European tolerances are at times tried, there is a whole host of reasons why I feel a great affection towards the dynamics and priorities within my work environment: Notably there are always croissants and pain au chocolats by the printer but moreover, while English workplaces can be relaxed and you can bond with colleagues over a pint after work, the boundaries between professional and home life remain greater. Here, asking someone what they did over the weekend or how their family are is more than just a formality but a sincere curiosity in want of an extensive answer. People are not afraid to tell 7 you if they disagree with something in a very direct way but you know what you’ve done wrong and how to sort it out rather than second guessing the meaning behind sugar-coated criticism. The overall atmosphere is just that bit more personal and being the only girl younger than forty in the department, my female colleagues refer to me as “la petite anglaise”, are delighted when I bother wearing a dress for a corporate event or something of the like and constantly try to set me up with MBA students. Yet whilst being mothered, I am given responsibility and free reign over projects, people are more forthcoming with feedback about my work, what I do is appreciated. Overall, I’m loving life on a crash course in joie de vivre then work.!
Models / Natasha Collett & Aarya Mishra Photographer / Anya Muir Wood Styled by / Kate Edwards & Shannon Keegan
It occurred to me at the end of my first year of
university that doing a ‘formal challenge’ would be a pleasant addition to my 3 years of PPS. The challenge consists of going to a formal hall in each of the Cambridge colleges. There are 31; I have so far made it to 27 and I still have one more term! You may find some of the highlights (and downsides) of my experiences a guide when choosing which formal to go to next.
Fancy John’s - Best value for money - 8.5/10 Usually delicious meals, although beware of bizarre courses such as fish with banana! The hall has a regal feel, topped off by VIP-treatment such as the seemingly endless glasses of wine poured out for you. And all this for less than the average formal cost... it almost makes you want to be at John’s! Almost.
Underwhelming Trinity Remarkable hall - 6/10
This highly anticipated formal may not live up to expectations. The hall itself is quite dark making it difficult to appreciate its beauty. The food is nothing to write home about, either! A definite low point is that you have to buy wine in Trinity bar, where the large selection of wines is marred by the high prices and poor quality (we added sugar to ours to make it more palatable!). Overall, distinctly mediocre.
Good Old Clare - Best Bar - 7.5/10
Clare formals are high quality and traditional. The hall is bright, delicately decorated and quite small, giving an intimate feel. The food is of good quality and large quantities of self- service side dishes are an additional plus. The cosy Clare Cellars provide a great venue to relax afterwards with occasional live music.
Splendid King’s - Best Overall Experience - 10/10 While it’s extremely hard to get tickets (I recommend looking out for special events), it’s worth it for the awesome experience that awaits! The remarkably grand hall with its beautiful tapestries complements the well-presented and delicious food.
Nearby Pembroke - Most experimental - 8.5/10
An obvious choice for large groups (Pembroke students can buy 9 guest tickets every night!), Pembroke formals are delicious, although experimental (watch out for the red pepper/tomato ice cream) and an enjoyable atmosphere. Special ‘Feast Nights’ include silver service and a 4 course meal for the normal price. Despite the ‘no penny game’ rule, pennying is not much of a problem if you are subtle.
Formal Hall Review by Caroline Wierzejska
Tasty Robinson - Best food - 7/10
Cheap but Cheerful Caius - Hardly a formal - 4/10
Probably worth the journey, as the college offer high quality food. The overall experience will be different from a traditional formal: in Robinson you will be exposed to endless bricks and bright lighting, which unfortunately prevents a cosy ambience and the staff that is rather strict on pennying.
Caius offers by far the cheapest formals and you get what you pay for! The quality of the food often lives up to its questionable reputation. Although if you have low expectations, you may be pleasantly surprised, especially if you get to taste the famous Dime Bar Pie. The atmosphere is unlike any other formal, with people wearing jeans and hoodies under their gowns, bright lighting and ketchup on the tables!
Elegant Lucy Cav - Least choice over seating arrangements - 8/10
With a classy drinks reception, good quality food and wine included, Lucy Cavendish makes for a very pleasant formal hall experience. It is organised so that bigger groups can sit together, although you will have little choice over who will be sitting near you due to a set seating plan. The hall is pretty and bright, and there are additional features included on special occasions, such as poetry reading.
Spooky Peterhouse - The darkest formal - 5/10 A very dark, atmospheric formal with tables arranged in small groups rather than the typical long tables. Food can be varied and our meal was pretty average in quality.
Fun Corpus - Best Atmosphere - 9/10
Corpus formals are relaxed, with pennying effectively encouraged, and special formals such as Halloween getting rather wild! The beautiful hall is decorated with stained glass and chandeliers. The food is average to underwhelming, but the overall experience is a ‘typical Cambridge formal’ ideal for inviting non- Cambridge friends to.
illustration: Kate Edwards
Chris Tapper
Holly Hemming
Holly Hemming
Chris Tapper
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Nick Schulman
Holly Hemming Nick Schulman
Chris Tapper, Holly Hemming and Nick Schulman have sent in some of their photos of our gorgeous college for our perusal - enjoy!
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Nick Schulman
Johann Strauss - ‘Voices of Spring’
This sprightly waltz, whose original name is ‘Fruhlingsstimmen’, is 132 years old this year. To put that into perspective, Downing College had only been around for about three generations. Happily, this piece has lost none of its brio since the 19th Century.
The Beatles – ‘Dear Prudence’ Written in 1968 when the Beatles were busy being swindled by the Maharishi in India, this was John Lennon’s attempt to get Mia Farrow’s sister Prudence to stop being such a recluse. He succeeded, because he was John Lennon
Joni Mitchell – ‘Morning Morgantown’
One of the sweetest songs on Joni’s 1970 LP Ladies of the Canyon, this track gently describes the dreamy denizens of Morgantown, and its merchants and milk trucks.
Bob Dylan – ‘New Morning’ Another antemeridian sing-along hailing from 1970, the title track of one of Dylan’s most relaxed albums opens the album’s second vinyl side. It rocks and rolls in equal measure. 18
Fleet Foxes – ‘Ragged Wood’
Opening with soaring harmonies, beautifully plucked guitar, and lush production, ‘Ragged Wood’ is one of Fleet Foxes’ melodic peaks to date. It induces that sensation of melancholic euphoria only truly talented artists can conjure up.
Derek and the Dominos – ‘Keep on Growing’ Listen to these six-and-a-half minutes of intense joy. Then listen again, bearing in mind that Eric Clapton is responsible for ALL the non-bass guitar in this song. Then realise why the London’s walls used to be peppered with graffiti claiming ‘Clapton is God’.
Talking Heads – ‘And She Was’
The lead-off track to the Heads’ most grown-up record, Little Creatures, is blessed with a catchy-as-hell chorus, piano and guitar hooks aplenty, and a pretty trippy video. Hey, it was the ’80s.
Grateful Dead – ‘Eyes of the World’ The lyrics are part hippy bullshit, part genuine perspicuity – but most people don’t listen to the Dead for the words. Said words are liberally seasoned with the effulgent guitar doodles of Jerry Garcia, one of history’s most gifted and compelling guitarists.
Terry Garthwaite & Toni Brown – ‘Beginning Tomorrow [Live]’ Terry and Toni, the brains and heart of obscure but brilliant ’70s outfit Joy of Cooking, render this song of hope and longing achingly beautiful. Performed at the Bread and Roses Festival of Acoustic Music in the late ’70s.
Bruce Springsteen – ‘Blinded By the Light’ This is the song with which Springsteen scampered onto the scene in 1973. Not many bought the LP at the time, and to this day I have no idea why: it’s exciting, ebullient, effervescent, and lots of other adjectives beginning with ‘e’.
De La Soul – ‘Eye Know’ Full of the bounciest, sunniest hip-hop ever recorded, 3 Feet High and Rising is a springtime LP if ever there was one. For many people, this is the album highlight. We defy you to keep still when listening to it.
The Beach Boys – ‘Their Hearts Were Full of Spring’ OK, so not every song on this mixtape is totally upbeat. There are deaths in this song. Still, it’s a sweet-but-not-saccharine track that resembles an adolescent Gregorian chant, about lovers who live, love and eventually kick the bucket together.
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After organising the fun and frolics of Freshers’ week, the natural transition in climbing the JCR ladder of power was to go for Prez. After a hard-won (ahem, un-opposed) election, I faced treading behind in Celia’s footsteps, who had been Head Freshers Rep/Prez before me and now had to hand over those illustrious reins of JCR power (yes illustrious – I have access to the JCR office. It may be in the basement of T and have little to no natural light, but still. An office. Illustrious.) I realised how much goes on behind the scenes last year, and I’m still learning that now. Celia and the Committee did so much that I feel goes unappreciated. The commoners of the JCR population (you, you peasants) occasionally forget that things don’t happen by themselves – the weird themed food and gratuitous confetti you had at Halloween Formal? Celia and co. The catering, ticketing and lively carol-service at Christmas Formal? Celia and co. The room ballots, updating the JCR website, motivating the committee, making things happen, and even those emails which you skim read for procrastination, at best? Celia and co. It all seems quite daunting, and I hope that as I learn on the job I can do as much for the student body as Celia has, or even just manage to keep things going in a vaguely organised fashion. One thing that I’m quickly coming to realise, and I think it hit me at hustings, is that things will only happen if people care enough about them. Unless each officer in each role is active about what they want done, it’s all a bit redundant and you have to decide whether you care enough about those things to pick up the slack yourself. Pushing big ideas successfully seems like an even bigger challenge – how do you motivate 400+ students, each with their own already jam-packed busy Cambridge lives to get involved, when only about half of them actually vote in the JCR elections?! I’m not entirely sure at the moment, but I guess that’s what I’ll be figuring out – no doubt with plenty of questions for Celia along the way!
This term has been an incredibly successful one for women’s netball. Ladies 1 remain unbeaten in Division 1 of the League following a fantastic Michaelmas, and have added further to their huge goal difference thanks to some wonderful shooting by Hunadda Sabbagh, Fran Thornton & Celia Harrison and great defence from Maddy Stokes, Ria Sugden and Hannah Williamson. Strong centre court play from fresher Irini Koulovasilopoulos, Katie Tillson and captain Abi Calver means that with just two games to go they are looking to finish the season without dropping a point. The ‘Cuppers curse’ struck again however, as the girls were knocked out before the final. With several players remaining in the team for next year, Downing looks set to continue its domination of the league! Ladies 2 kicked off this term with a storming 16-4 win over Emma 2, which marked the start of a very strong term of play. Several very high scoring victories followed, including an important win in the classic grudge match against Kings! Sophie, the captain, would like to thank Ciara for her amazing shooting, Sarah and Julia for fierce defence, and Rachel, Phil, Vicky, Georgie, Amy and Rosie for fantastic play in the centre to make the delivery of those goals possible. The whole team have been great this term, and should definitely be moving up divisions in the league for next year.
Downing went in to the Christmas break 2nd in a very tight division 1. 2014 would see them play the other 3 teams in the title race needing a win in all of them to be sure of retaining the league trophy. The first game of Lent term saw DCRUFC take on a Selwyn team that had recently ended their 600 day unbeaten run. With revenge on their minds the Downing pack was brutal, with collector’s item tries for Mike Hurst and Reece Morgan contributing to a 37-7 win. Next came an away fixture against bitter rivals St John’s, who put up a better fight up front but couldn’t deal with Downing’s pace out wide. A brace from flyer Jon Wylde helped the club to a 36-15 win to set up a title a final game with Robinson. Though billed as a title decider, truthfully there was only ever one side in it as Downing cruised to a 28-7 victory. Credit here goes to Ed Tombs who rounded off an excellent year for kicking out goal, slotting 4 out of 4. With the league title retained DCRUFC moved on to win a special old boys game against the double winning 92/93 side and coasting through their first cuppers fixture against CCK, despite only having 13 players for a portion of the game. The team is playing confidently and has every chance of retaining their cuppers title at the end of this term.
Downing College Men’s Football Club have had a Lent Term that has been hampered by weather conditions. Apart from a forfeit from a struggling Homerton side, the team’s only competitive fixture was a 2-2 draw against Selwyn, with Max Burley scoring both of the goals. However, Downing also sent two teams to Imperial College, London, to take part in a 5-a-side tournament, which they had been invited to for the first time this year. Facing teams from Keele University, Imperial and Queens’ Park Rangers Community Trust, our boys looked up against it. Nevertheless, with inspired performances from Luke Thompson in goal for both sides, and Ben Guest, who scored 6 goals over the tournament, Downing I made it all the way to the final. This feat was all the more impressive due to the fact that Imperial’s side in particular had an abundance of talent, including some dedicated futsal players. Unfortunately, the sublime skill of the QPR team proved to be Downing’s undoing, as the 1st team narrowly lost 1 - 0 in the final in part due to a couple of spectacular saves from the QPR keeper.
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Football has always been a sport with strong roots at Downing, and again this year has illustrated the number of dedicated players across the college in the strength of all three sides. The second team, captained by Jack Beattie, sit comfortably in division 3 (populated mainly by other college first teams) and made it all the way to the semi-final of the shield. The thirds continue to play with their characteristic flair, while the women’s team have made it all the way to their cup final. With only a few fixtures left, DCAFC can reflect on what has been on the whole a very successful season.
Downing Mixed Lacrosse has been an impressive presence in the 1st division this season. In Michaelmas we finished 4th, with Clare beating us to 3rd on goal difference alone. With just one match left this term we are again set to retain our rightful place in the 1st division. Notable games in Michaelmas included a 6-0 win over Queens and 3-2 victory against Tit Hall, which seemed to form half the University lacrosse team! A 1-0 win against Christs, League winners for the past 2 years, kicked off Lent term, and we subsequently beat Churchill 6-0. However, the formidable entry of the Vets into the 1st division led to a hard fought defeat of 3-1. A stormy day on Jesus Green against Clare may have resulted in 2-0 defeat but the team spirit and high morale in ankle deep mud and pouring rain was a victory in itself! The strength and depth of the squad has been remarkable this year, and in Michaelmas I even considered dividing the squad into 2 teams. We currently have a squad of 27, with every member having played in more than one match. A large number of new players joined this year and their commitment to training and matches has resulted in remarkable improvements. Overall Downing has had a memorable year of lacrosse. Long may the enthusiasm, fun and success of the club continue!
This term has been interesting for Downing College Ultimate, with the all-too-frequent stormy conditions making play extremely difficult and sometimes frustrating. For the beginners, in particular, it was understandably difficult to find the motivation to go out and throw a disc in 50mph gusts. This led to low numbers at practices and several losses in the inter-collegiate league. However as the weather improved, so did the attendance and performance. Our team chemistry is now significantly better and the Freshers are becoming increasingly more committed, with some also attending practices run by the university team, Strange Blue. The recent influx of players led to a crushing 13-1 victory against Chrembroke (Christ’s, Emma, Pembroke and Peterhouse) and has allowed us to enter two teams into the indoor cuppers tournament at the end of term. In conclusion, Lent has been a useful learning curve for our new players and we have confidence that we will be more dominant in the Easter league and summer cuppers.
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Outgoing captain Alex Sharpe, known for his darting runs and goal poaching, describes DCHC as “a surprisingly attractive outfit”. With a backline riddled with persistently unfinished English PHDs, a host of ageing medics whose availability varies on a worryingly unpredictable basis, and a large and inexperienced fresher contingent, it is perhaps surprising that Downing continues comfortably from term to term in mid-table of the top college division... The team has however enjoyed strong recent success in both cuppers, where default victories have boosted the team towards the final rounds, and the league. Recent results in the latter have included a nine-man, 6-0 dismantling of Titz (Trinity & Fitzwilliam) and a 3-1 victory over a strong St. Catz outfit as fresher Gavin “Gav” O’Connell, normally found at fullback nicked an important second-half goal to put the college ahead lurking at the backpost after a controversial and inspired managerial decision. Outgoing co-captain Angus Keeley, known for chronically misreading the fixture list leading to regular early and keen arrivals at deserted Astros, has indeed recently commented that “the hockey is much better than the organisation”. Downing’s two university hockey players, Greg Nelson, quipped as the best goalie in college hockey, and Richard Thorburn, often seen demonstrating extraordinary flair wherever and whenever in the midfield, continue to be invaluable and the new captains, Hugh Chatfield and Ishaan Rahman, are confident for success in the May Week John’s 6s, the league, and Cuppers both this season and next.
Michaelmas term had ended on a fantastic high for DCBC, after coming first in both Men’s and Women’s competitions in the Fairbairn Cup. We capitalised on this success in early January, before term kicked off, by jetting off to Seville for our annual training camp. This, as ever, was a brilliant week, with all members of DCBC getting fully involved in mixed races, falling into the river from small boats, and improving on our technique with long sessions in the sunshine. Getting back onto the Cam was off to a good start, with M1 claiming victory in the Head to Head race at the beginning of term, and all other crews placing well. After that, however, deteriorating weather conditions meant many races were cancelled (meaning DCBC took part in no races in Lent after Head to Head). It also meant that despite training just as hard indoors as we would have outdoors, the lack of time of the river disappointingly meant we couldn’t get the required experience for W2 and M3 to row in the Week 6 Bumps races.
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However, Bumps was a huge success for the Men’s Squad, claiming the longawaited Headship for the first time in 17 years by bumping Caius crew that had been the bane of their lives for the past four years. M2, meanwhile, literally had their ups and downs - escaping their pursuers on Day 1 despite losing use of a rudder, and determinedly bumping Jesus M2 right back the day after being bumped, ending the week level but having proved their mettle by doing so. W1 too gave it their all, and performed extremely well over the week. Day 1 saw them keeping their Headship in a fierce row over against First and Third (Trinity), but unfortunately on Day 2 they succumbed to a bump. Refusing to give up, they threw everything they had into Day 3 to reclaim the Headship, but in doing so burnt out halfway, once again being bumped. Day 4 saw a strong row-over, leaving them in 3rd place, and still within striking distance of the Headship for next year.
This term has seen a dramatic overhaul of the Downing side, a couple of new faces have made their mark, and the general standard has skyrocketed to something alongside passable. We won our first game since October 2011 and through a combination of luck, hustle, and truly ‘liquid’ play have made it to the final of the Plate. Favourite moments have to be Julia’s double onesies, Jane’s headbang-to-the-floor (I still hear the thud in my nightmares), and the wind whipping the ball out of Lauren’s hands. Top scorer so far is Kirsty, but props to the other guys who’ve made it to the score-sheet, notably Natasha, Georgie, and Jane. A final mention to JoJo, whose undying enthusiasm and provision of snacks, not to mention her grinding, keeps the rest of us going.
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Lent 2014
Shannon Keegan // Kate Edwards