This isn't my idea but it is something I absolutely support having been involved in Cambridge rowing for many years. For where this petition came from, join: https://www.facebook.com/savelentbumps.

The Cambridge bumps races, run twice a year in Lent and May terms, are a highlight of the university sporting calendar. Up until the late 1990s, eight divisions of seventeen boats were raced over four days with crowds on the bank watching. However, over recent years it has dwindled to seven and now six divisions, with "incidents" often cited as the rationale. We've had restrictions on the number of cyclists with the crews, increases in the number of officials, signal flags, walkie talkies and even new rules on acknowledging bumps prior to a certain point on the course. All this is change has occurred despite the fact that there have been no deaths or very serious injuries arising from the bumps races in recent memory.

Like any sport, hospitalisations do occur, but students are generally more at risk from cycling to the races or along the tow-path than the races themselves. Bumps is called that for a reason. Try to avoid "incidents" and you may as well cancel the event entirely.

CUCBC is the body set up to oversee Univeristy rowing competition in Cambridge and are responsible for the In recent years, they appear to have tried to improve safety on the river by reducing the ability of athletes to compete, instead of taking positive steps to improve learning and capability.This has culminated with a recent decision to yet again reduce the scope of bumps racing in Lent term by dropping a division from the schedule of racing. This will do nothing for safety and will make the Lents races even less exciting than they already are, reducing the overall participation rate in college rowing. After all, why row in Lent term in the freezing cold if you can't even do bumps?

Bumps is part of the Cambridge rowing experience and makes many rowers enthusiastic to keep rowing on what is otherwise a very poor stretch of river for it. Good quality rowing also inevitably starts off as bad quality rowing - so reducing the opportunity for people to take part in the first place is hardly the answer. Badly rowed boats don't have to be unsafe boats and even the worst crashes usually just damage prides and equipment rather than rowers or spectators on the bank.

Finally, CUCBC's own constitution states that an object of the organisation is:

"To define and organise races between the College Crews. Such events should be in the best interests of the development of Cambridge College rowing and should take into account the wishes of the College Clubs."

http://www.cucbc.org/handbook/constitution

The change to Lent bumps is hardly in the best interests of the development of college rowing since it will, by definition, cut participation by nearly 170 people. It is my understanding that this decision has also been taken against the wishes of many College Club captains. It is therefore completely contrary to the constitution on both counts and for that reason alone should be reversed.

CUCBC should do its job - not downsize it. Reverse the decision now.