29th-31st Oct 2004: Exeter SUA
(…taken from Exeter: EUSCR website – http://empslocal.ex.ac.uk/change-ringing/java/pasthapsold.htm#SUA2004)
After having enjoyed last year’s SUA so much somebody (and the mists of time obscure who is to blame) decided it would be good fun to host it in Exeter this year, leading to an enjoyable but rather fraught weekend for all involved (apart from a certain ex-Master who didn’t even make it out of bed for the eight bell competition).
As is normal, the weekend started with general ringing at St. David’s and even more general drinking at the Imperial. It was at this point that things started going wrong. Firstly there was the weather. Exeter decided to greet our guest with classically Devonian weather i.e. rain so hard that it flooded the train lines between Bristol and Exeter. The upshot of this was that Oxford got stuck at Bristol and were forced to get a coach down. They finally arrived at quarter to eleven and, just to add insult to injury, were refused entry to the pub because they lacked valid ID!
Saturday morning dawned a lot dryer than Friday, thankfully. After having got up at some ridiculous hour in the morning in order to cook breakfast for the ravenous masses the first item on the day’s agenda was the eight bell competition, held at St. David. The competition didn’t run as smoothly as possible but thanks to the patience of the judges and competitors everything was completed successfully and just about within the scheduled time. The last event before lunch was general ringing at St. Thomas, a fine sounding but tricky ring of bells.
With the six bell competition being held immediately after lunch it was interesting to notice the various strategies pursued by different teams. While most of the students headed down to the pub for a traditional ringers lunch, two thirds of a team composed of ex-Exeter students decided to stay sober and stick to soft drinks. After the competition the teams gathered in St. Petrock’s to hear the results of both competitions, which were as follows:
6 Bell
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8 Bell
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Congratulations to Southampton and Bristol for winning the competitions and London, who won the eight-bell competition tankard for being the highest placed all student band. The ECG were a model of consistency, having come last in last year’s SUA eight bell and joint last in both of the recent GDR competitions. Still, at least we weren’t disqualified from either competition this time! And what effect did Exeter (Past)’s sober lunch have? Well their performance probably wasn’t helped by the giggling fit half the band were suffering from. That’s what happens when you drink too much coke at lunchtime.
After the results the party split, those with cars or other transport going to Newton St. Cyres and Pinhoe while those who were walking went to St. Mark’s and Heavitree. After having got all the ringing out of the way we headed to the pub and later on to the hall to continue the drinking. Thankfully the clocks went back on Sunday morning, allowing us all a much-needed extra hour in bed. After morning ringing and cleaning up the hall everyone met up at Boston Tea Party for some much needed liquid sustenance. While one enthusiastic group went off to attempt (and lose) a handbell quarter the rest went and had a pleasant and relaxed lunch at The Malthouse. The final event of the weekend was service ringing at the Cathedral and the announcement that Bristol had won the quiz provided the previous evening.
After this most societies went home, apart from London who went down to Exmouth to go swimming. In the sea. In November. Rather them than me.
The weekend was enjoyable but very hectic, I’m already looking forward to next year’s SUA in London, mainly because I’m not going to have to organise it.
Thanks must go all of the ECG who helped organise the weekend, especially Pip, for organising the towers, and Heather, for ferrying everyone around in the minibus, Matt Hilling and Ian Avery for judging the competitions and finally everyone who attended, for being so patient and making the weekend such a success.
Dom Meredith.