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United States Oxford win first men's Boat Race in four years as 'aggressive coxing' accusations follow Cambridge women's victory
Oxford’s losing streak in the Boat Race is over. With an ease that at times verged on the routine, the Oxford men’s crew won the 167th university race by 2¼ lengths. At 16 minutes 42 seconds, their winning time was the third fastest in history. As victories go, this, their first since 2017, was emphatic.
“It’s been tough in recent years, what with the 2020 race being cancelled, then not performing as we would have wished last year, so this was a huge result,” said the Oxford coach Sean Bowden.
More to the point, it was victory in a race returned to its traditional setting. After last year’s covid-enforced sojourn in Ely, the banks of the Thames were once again thronged with thousands of people relishing the finest of free sporting spectacles. Nobody was counting precisely how many were out there, but never mind the unseasonable chill, the riverbank at Putney was packed for what is rowing's annual festival.
All along the embankment stalls were selling cocktails and burgers and Thai street food; there was a gazebo under which a series of improbably tall young men were challenging each other to turns on a rowing machine. The Boat Race had caught up with the rest of the sporting world and got itself a cryptocurrency sponsor, whose logo was attached to almost every bit of brickwork around the start line. Or at least to those bits of property that weren't decorated in yellow and blue Ukraine flags.
For the crews this was a return to the old noise and spectacle.
“I noticed the roar off the start,” said Oxford’s Olympian Angus Groom. “It’s like a natural amphitheatre there by Putney Bridge, the noise bounces round you. I really heard it at Hammersmith Bridge too. When you can catch the chants of ‘Oxford’ it spurs you on.”
Oxford’s crew was 4kg a man heavier than Cambridge's. And the difference in scale was comically emphasised at the coin toss. Oxford’s stroke Tobias Schroder towered over the Cambridge president Charlie Marcus, who was his boat’s cox. Marcus won the toss and took the unconventional decision to plump for the north side, the Middlesex station. If the idea was to gain an early advantage it didn’t work. From the start Oxford took off and never yielded their advantage; they were already half a length ahead as they passed the towering new grandstand at Fulham’s Craven Cottage.
“I felt we had control of the race by about Hammersmith Bridge,” said Groom. “Cambridge pushed back, but we responded. From that point on, we had that extra bit of belief.”
Sir Matthew Pinsent, the race umpire, had described conditions during last week’s final practice as “atrocious”, so bad indeed the Cambridge boat had been submerged by a rogue wave. But despite the thickening cloud cover, on the day of the race the river was flat and calm. For Oxford there was no disturbance, no interruption, nothing to disrupt their smooth, forceful rhythm.
“We were very lucky, it was a very clean race, no clashing. We used our base pace to our advantage and once we got into clear water, it was so enjoyable,” said Groom, who insisted that was the last serious race he would ever row. “That's my complete rowing career over now. I almost had two ends to it, what with the Olympics last summer and now this.”
Groom celebrated as his boat crossed the line by punching the air in delight, his crewmates’ raucous shouts of triumph echoing noisily under Mortlake Bridge. It was a sound that gave final confirmation: the Boat Race is back where it belongs.
Cambridge win five in succession by pushing the limitsBy Rachel Quarrell
Cambridge's Light Blue oarswomen won their fifth successive Boat Race on Sunday by a tense 2¼ lengths, both they and the defeated Oxford crew breaking the previous record of 18 minutes 33 seconds.
The race was not without controversy, Oxford's cox, Joe Gellett, appealing to umpire John Garrett at the line. Cambridge's cox Jasper Parish had cut very narrowly in front of his crew as the Light Blues went clear before the Milepost, but while Oxford were mounting an assault and starting to close the gap again.
In the end he got away with the manoeuvre because the Oxford push didn't have enough impact, but it was a narrow squeak because the umpires always tell the crews they need to be moving away before they shut the door and claim their opponent's station.
"I pushed the limits of what you can do, and I suppose in the moment you think you've got to do what you've got to do to win the race", said Parish afterwards, shivering and soaked after his traditional ducking in the Thames. "At the end of the day the Boat Race rules are quite lenient on moving over, the only way you can really be disqualified is by making contact and I don't think there was ever a point in the race where I was seriously worried about that."
"I'm literally pinching myself, can't quite believe it", said Cambridge women's head coach Paddy Ryan after his reserves Blondie also won for his first year in charge. "They're a fantastic crew, I've been blessed by incredible athletes. My hat's off to [Oxford], it was a great race. But I came off the launch and shouted to [my cox] "I love you but I want to kill you" - it was so stressful. He was clear but it got a little bit tight and then Oxford did that incredible push to come back."
"To actually execute that blows my mind, to win and get a course record is just amazing", said Cambridge President Bronya Sykes. "It felt like we were very comfortable in our own rhythm, so were in control of that", said New Zealand double Olympic medallist Grace Prendergast, the best bowside oarswoman in the world. "The record time is an incredible reward for what I think is a very special crew."
The Oxford women had won the toss and chosen Surrey, hoping to be able to hold onto Cambridge at the start and then use the inside of the long Surrey bend to move past them. But Cambridge's start was too quick and from the first minute Oxford were on the back foot.
"We weren't quite prepared for how fast they were on the start," said Oxford's world champion stroke Erin Reelick. "They got a length then we tried to push back in, but didn't quite have enough speed for it. It was a good fight throughout, I don't feel like anyone gave up or tried less hard, at the end of the day congratulations to [Cambridge]."
"This Oxford crew is one of the greatest of all time, if not THE greatest." On that inspiring note, we will wrap up our blog. Thank you for following with me.
Cambridge women and Oxford men were both hot favourites and once they got going, neither result was in any doubt.
Quick time.
Dark Blues are going to be returning to winning ways here.
Coming to Barnes Bridge, Oxford are doing handstands. Cambridge need a torpedo from here.
Cambridge had won three in a row before today, but it's looking bad for them right now.
Oxford have clear water as the go under Hammersmith Bridge. 80% of the teams leading at the HB stage go on to win...
Now Cambridge being told to shove over to Middlesex.
At the mile post, it's looking ominous for Cambridge. Oxford have the bend advantage now and they could break Cambridge's back here.
The win has gotten up. The heavier, more powerful crew (ie Oxford - who are 4 kilos per man bigger) will be less bothered by that.
Both crews are warned to stay apart. For a second time. As we go around Craven Cottage.
Pinsent with multiple warnings. But both coxes sticking to their guns.
Cambridge tried to get a hot start but it is Oxford who are looking more powerful early on.
Cambridge looking for a hot start again, as they did in the women's race. Cambridge steering towards the Middlesex bank.
Sir Matthew Pinsent calls proceedings to order.
the Middlesex station.
Constantine Louloudis says: "Normally you would choose Surrey, because that can give you about 3/4 length advantage in the middle of the race. Middlesex is good for about 1/4 of a length early on."
All of which suggests, perhaps, that Cambridge are looking for a hot start and to cut across their rivals, much as we say in the women's race?
now at the start.
"You have to bottle your emotion and keep that down."
Looking focused. Nice blue wellies.
That starts at 23 minutes past three.
Cambridge win 76th women's race in record time of 18:22, taking 11 seconds off the record.
Oxford three lengths, about seven seconds, behind.
That's three wins in a row for the Cambridge women, who have a 46-30 record now in the fixture.
"It was aggressive coxing. They were going at the same speed as us for a lot of it so it was a great effort."
are protesting. "They cut right in front of us at the mile post," says their cox.
Umpire: "that does not constitute a disqualification. It was aggressive steering, I agree."
The result stands. Cambridge Women win in a record time of 18.22.
That is five wins in a row for them - and they have done it in a record time. Oxford beaten by a couple of lengths.
Cambridge have about 500 m to go and the only question now is whether they go for the record.
Oxford had a moment before Hammersmith Bridge when they had the bend in their favour and they pushed Cambridge really hard.
Jasper Parrish is swearing merrily as he urges on his Cambridge colleagues. Naughty Jasper. Andrew Cotter: "Let's just turn the fader down on Jasper there."
They look in command of the race. Oxford have not given up, though.
The light blue women are well clear now.
Cambridge getting yelled at constantly, they are being told to get over to the right. The experts are saying that the Cambridge cox is being very aggressive.
Bold move from Cambridge. They now have clear water ahead, they have cut in front of Oxford. Some potty mouthed coxing.
The light blues have taken a lead of a third of a length, the umpire has warned them about getting into Oxford's water.
Cambridge women look to be in a great position already.
Clear day, strong crews, could we see that broken?
is saying that these might be the best boats either women's team has ever put out.
Oxford win the toss. They choose the Surrey station. Good call from their skipper Amelia Standing.
makes a crack about Rishi Persad's hat. "I need it for my balding head," he says.
Who was a two-time winning Cox.
"There is a stream of fastest water, you need to know instinctively.
"Cambridge women have really come together."
Boat Race day on the Thames. Anyone got a better walk to work than this? Irish V Quins, 2pm @btsportrugby pic.twitter.com/624bF1ME4m
— Nick Mullins (@andNickMullins) April 3, 2022
Oxford's men are about 11-4 on. And the Cambridge women are similarly a short price, 4-1 on.
"In some ways this is the home of British rowing. It is great to be back here."
Her pal Helen Glover: "Never say never, but right now I feel I am never getting back in the boat again."
2.23pm start time for the women.
3.23pm start time for the men.
"Grace Prendergast won Olympic gold and silver in this summer's Tokyo Olympics."
"There is no hiding, you either win or you lose. There is no second, no third or fourth." Ollie competed for Oxford in the last time they won.
An RNLI River Thames crewman ready to rescue Boat Race crews and fans this weekend is no stranger to huge crowds ... as he's a professional drummer for Ed Sheeran, Tom Jones and Sir Elton John.
For two years Mark Pusey, 40, has been a volunteer lifesaver with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and on Sunday will be on standby in a drysuit with his colleagues to help out if riverside fans, or Oxford and Cambridge boats, get into difficulty.
But being surrounded by thousands of screaming onlookers is part and parcel of Mark's day job too - as he's a session musician and concert drummer for a string of the world's biggest pop and rock singers.
His percussion talents have seen him play alongside Leona Lewis, opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, Olly Murs, Ronan Keating, JLS, Katherine Jenkins, Pixie Lott and The Saturdays.
However, he'll be swapping his drumsticks for a drysuit this weekend when he takes to the water with his fellow RNLI Chiswick crew to keep an expected quarter of million people safe while they watch the two universities battle it out.
The 167th Gemini Boat Race takes place on Sunday (3rd April) 3.23pm starting at Putney Bridge and ending four miles down the Thames at Chiswick.
Single Mark, of Ealing, North-West London, said: "I'm unbelievably fortunate to have such an incredible job as a drummer. I've toured alongside some very talented artists such as Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Tom Jones, and Leona Lewis.
"I have to pinch myself sometimes considering what I do for a job - it's great performing and seeing people enjoying the music - it just gives you an amazing buzz as you fully embrace the atmosphere whether it be on stage or recording in the studio as you enjoy the moment.
"In contrast, in my time away from the drum kit I'm lucky enough to make a real difference in London as I volunteer for the RNLI helping save lives along the River Thames.
"It's a far cry from standing side by side with a pop star, however, when you put your hand out to pull someone from the water in their moment of need, it gives you a different kind of buzz, a sense of satisfaction - a feeling you've made a difference and saved someone's life."
The RNLI is the official charity partner of the 2022 boat race and is celebrating 20 years on the Thames for its four lifeboat stations at Tower, Teddington, Chiswick and Gravesend.
The lifesaving charity has rescued more than 1,800 people during that time and saved 179 lives.
RNLI crew and lifeguards will be on hand again this weekend, in two lifeboats and nine inshore rescue boats along the championship course providing safety cover and offering advice to those watching on from the riverbank.
Mark is volunteer crew at Chiswick and said: "We're expecting 250,000 spectators to be watching from the shore on Boat Race day.
"It's rare to have a crowd that big gathered on a river bank though, and especially one as tidal as the Thames - so we're asking those enjoying the day to take care and respect the water while having a fun day out.
"We've been saving lives on the River Thames for 20 years now and it is always great to be involved with events like the Boat Race.
"Our advice to those coming to enjoy the day is to be aware of your surroundings, as slips trips and falls can happen easily. If you do fall into the water unexpectedly, remember to float to live.
"Keep calm and try not to panic, lean back extending your arms and legs to keep your airway clear of the water and if you need to, gently move your arms and legs in a gentle motion to help you float.
"Once you have your breathing under control then consider swimming to a point of safety.
"If you do see anyone in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard and if you can, try and give a location as this will help rescue services get to those in difficulty quicker."
Wayne Bellamy, Station Manager at Chiswick RNLI said: "We're proud to be the official charity partner of the Gemini Boat Race and to be part of the historic race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
"The partnership aims to raise funds to support the Thames' lifesaving service with all proceeds going towards the running costs of the four RNLI stations along the river.
"Our community safety teams have also been working with venues and schools along the course to provide lifesaving water safety training and encourage familiarity with throwlines."
