29 May 2018

Göran R Buckhorn writes:

Both Edinburgh University’s men and women beat their rivals Glasgow University in the annual Scottish Boat Race last Saturday, on 26 May.

This year, there were six races that were rowed over the approximately 2,000-metre course on the River Clyde between the King George V Bridge and the Glasgow Science Museum in Glasgow. First crews out were for the alumni, followed by novice women, second women, second men, first women and first men.

Last year, Edinburgh claimed a clean sweep. Colin Williamson, Edinburgh’s Head of Performance Rowing Coach, wanted to add a sixth consecutive win this year for the men, while Glasgow’s new Head Coach, Patrick ‘Paddy’ Hudson, was looking to start his tenure with a victory. At the end of the races, Edinburgh had won five of the six races, including women’s and men’s first eights.

At the finish line, at the Glasgow Science Centre, around 100 spectators had gathered to watch the races.

Number of wins in the men’s races: Edinburgh 20 Glasgow 27.

Number of wins in the women’s races: Edinburgh 15 Glasgow 8.

The Scottish Boat Race, also known as the Edinburgh vs. Glasgow Boat Race, started in 1877 (for men) and it is thereby the fourth oldest boat race in the world. The Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race was established in 1829, and the race between Yale and Harvard saw the light of day in 1852. The Scottish Boat Race and the Scottish newspapers claim that the boat race between Edinburgh and Glasgow is the third oldest race, but then they are forgetting that the Australian race between Melbourne and Sydney universities was established in 1870.

The Scottish Boat Race has been rowed annually since 1919, though there have been times when the races have not been rowed or cancelled. See lists of wins here. The Scottish Boat Race (for men) was first contested in coxed fours, but since 1961 the crews have rowed in eights. The first women’s race started in 1992.