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Boat Race Day From Three Perspectives. Part III: At The Finish
The victorious Cambridge women head for the shore having waited for the umpire’s white flag following an unsuccessful appeal by Oxford.
5 April 2023
By Tim Koch
Tim Koch witnesses emotional scenes at Mortlake and concludes his picture diary of Boat Race Day 2023. (Part I here and Part II here.)
You do not need an Oxbridge education to know that, in a two boat race, there will be one winner and one loser (apart from the 1877 Dead Heat, a result that, even now, many people are reluctant to accept). Thus, as the eight boats that made up Boat Race Day 2023 came in two-by-two onto the beach outside Mortlake, Anglian and Alpha RC and Quintin BC at Mortlake, approximately fifty percent of those present were happy and approximately fifty percent not. Both made for good pictures.
Cambridge’s Claire Brillon (7, left) and Alex Riddell-Webster (3, right) share a damp embrace.Cambridge coach Paddy Ryan joins in the mass hug.Cambridge cox James Trotman is offered up to the Rowing Gods. Picture: @CUBCSquad.Blondie celebrates too.A Blondie-Blue embosom.Claire Brillon (7, right) and Rosa Millard (2, centre) with cox James Trotman (left). According to her watch, Brillon’s heart rate was still at 121.Paddy Ryan (left) with one of his assistant coaches, Autumn Mantell (right).There was less joy in the Oxford camp.Osiris cox Anna Betteridge comforts one of her crew.Congratulations and commiserations 1.Congratulations and commiserations 2.Oxford discover Homer Simpson’s philosophy that alcohol is “The cause of, and solution to, many of life’s problems.”A subdued Oxford President, Tassilo von Mueller, is interviewed by the BBC.Oxford’s “5” James Doran is reflective.Cambridge’s Seb Benzecry (“6”) comforts someone who, 15-minutes previously, was his worst enemy.Brett Taylor (“2”) and Luca Ferraro (Stroke) share a man hug.Let us spray. The Cambridge women’s President, Caoimhe Dempsey, lifts the trophy.The Cambridge men’s President, Ollie Boyne, receives the gratitude of his boys.Four Light Blue Crews indicate that they are happy.Jasper Parish receives the traditional coxswain’s bath.With the rising tide rapidly claiming the beach at Mortlake, Seb Benzecry finds a souvenir. The Parish boys after a good day’s work.Six victorious boats return to Cambridge. For those who recently rowed in them, a long night lies ahead. After that, real life begins again.Punch magazine’s comment on the 1874 Boat Race (won by Cambridge for the fifth time in a row) may have some cruel relevance today.
Stephen – This trailer has an extendable rear light board. I think that this overhang is legal as long as the boats do not project seven metres over this.
Martin – On Boat Race Day, Chiswick is an honorary part of Mortlake.
Hear The Boat Sing 
The overhang on the boats on the trailer look illegal and have no flapping ribbons to alert following traffic!
Tim, sorry to be a pendant but QBC and MAABC are not in Mortlake, they are in Chiswick.
Stephen – This trailer has an extendable rear light board. I think that this overhang is legal as long as the boats do not project seven metres over this.
Martin – On Boat Race Day, Chiswick is an honorary part of Mortlake.
For projections of over 1m beyond the extended tail bar we normally attach brightly coloured tape to the boat sterns which I think is a requirement