9 April 2024

By Tim Koch

Tim Koch’s final piece on the 2024 Oxford – Cambridge Boat Races contains words and images that Oxonians may find upsetting.

It is a good thing that the Thames Tideway is a big place, it needs to be to accommodate the seemingly growing number of Oxford – Cambridge aquatic contests. There are now seven races in addition to the four on Boat Race Day itself.

Unfortunately, of the seven I was only able to follow one, the veteran men’s race.

Spares

While Boat Race Day proper was on Saturday, 30 March, the Wednesday before saw the spares races. Fortunately, this was covered by “Scull and Cross Bones” in Junior Rowing News (JRN). 

Bones explained that:

Normally, these races would consist of four races of pairs: men’s spare pair, men’s lightweight spare pair, women’s spare pair and women’s lightweight spare pair. However this year, the Oxford women felt that – due to the flooding – they would be unable to produce a spare pair with enough practise to race, so both universities joined the spare women and spare lightweight women with their spare coxes to create the spare women’s coxed fours category that first raced in 2023.

The results were Cambridge wins in the Men’s Lightweight Spare Pairs (4 lengths) and in the Men’s Openweight Spare Pairs (3 lengths). Oxford won the Women’s Spare Fours by 2 lengths. 

The JRN report is here.

Vets (aka Masters)

Friday afternoon saw an intense hour of racing with the men’s and women’s veteran and lightweight races taking place. The Vets were racing for a new prize, The Senior Cup, a solid silver trophy that will record the winners of both the men’s and women’s races and that was presented in memory of Dr Tim Senior, the tireless Boat Race Company Chair who died suddenly last year at the age of 51. 

The men’s and women’s crew names are on the Boat Race website.

Anna Robotham reported on the Women’s Veterans’ Boat Race on the official website:

In the closest race of the day, the women’s alumni crews kicked off proceedings for the annual Veteran’s Boat Race. Oxford won the coin toss and chose Middlesex. This race was set to be the big decider: both clubs having previously won one race each, with the inaugural race won by Oxford in 2022 and Cambridge the reigning champions in 2023.

This was the third women’s vets boat race, so these 16 women (and coxes) had the opportunity to make history, and take the lead in the tally. However, fate had other plans.

The crews started level, both coping well in the rough water, rating just above 40 and settling at 37. Cambridge only having had 3 outings together as a crew, and Oxford battling the waves to get a last-minute practice session in boat-sinking conditions the previous weekend, both crews were prime examples of fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity. And it was in this spirit that they raced today.

The crews were level along the Putney embankment and looked well-matched to start with. But by Barn Elms, Oxford had pulled ahead, really delivering on their strategy to front-load the race. It paid off and Oxford extended their lead of a canvas to an impressive two-thirds of a length by Crabtree pub, soon after the Mile Post marker. The fortitude of the stroke, Lebby Eyre, really became apparent – having previously rowed across the Atlantic just 3 years ago.

Having led for most of the race, Oxford’s luck changed as Cambridge took advantage of the inside bend and started their push for victory at Harrods. By Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge had narrowed Oxford’s lead to only a quarter of a length. And coming up to the finish line both crews were bow ball to bow ball, with a nail-biting final verdict of a dead heat in a time of 8 minutes and 54 seconds.

Anna Robotham also reported on the Men’s Veterans’ Boat Race for the official website:

Having won the toss, Oxford chose Middlesex and, following on from the Women’s race, the 28th Men’s Veterans’ Boat Race was relatively straight-forward, with Oxford taking an early lead and holding it to the line. Valiantly fought by both crews, they battled against launch wash – not having the luxury of a river closure.

The conditions favoured Oxford: the heavier, more powerful crew, and interestingly a reincarnation of the 2009 winning Blue Boat (in the stern, in bow pair and in the 5 seat). But Cambridge were led by experienced veteran Fred Gill at stroke – who had led Cambridge vets to victory twice before, and 7 seat Olympian Tom Middleton who was on his 8th vets race.

Off the start, both crews looked strong, rating an impressive 43 off the start and settling into a consistent rhythm passing the London Rowing Club flagpole rating 37. But Oxford soon pushed ahead taking a canvas lead, passing the black buoy at rate 35 and extending the lead to half a length by Barn Elms. Oxford could afford to take the rate down by half a pip, while Cambridge valiantly fought the conditions and were warned by umpire Dr Kath Finucane to keep to their station.

Wherever Cambridge increased their overlap with Oxford, the waves from the infamous Tideway wash set them back, enabling Oxford to maintain their three-quarter length lead.

Ultimately, Oxford’s strength and power triumphed in the tough conditions – strengthen by the 2009 crew spirit. But Cambridge’s determination took them over the line, following a respectable 2.5 seconds behind.

(S)lightweights

The Boat Race website carried the following report on the Men’s Lightweight Boat Race:

From the outset, Cambridge, led by Stroke Lewis Gray and steered by Cox Ben Harding, took control. Their ability to maintain high stroke rates and clean execution in the choppy waters gave them an early advantage. By the time the crews passed the rowing clubs on Putney Embankment, Cambridge had already established a one-length lead over their rivals.

This lead only widened as the race progressed. Approaching the end of the Fulham wall, Cambridge extended their advantage to two lengths, showcasing their strength and technique. Along Fulham Reach, their consistent high stroke rate further increased their lead, with Umpire Ciaran Hayes having little to intervene in a race that was quickly becoming a one-sided affair.

Under Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge’s lead had ballooned to four lengths. Despite steering close to the inside of the bend past St Paul’s, their substantial lead meant the race’s outcome was becoming increasingly clear.

The rough water past Chiswick Pier tested both crews, with Oxford, in particular, struggling to maintain their rhythm and opting to move closer to the Middlesex bank for shelter and as the race neared its conclusion, Oxford’s attempt to hug the bend around Barnes corner before steering out into the stream to avoid the green navigation buoy was too little too late. Cambridge crossed the finish line with a decisive 5.5-length victory.

According to the official report on the Lightweight Women’s Race:

The race commenced… under the watchful eye of Umpire Sarah Winckless with both crews eager to establish dominance early on. Cambridge quickly took the lead, setting a strong pace that Oxford struggled to match. Despite Cambridge being warned twice at Craven Cottage, they managed to extend their lead to clear water, showcasing their power very early on in the race.

It started to look like the race was over but Oxford, however, was not ready to concede. As the crews approached Hammersmith Bridge, Oxford began to close the gap, spurred on by the encouragement of spectators lining the banks. The tension mounted as Cambridge was warned again and cox Kate Crowley opened the door to Oxford around the Hammersmith bend as a result of a wide steering line.

The race reached a critical moment past St Paul’s, where Cambridge’s lead was reduced to just one length and at Chiswick Steps, the margin was a mere half-length with Oxford having battled back into the race.

As the conditions worsened past Chiswick Pier, Cambridge demonstrated their resilience by maintaining a half-length lead. Despite Oxford’s valiant efforts and receiving a steering warning just before the bandstand, it appeared they had too much ground to make up.

Approaching Barnes, Cambridge began to re-establish their lead leaving Oxford looking defeated as the clear water between the crews began to grow.

Cambridge crossed the finish line with a convincing 5-length lead, a well-deserved victory that highlighted their strength, strategy, and teamwork.

Finally

That’s enough Oxford and Cambridge from me. Other universities are available.