Apr 17, 2025HTBS

Boat Race Day 2025 Part III: Mortlake 

True love. It looks like the Cambridge men’s President, veteran of four Boat Races and “7” man in their winning 2025 Blue Boat, Luca Ferraro, has found a trophy wife.

17 April 2025

By Mel Brown and Tim Koch

Tim Koch and Mel Brown are in Mortlake – or Chiswick.

Having passed under Chiswick Bridge, the first race of the day, the women’s Blue Boats, head towards the stoney beach in front of Quintin Boat Club and Mortlake, Anglian & Alpha Rowing Club. Sited on the Middlesex side, they are actually in the W4 postal district and so are in Chiswick. Mortlake is actually on the Surrey side opposite in the SW14 postal district.
A disconsolate Oxford waits, as is the custom, for the winning crew to land first. Picture: ©MBS.
A victorious Cambridge crew (plus coach Paddy Ryan) pose for the cameras.
The Oxford crew (plus coach Allan French) comfort each other. Picture: ©MBS.
Another win for Cambridge – women’s reserves, Blondie. Picture: ©MBS.
The Blue Boat cheers Blondie in.
Hugs all round.
Cambridge’s Gemma King and Oxford’s Annie Anezakis. Picture: ©MBS.

Whatever allegations of unsporting behaviour regarding the interpretation of the eligibility rules were made in the run up to race day, the athletes themselves, winners and losers, displayed the highest levels of maturity and sportsmanship. The Oxford Presidents, Annie Anezakis and Tom Mackintosh, led the way in this and maintained their innate Aussie/Kiwi cheerfulness under very trying circumstances.

Cambridge cox Jack Nicholas with one of the women that he steered to victory. Picture: ©MBS.
Osiris’ Catherine King puts on a brave face. Picture: ©MBS.
Blue and Blondie. Picture: ©MBS.
Oxford blues. Picture: ©MBS.
The Cambridge women’s assistant coach, Matilda Horn, left, had responsibility for coaching Blondie. Picture: ©MBS.
Strange Oxbridge Rituals 1: Cox lifting. Blondie holds up cox, Louis de Neve.
Strange Oxbridge Rituals 2: Coach debagging. Matilda Horn has trouble removing her salopettes. 
Strange Oxbridge Rituals 3: Riding squad mates. Carys Earl gives a lift to Eloise Etherington. Picture: ©MBS.
Happy Cambridge women and their coaches and coxes.
A group hug for the Oxford women.
Another win for Cambridge, the men’s reserves, Goldie.
Goldie celebrates.
The final race of the day, the men’s Blue Boats, and another Cambridge victory.
The Cambridge women’s President, Lucy Havard, holds the women’s trophy aloft.
Cambridge rather pleased. Picture: ©MBS.
Cambridge still rather pleased. Picture: ©MBS.
Luca Ferraro lifts the men’s trophy on behalf of Cambridge.
Let us spray. Picture: ©MBS.
Winning again does not lose its fizz.
After all four winning Cambridge crews squeezed onto the presentation platform, a cry went up for Light Blue legend and active coach for over sixty years, Donald Legget (CUBC 1963 and 1964) to join them. 
Post prize giving, some brief quiet reflection between Luca Ferraro and Donald Legget.

A confirmed date of 4 April has been set for The Boat Race 2026.

One comment

  1. The coverage of the races by HTBS was brilliant so thank you everyone,
    and particularly Tim for the great photos. It was wonderful to  feel
    such joy through them in these dreadful times. Smiling and chuckling is
    an unaccustomed pleasure these days……

    Jane KIngsbury

    Reply

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