7th time unlucky
Rowing: The Boat Race
Cambridge: 16 min 41 s
Oxford: 16 min 52 s
"THIS YEAR," said the pundits, "this year." This year was to be the one, the one when Oxford would end Cambridge's series of six successive wins. They expected a close race, with Oxford marginal favourites to be the first to lift the Aberdeen Asset Management quaich, but, on a gloomy afternoon on the Tideway, it soon became apparent that this was not to be.
It was felt that Oxford started with a slight advantage, having the heavier crew and fielding five internationals to the Tabs' two. The crew also included several of last year's Isis crew which trounced Goldie in record time, including the cox Neil O'Donnell. His opposite number, Vian Sharif, was seen to be lacking the aggression and experience necessary for the battle: she had not really proved herself off the Cam, save coxing the women's lightweights to their loss last year. In spite of these perceived benefits, things did not start well for Oxford on the day, with the psychological disadvantages of both the defeat of Isis and losing the toss. Brad Crombie, the Cambridge President, chose the favoured Surrey station, although Oxford had shown preference for Middlesex in training.
After much delay, Cambridge had the faster start, a feat made more difficult by umpire, Mark Evans', new ruling that, owing to fast stream conditions, crews were to start with their blades flat on the water, rather than buried and ready for the first stroke. The light blues pulled away in as near perfect conditions as are possible on the Tideway, their longer strokes befitting the crew containing rowers of record-breaking height, namely Toby Wallace, the tallest bow, and Josh West who, at 6'9", is the tallest man ever to take part in the history of the event.
Oxford caught up quickly to offer a serious challenge to Cambridge on approaching the first bend. This took the form of the more experienced O'Donnell attempting to test the mettle of Sharif and push her off her line. Sharif, however, refused to be intimidated in this way and the umpire repeatedly warned the dark blues to move back to their station and they were eventually forced to steer away, losing precious water to Cambridge, who tactically increased the pressure every time their opponents were called back to their station.
It had been a battle of aggressive coxing which could have worked to Oxford's advantage, but, as it turned out, the distance lost to Cambridge when they veered back towards the Middlesex station could not be recovered and essentially cost them the race. Cambridge pulled away again to lead by one second at the mile post, in a long, comfortable rhythm which increased their lead to three seconds at Hammersmith Bridge, and into firm control of the race by Barnes Bridge.
Cambridge, who had taken the race from the start in determined fashion, gave a big push to cross the line in style, completing the race in 16 minutes 41 seconds, far outside the race record of 16'19", but a victory which proved that statistics are ultimately empty numbers.
Crombie, the record-breaking President who has rowed in three successive blue boats, stood up in triumphal salute, recreating Donald Macdonald's 1987 gesture of victory. Except then the blades were dark blue.
• Fortunes were reversed in the Henley races, which took place a week before the Boat Race, as all Oxford crews, bar the women's Blue Boat and Nephthys, won their races.C Humphreys H Nilsson D Snow T Ayer M Crotty M Crooks A Lindsay C von Ettingshausen N O'Donnell