Cover Image Credit: BBC Sport
The country is facing an epidemic that is quickly evolving. The Covid-19 virus in addition to the storms that have been battering Britain have left the country’s rowing season in tatters. Everything from the smallest of training sessions to GB trials have been affected and now the virus has forced the cancellation of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. This hasn’t been achieved since the Second World War.
The Boat Race has been a figurehead for the rowing community. It’s one of the only events in the world that has the prestige of the old rowing values and yet – through the academic programmes – manages to shine a light on the sport and bring it to the media’s attention in a way that only Henley and the Olympics can surpass. For those taking part, the event is the pinnacle of sporting achievement and serves as a stepping stone for what is to come.
In honour of the race’s absence this year we’ll be looking back over the last 20 years to the upsets, the controversy and the reasons we all flock to London to watch the Boat Race.
Starting off the list of honourable mentions is the Men’s race in 2003. The event is known as the ‘closest race’ for good reason. The race featured brotherly rivalry in the boats with regards to the Livingston brothers with James rowing in the seven seat for Cambridge, whilst David was rowing in the four seat for Oxford. Cambridge won the coin toss allowing club president and stroke Tim Wooge to chose the Surrey Station. The race was met with a heavy head wind making the crews work harder than usual. As the race developed the Umpire Boris Rankov worked hard to keep the crews apart as the blades clashed between the crews. The final push to the end came with neither crews yielding until the line when Oxford won by an official distance of one foot in front of the Cambridge crew. To this day it is the closest racing that has ever partaken in the Boat Race.
The 2012 Men’s Boat race can only be classed as chaotic from start to finish. Cambridge won the coin toss and chose the Surrey station leaving Oxford with the Middlesex bank. The race got off to a clean start with pre-race favourites Oxford taking a very strong lead over their counterparts. As the race settled into it’s rhythm the crews were well matched, although Oxford were looking much more offensive as the race moved into the strait, when both crews were ordered to stop rowing after umpire John Garrett spotted a swimmer who was protesting class elitism and wanted to interfere with the Boat Race. As the boo’s of the crowd serenaded the protester the man was hauled out of the water and the race was to be restarted. Immediately the boats came together in a catastrophic collision, causing Oxford’s rower Alex Davidson, racing in the six seat, to break his oar paving the way for Cambridge to walk to victory. After the race the umpire denied the protest from Oxford Cox Zoe De Toledo and Cambridge were awarded the win. Following the race it was noticed that bow of the Oxford boat Alex Woods had collapsed and required medical attention. He made a full recovery.
2015 was the first time the Women’s Boat Race took place on the Tideway Championship course. For the longest time the women’s race had been rowed on the course in Henley-on-Thames however this was moved to join the men on the Tideway. The race started without a hitch seeing the crews sitting far apart from each other with Oxford pulling out a strong lead over Cambridge. Passing the football stadium the Oxford crew had an established lead and had started to pull away. As the race moved into the halfway stage the crew from Oxford had the liberty of sitting in the middle of the river by earning an unrelenting lead. From there the race was decided with the Oxford crew continuing to hold the monopoly on the lead right to the line.
Following their defeat the year before the Cambridge crew were fired up ready to take on the Oxford crew and take their first win on the Tideway. The prevailing headwinds and offset waters made the 2016 race a tough one both on the coxes and the umpires having to steer the race and keep the boats apart. Oxford won the toss with President Maddy Badcott choosing the Surrey side leaving Cambridge with the Middlesex station. Off the start the crews looked to be even, with Cambridge attempting to hold Oxford as they had the initial advantage. As the two crews approached Hammersmith Bridge the Oxford crew had driven to sit on top of Cambridge and were looking to extend their lead. As the crews made it to Barnes Bridge the Cambridge crew were suffering some real issues as they took on a lot of water and were sitting beneath the waterline whilst rowing. The Cambridge crew were struggling to push for the line though finding some flatter water allowed the bailers do do their job and allowed Cambridge to complete the race. Final verdict was Oxford winning by 24 Lengths.
Looking back on last year saw the Thames glow in light blue shades of Cambridge after they won all four of the races from both the first boats and the reserve crews as well. This was the second year in a row where Cambridge have gone undefeated across all four seeing them repeat the success in both 2018 and 2019.
This year will see the Tideway go eerily quiet on the 29th March following the cancellation of the Boat Race. The crews have missed out on Head of River Race and Women’s Head of River Race, whilst the University’s BUCS Head has also been dismissed from its post. The abject disappointment is being felt in the rowing community; but rest assured the Boat Race will be back in 2021 where Cambridge will be keen to retain the champion’s belt whilst Oxford will be wanting to make a comeback.
Paddy Wilkins
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