Perhaps one of the most famous sporting events the world over, and without doubt one of the most accessible rowing events on the British roster, the men’s Boat Race has dazzled fans with high-octane drama for almost two centuries; this year will be no different. For an in-depth preview of the Women’s race, click here.
The Crews
CUBC
Bow – Theo Weinberger
Theo’s rowing career began at Eton College, where he quickly developed an engine and technical finesse that landed him a seat in the 2014 GB Eight that lost to the French at the 2014 GB V France match by less than half a second. When Theo joined Cambridge, he continued to row with St. John’s College, progressing to the lightweight crew that beat Oxford at the 2018 Henley Boat Races. He later made the switch to openweight, securing seat in Goldie for the 2020 campaign. He returns this year as one of the many athletes who are first-time Blues.
Two – Ben Dyer
Another graduate of the 2020 Goldie crew, Ben has made the move to the Blue Boat for the first time. A keen cross-country runner, Ben joined Cambridge as an Engineering PhD candidate at Caius College, where he quickly established himself as a front-runner, competing at the International School Rowing Challenge in Changsha in 2018, before progressing to a win the College eights at BUCS in 2019 with Caius, who would go on (as M1) to take the headship in the University Bumps that year. Selected for Goldie in 2020, Ben is making his first appearance – like many of his crew mates – in the light Blue Boat.
Three – Seb Benzecry
Even before arriving in Cambridge, Seb had made a name for himself in the rowing world. An old Pauline, Seb made his first appearance on the international stage in 2016, where he finished third at the World Rowing Junior Championships in the Men’s Eight, pre-emted only by regular success on the domestic junior circuit, including a 2015 Henley Royal Regatta win. Once his time as a junior came to an end, Seb successfully applied to Princeton, where his crew finished fifth at the IRA grand finals. He arrived at Cambridge in 2020 to complete his MPhil in Film and Screen studies at Jesus College; as such, this is his first appearance in the Blue Boat. Certainly not short on experience, with over a decade of successful competition under his belt, he will be a valuable asset to the Cambridge crew
Four – Quinten Richardson
A Vancouverite through-and-through, Quinten captained the Shawnigan Lake School in 2010, before making the Canadian national team the same year. In his time at Brown University, Quinten rowed in the four seat of the second varsity eight that placed second at the IRA National Championships, whilst placing 5th overall at the CRASH-B indoor championships in 2014. A strong proponent of sustainable urban development, Quinten joined Fitzwilliam College in 2020 to pursue a MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration. As such, he finds himself in a light blue blazer for the first time, chasing a Boat Race win to add to an already impressive rowing CV.
Five – Garth Holden
Another first time Blue, Garth grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, before moving to Yale where he competed in the 2V and 3V throughout his Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years, before his Senior year was cut short. A successful athlete on paper, Garth won gold at Sprints in the 3V in his Junior year, along with a silver medal at IRAs. Garth left the US with Majors in Economics and Political Science, before embarking on a MPhil in Real Estate Finance at Cambridge with St. Edmund’s College
Six – Ollie Parrish
Ollie came to Cambridge to complete his degree in engineering at Peterhouse. A member of the famous 2018 St. Paul’s crew that won the Princess Elizabeth at Henley Royal, as well as a spattering of medals from the Junior World Championships, Ollie brings a taste of the high-life rowing can offer. Originally inspired by his father – a successful Olympian and former light Blue – Ollie is currently in his second year at Cambridge, having been selected for Goldie in 2020, he’s one of the youngest members of the crew, and a rare undergraduate in a world of extended academic stays.
Seven – Callum Sullivan
President
This year’s captain is the only Blue to have previously raced the Tideway. Callum joined Cambridge to study music at Downing, securing a seat in Goldie for the 2018 race – the first year in which Cambridge would enjoy a series of clean-sweeps across all events. He made the transition to the Blue Boat in 2019, securing his second Boat Race win, and retained his seat for the 2020 race. In-between his Cambridge exploits, Callum has kept sight of the wider rowing world, winning gold in the GB Men’s Eight at the 2019 Under23 World Championships, along with a string of successes at summer regattas. We caught up with Callum last year in this article, and on this episode of the podcast.
Stroke – Drew Taylor
Stanford graduate Drew captained his team through the cancelled 2020 season, having previously made the varsity eight as a junior in 2018. Prior to joining Stanford, Drew had solidified his position on the US rowing market, with a double-double in 2014 and 2015 at the World Rowing Junior Championships with gold medals in both the four and eight. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Drew attended Stanford with his twin sister, Sarah, who has forged her own path as a successful coxswain. He graduated in 2020 with Majors in Management Science and Engineering, before journeying to Cambridge to complete a MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise at Claire College.
Cox – Charlie Marcus
One of only two returning Blues, Charlie was selected to take the reins of the Blue Boat in 2020, having coxed Goldie to a victory in 2019. Charlie began rowing at Hampton School, and was selected to cox the highly successful 2016 Coupe de la Jeunesse men’s eight, which would win two gold medals over the weekend of racing. Currently studying at Trinity College for his Masters in Engineering, Charlie – much like his women’s coxswain counterpart – may have the home advantage at Ely, but with a straight course, it will be his experience of motivating crews that will secure a victory.
OUBC
Bow – James Forward
James began rowing at Nottingham and Union Rowing Club, where he won a silver medal as a J16 at the British Championships, before being selected to represent GB at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in the quad in 2019, where he won two bronze medals. A rare example of an athlete who learned his trade in sculling boat, James joined Oxford in 2020, reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics and Pembroke College. A first-time Blue, James has managed to impress coaches, despite few opportunities to demonstrate his worth on the water over the last six months.
Two – Alexander Bebb
President
This year’s OUBC president is no stranger to the Boat Race. Having previously studied at Cornell University where he rowed in the Varsity Eight for his Sophmore, Junior and Senior Years, he went on to represent Canada in the men’s eight at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in 2018. Alex was in the winning coxless four at the 2019 Four’s Head and won his Trial Eights race before being selected as the five seat of the reserve boat, Isis that year. In 2020 he gained Blue Boat selection, whilst continuing to study for his Masters in Mechanical Engineering at St. Peter’s College.
Three – Martin Barakso
Originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Martin showed tiger colours even before he began his career at Princeton, setting a new course record at the Head of the Charles in the double in 2010, before being named Canada’s junior sculler of the year. He went on to represent his home nation at the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2010 and 2011, leaving Princeton five years later in 2016 with a Major in History. Martin arrived at Oxford in 2020 where he’s currently pursuing a MSc in Latin American studies at Kellogg College, successfully trialing for a seat in the Blue Boat after just a few months in the UK.
Four – Felix Drinkall
One of two ex-presidents in this crew, Felix is perhaps one of the most well-known names in Oxford’s 2021 Blue Boat. He began rowing as a student at Eton College, where he collected a series of medals at Marlow and Met regattas, before moving to Oxford in 2017 to pursue a Masters in Engineering at Lady Margret Hall. During his time at Oxford, Felix has made the Blue Boat three times – 2018, 2019 and 2020 – with two losses and one cancellation to his name. Away form the Boat Race scene, he rowed alongside Cambridge president Callum Sullivan at the 2019 Under23 World Rowing Championships, where he won a gold in the men’s eight, along with a strong presence at GB trials in the pair with Ollie Cook.
Five – Tobias Shröder
Tobias is another Blue Boat returner, having previously won a seat at five in 2019 and 2020. Having learned to row at Winchester College, Tobias went on represent GB in the junior men’s eight at the 2017 Junior World Rowing Championships, where he won a bronze medal. Currently reading at Magdalen College, Tobias – like so many of his cremates – has previously come tantalisingly close to a victory in the Boat Race. Whether this year will tip the tables in Oxford’s favour is yet to be seen, however.
Six – Jean Phillipe Dufour
Jean completed his MD at the university of Zurich, before moving to Oxford to complete a PhD in Neuroscience at Lincoln College. The crew’s linguist, Jean has mastered four languages, along with the vernacular of rowing – as suggested by an impressive history in the boat. Selected for the Blue Boat in 2020, Jean is another returning Blue keen to prove the worth of not only himself, but also his University.
Seven – Joshua Bowesman-Jones
Studying at Keble College, Joshua began his rowing career at Radley College where he put a GB vest to good use, winning two golds in the Coxed four at the 2017 Coup de la Jeunesse, having narrowly missed out on a win in the Princess Elizabeth at Henley Royal just a few months earlier, after rapid recovery from sepsis and associated pneumonia. After arriving at Oxford, Joshua demonstrated his value at Fours Head, before being selected for Isis in the 2019 Reserve Race, which Oxford lost. He repeated the feat, gaining selection for Isis in 2020, before rising to the Blue Boat for 2021.
Stroke – Augustin Wambersie
Another ex-president and another ex-tiger, Augustin learned to row in his home town of Rio, before completing his major in engineering at Princeton in 2018, and making the move to Oxford in 2019 where he now studies for his MRes in jet engines and turbine blade cooling. At Princeton he worked his way up the squad to stroke the 1V in his Junior year. He raced to 4th and 5th place finishes in the Varsity Eight at IRAs, and captained the squad in his Senior year. When he moved to Oxford, he successfully trialed for the 2019 Blue Boat, and was selected as president for the 2020 campaign.
Cox – Jesse Oberst
Jesse learned how to drive an eight as a Harvard Undergraduate in the early 2000s, going on to lost to Hollandia Roeiclub in the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal in 2004, having represented the US on the World Cup circuit throughout the year. He’s currently undertaking a Masters in Business Administration at Pembroke College.
The Race
The 2021 Men’s Boat Race will be conducted on the Great River Ouse over a distance of 4.89km, beginning just North of the Prickwillow Road Bridge, and finishing just before the Victoria Street Bridge. Unlike the Tideway, the Ouse is likely to be rather ‘cosy’, with the blades of the crews being only six metres apart for the majority of the course, while high, reinforced banks could lead to large amounts of wash raining down on the trailing crew; many predict that whichever boat is able to secure the faster start will go on to win the event.
OUBC Chief Coach Sean Bowden is well-known for asking his athletes to push through already high standards, and it seems his aspirations for this year’s crew is not different: “The team will want to win, they are competitive people… I expect to see people pushing themselves up to and beyond where they have been before.” CUBC Chief Coach Rob Baker seems to have set a more emotional goal for his athletes in the run up to race day, saying “The next three weeks will involve some decisive preparation… I can’t wait to see our guys race. We will be ready.
For the first time, both the men’s and women’s races will be umpired by women, with Sarah Winkless taking change over the men’s race. Sarah will be the first female umpire in the 166 year history of the men’s event. In her time at Cambridge, she studied Natural Sciences and Land Economy at Fitzwilliam College, rowing for CUWBC for three years, making president in 1997. Sarah has previously umpired both the men’s and women’s reserve races and the women’s Boat Race, as well as becoming the first female umpire at Henley Royal Regatta in 2016.
This year’s Isis vs. Goldie Reserve Race will take place at Ely at a later date, in line with British Rowing and Government guidance.
Cover and featured images: Fergus Mainland and Roesie Percy
Headshots: The Boat Races
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