The 77th Women’s Boat Race Preview

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With the announcement of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race crews, it’s time for me to cast my eye over the line-ups, make my customary seat-by-seat comparison, and give the “kiss of death” to the crews that I think will win.

First up, the Women’s Blue Boats.

Bow:

Oxford – Laurel Kaye (USA)

A graduate of both Duke and Yale Universities, Kaye raced in the 2021 Lightweight Boat, losing to Cambridge when the race was held at Ely. She is also one of four of the 2022 Osiris crew who have made this year’s Blue Boat.

Cambridge – Carina Graf (Germany)

A graduate of the University of British Columbia, she was a member of the victorious Blondie crew in 2022 and had a gold medal from the British Universities Championships.

Verdict: a slight advantage to Cambridge, given the victory in the reserve race last year

Two:

Oxford – Clair Aitken (Great Britain)

A graduate of Glasgow University, she is the 2nd of the 2022 Osiris crew to step up to the Blue Boat this year. She is also a BUCS gold medallist.

Cambridge – Rosa Millard (Great Britain)

Millard learnt her rowing with the Lea Rowing Club and stroked the 2022 Lightweight boat to a record 15-length victory. She was also the stroke of the Cambridge LW4- which won gold at the British Universities Championships.

Verdict: another close contest, but Millard just pips it for Cambridge.

Three:

Oxford – Sara Helin (Great Britain) President

This year’s President, Helin learnt to row at Sir William Borlase Grammar school in Marlow, winning medals at the National Schools Regatta.

Cambridge – Alex Riddell-Webster (Great Britain)

Riddell-Webster raced in the victorious Blondie crews in 2021 and 2022. She is also a former Junior international, winning the B-Final of the JW4- in 2019. She was in the Intermediate W4+ with Carina Graf, that won gold at BUCS in 2022

Verdict: Despite Oxford having their President in this seat, I see it as a clear advantage to the Light Blues.

Four:

Oxford – Ella Stadler (Great Britain / USA)

Stadler started rowing as an Undergraduate at Oxford in 2019, stroking the Exeter College 1st VIII at Torpids. She’s also raced for Oxford at BUS and Henley Women’s Regatta.

Cambridge – Jenna Armstrong (USA)

Armstrong learnt to row at Bates College, Maine, winning Collegiate 8’s at the 2014 Head of The Charles and the DIV 3 title at the 2015 NCAA’s. After graduating from Bates, she completed a post-graduate medicine degree at Duke University in North Carolina.

Verdict: Advantage to the Light Blues again

Five:

Oxford – Alison Carrington (Great Britain)

Carrington is another of the Dark Blues who only took up rowing when she went to Oxford. However, she has progressed quickly, making the reserve crew in 2022. She also raced at Henley Women’s Regatta in 2022, reaching the final of the Academic 4-.

Cambridge – Freya Keto (USA)

Keto learnt to row at Thompson Boat Club in Washington, DC, before going to Brown University, racing in the 1V in 2021 and the 2V in 2022 (winning a silver medal at the Ivy League Championships). In addition, she raced in the Brown W4X at both Henley Royal and Henley Women’s Regatta in 2022.

Verdict: Another seat advantage to the Light Blues

Six:

Oxford – Freya Willis (Australia)

A graduate of the Australian National University and raced at the Australian National Schools Championships whilst at Methodist Ladies College. In 2022 she raced for the City of Oxford at Henley Women’s Regatta, reaching the quarter-final of Club 4’s

Cambridge – Isabelle Bastian (USA)

Bostonian Bastian grew up watching the Head of the Charles; her uncle was World Champion in 1987. She attended Harvard and rowed in the Varsity boat, where she was team captain and was in the five seat in the crew that finished 5th at the Ivy Championships

Verdict: yet another advantage to Cambridge

Seven:

Oxford- Sarah Marshall (Great Britain)

One of three Undergraduates in the Oxford boat (the same as Cambridge), Marshall learnt to row at Rob Roy Boat Club in Cambridge. She competed at the British Junior Championships in 2021 and, in her Freshman year, raced at BUCS.

Cambridge- Claire Brillon (Canada)

The only senior international athlete in any of the four Blue Boats, Brillon made her senior international debut last year, racing in the W4- at the 2022 World Championships finishing 13th. She graduated from the University of British Columbia, with whom she raced at Henley Women’s regatta in 2022.

Verdict: a clear advantage to Cambridge

Stroke:

Oxford – Esther Austin (New Zealand)

A graduate of the University of Canterbury, she is a former New Zealand Southern Regional Performance Centre member, winning gold in the U22 W8 at the 2013 National Championships. In addition, she represented New Zealand at the 2010 Junior World Championships.

Cambridge – Caoimhe Dempsey (Ireland) – President

Dempsey was a member of the victorious 2021 and 2022 Cambridge Blue Boats and had also been selected for the 2020 crew before the race’s cancellation). She graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, winning a national title in the W2-. In 2017 she represented Ireland at the European U23 Championships. In 2019 she spent a year in New Zealand, rowing for Otago and picking up a bronze medal in the Senior W4- at the National Championships.

Verdict: With two Boat race wins under her belt already, it’s a clear advantage to Dempsey of Cambridge.

Cox:

Oxford – Tara Slade (Great Britain)

A graduate medical student, Slade learnt to cox at Caius College Cambridge and was cox of the Lightweight Reserves in 2018.

Cambridge – James Trotman (Great Britain)

Trotman learnt his coxing skills on the Championship course at St Paul’s School. He steered St Paul’s 1st 8 to victory in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley in 2022 and guided the GB JM8 to a silver medal at the Junior World Championships.

Verdict: Tideway experience is crucial for a cox in the Boat race, so another clear advantage to the Light Blues.

Prediction:

So, who do I think will win? On paper, there is a clear advantage to Cambridge throughout the crew. The recent Women’s Head of the River results and the pre-Boat Race fixtures would also suggest that Cambridge has the edge, although it could be close. Oxford lost to Leander in a head-to-head contest by two ¼ lengths and ½ lengths. A nearly identical Leander crew finished 2nd at the WEHORR 38 seconds ahead of Cambridge. Both crews raced Thames Rowing Club on consecutive weekends in February. The Blue Boats took narrow victories in all but one of the encounters (Thames winning the final piece against Cambridge).

So, whilst it looks to be a clear advantage to Cambridge on paper, I think Oxford (despite being one of the least experienced Blue Boats for many years) could make a good race of it. My money is on Oxford keeping within a length to Chiswick Steps before Cambridge gradually pulls away to win by three lengths.

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