The Boat Race, one of the world’s oldest amateur sporting events, once again unfolded in front of 200,000 spectators along the historic 6.8 km Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake. Clare Harvey umpired the 80th Women’s Boat Race, while Ciarán Hayes oversaw the 171st Men’s Boat Race. This year also marked Channel 4’s debut broadcast of the event, presented by Clare Balding.
Although conditions at the start were better than expected, the wind strengthened significantly over the second half of the course, forcing all crews to contend with increasingly choppy water.
In the Men’s Boat Race, Oxford won the toss and chose the Surrey station. The race proved to be one of the most exciting in recent memory with incredibly close racing and repeated warnings through the first 10 minutes. Oxford produced an aggressive and well-executed start, with Cambridge finally breaking away around Hammersmith, ultimately securing victory by 3 1/2 lengths, the seventh win in eight years.
The result delivered a remarkable personal milestone for Cambridge Men’s President Noam Mouelle, who became the first Cambridge oarsman in the 21st century to win four consecutive Boat Races, and the first to do so since Christopher Baillieu MBE in 1970-73. Interestingly, both men rowed in the 2 seat.
Mouelle said: “This was the most difficult race we’ve had in years.
“In these conditions we knew we had to get the job done early on in the race, which we did, but Oxford put some very good pushes in and made it as hard as possible so props to them for that.
“At the moment my main feeling is one of relief! We didn’t make any mistakes in such rough water and now I’m just going to relax and enjoy the moment. Tonight we’ll have a great dinner then take a step back and reflect on what we have achieved.”
Cox Sammy Houdaigui said: “We talked a lot before the race about what that first half would look like.
“Given that we were on the Middlesex station, and given the way the race was playing out – and knowing the conditions were going to get biblical in the second half – we really wanted to make sure we had a margin and that we could be in the water we wanted to be in the second half and not be forced to stay wide into the rougher water.
“Oxford were leaning fairly hard on us in the first quarter but at a certain point with the conditions I had to put the bow ball where it needed to be for these guys to drive us out and ahead. There were some risky moments in that of course, but I had complete confidence in the crew to come out on top. It just feels fantastic.”
In the Women’s Boat Race, Cambridge President Gemma King won the toss and selected the Surrey station. In increasingly tricky conditions, Oxford made a strong start, moving to a third of a length ahead within the first 30 seconds. Cambridge remained between 1 and 1 1/2 lengths down for much of the race, with Women’s Blue Boat cox Matt Moran working tirelessly to close the gap. But Oxford held firm, taking victory by 3 lengths, their first win since 2016.
For Goldie, the day could not have been better. Despite repeated warnings to Oxford off the start, Goldie broke away decisively on the Fulham Bend and dominated the remainder of the course, winning by an astonishing 58 seconds.
Blondie also delivered a commanding performance. After a slightly unsettled start, they found their rhythm and moved to around 1 length ahead by Hammersmith Bridge. A blade popping out of the gate briefly halted the bow pair, but the crew recovered well and went on to win by nine lengths.
University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: “It was brilliant. It was rough out there on the water, it was really crazy in the middle of the course, and I’m so impressed with what both sides did.
“It’s delightful that Cambridge have won the Men’s race again, as well as both reserve races. The women in the Blue Boat rowed well, they did everything they could to win. They rowed with real heart and we are proud of them.”
Today’s results bring the overall records to 49-31 in favour of Cambridge Women and 89-81 in favour of Cambridge Men.
Today’s results round off a fantastic weekend of racing, following Friday’s victories for the Men’s and Women’s Lightweights and the Men’s and Women’s Veterans.
Men’s Blue Boat
Women’s Blue Boat
Goldie
Blondie
Men’s Lightweights
Women’s Lightweights
