Which means we’re done here. Thanks for your company and comments – ta-ra.
And here’s Ben Bloom’s report on the races.
Cambridge dunk their coxes, Jasper Parish absolutely loving it. He clambers out of the drink, arms a-pumpin; he’s loved every moment of this, and why not?
That escalated quickly: Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka with a belter have given England a two-goal advantage over Ukraine.
Clare Balding and Prendergast reckon Cambridge have stolen a march by uniting the women’s and men’s boat clubs, which now train together – and celebrate together. It makes perfect sense that high-level athletes are able to force each other to greater heights, when the right atmosphere is created.
Now here come Cambridge men to bask in acclaim. Ollie Boyne lifts the trophy, his team douse him in fizz, and a night for the ages is under way!
Here come Cambridge women, ascending the dais where they stand, arms around each other. They pick up their jeroboams of sparkling wine, Caoimhe Dempsey races over to the trophy, flings it aloft, and her mates shpritz her with bevvy.
It’s 0-0 at Wembley…
Presentation time!
Good news: Felix Drinkall is OK, we’re told, en route to hospital for check-ups. I’ve no idea what it takes to inflict upon yourself suffering of that ilk.
Tassilo von Mueller says Felix Drinkall wasn’t in great nick in the boat, but he’s conscious hopes he’ll be OK. He’s extremely disappointed, noting that in a battle between two teams, one has to go home disappointed. He can’t find it inside himself to say anything else.
“What a race!” says Ollie. “Absolute pleasure, and with my brother! … Jasper coxed us an amazing race!”
Jasper, meanwhile, can barely get a word in, his older brother taking charge. He’s equally happy – but not asked about the big call that sort of settled the race.
“A very young but confident cox,” says Grace Prendergast of Parish, noting that he learnt his trade on the river. And here he is!
Drinkall is still receiving medical attention, so Cambridge celebrations are a little subdued. Ollie Boyne, their president, is delighted though, praising the dedication of his tam and noting that the race is “everything” to them.
We shouldn’t forget that it was Jasper’s decision to move away from the centre and towards Craven Cottage, away from the dirty water, that put his team in front. Our experts seriously doubted the wisdom of the call, but he knew and his team must’ve been confident in him, going where he told them to and giving life to his idea.
Japser Parish hugs his brother Ollie as we learn that Felix Drinkall, the Oxford stroke, is in a bit of trouble – his mates row him to the side, quickly, so he can get some medical attention.
Cambridge win the men's boat race for the fourth time in five contests!
That was a tremendous effort!
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Oxford close a little, getting within less than a length, but it’s not going to matter!
Oxford know the jig is up. They’ve given it everything and kept Cambridge honest, but still been powerless to dent the advantage.
Cambridge have just got that bit more than Oxford – they’ve looked calm and strong throughout this race, and as we hit Barnes Bridge, Oxford stamp on the finishing gas early, looking to out-kick their opponents from behind. Good luck, old mates.
Cambridge look to be increasing their lead now, and it looks insurmountable. I reckon the gap is a length and half, and Oxford look to be tiring now – with good reason.
Cambridge still lead by a length and a bit as we round the corner to Chiswick; they’ve rowed a terrific race here, maintaining their lead, by Oxford have done brilliantly to hang in there. Which crew has more left as we move into the final stages?
Cambridge get in front by enough to cut ahead, taking the inside lane, and it’ll be hard for Oxford from here. But Oxford close and they’re still in this!
Cambridge still look in control of this race, a length and half in front, and this is a really good race. Oxford stay close enough not to cede the inside route around the final bend, but have they enough left to overtake? My suspicion is not…
Cambridge lead at Hammersmith Bridge, and it’s rare for a crew to lose from here. But Oxford are still in this as we round the bend, so the Light Blues try to push, as if they’ve clear water they can pick the inside route around the final bend.
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Cambridge are warned again as Oxford move across and if the Dark Blues can touch them, the Lights might be disqualified! But they dig in and get themselves away, as Oxford go again. Cambridge lead by a length and change at Hammersmith Bridge.
In general, the faster water is in the middle where the river is deeper, but I guess Parish felt it choppy enough to find joy on the edge, and from co-comms we learn that this was an extremely maverick move. But his crew lead by almost a length and look to be moving smoothly, whole Oxford are at full tilt.
Oxford plough on, the bigger, more powerful crew bousting into the headwind. This looks like being a closer contest than the women’s race as Cambridge move right over towards Craven Cottage – bold move by Jasper Parish – and it works! His team edge in front, Oxford follow them over, and might that be a crucial call?!
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Cambridge shoot out of the gate and are warned immediately as he boats close together. There’s some serious speed getting up here, Cambridge again warned to move away, and Oxford now lead by half a length.
Both coxes have a hand up, presumably unhappy with the angle at which their boats sits. Cambridge are ready, Oxford are ready, and OFF WE GO!
“Lovely tissue-culture montage there,” says Bill Preston. “Seriously skilled work. As ever, I’ll be supporting the Oxford, they are going to get a stomp on and pull out the thrilling heroics to win by half a length.”
The teams are ready; Cambridge are now favourites…
Blazer and Barbour action.
The Cambridge rudder issue seems to have been sorted. Hopefully we’ll get away on time at 5pm BST.
The Cambridge crew reckon they’ve got the right balance of work and fun this term, after not quite nailing it last. We watch footage of them training, which looks the opposite of fun.
The crews carry their boats down to the river as we learn that one of them may have a rudder issue. I think it’s Cambridge – ah yes, it is – but it’s being sorted. You won’t want to attack four-odd miles on the river without faith in the equipment.
Helen Glover, double Olympic champ in the coxless pair, has just announced that she’ll be going for another title in Paris. She didn’t discover rowing until she was 21, her suitability for it discovered by a talent ID programme, and now look!
Other siblings: Jasper Parish, the Cambridge cox – whose women’s crew won last term – now steers the men’s team, one of whom is is his older brother, Ollie.
We watch a bit of VT telling us that rowing, often the preserve of public schools, is being taken to kids from other backgrounds who are learning about teamwork, discipline and such.
I did not know that the race sponsor, Gemini, is owned by the Winklevoss twins – better know as the Winklevii – who rowed for Oxford in 2010 boat race and represented USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Our teams for the men's race
Cambridge: Bow: Matt Edge (St Catharine’s), Brett Taylor (Queens’), Noam Moulle (Hughes Hall), Seb Benzecry (Jesus), Thomas Lynch (Hughes Hall), Nick Mayhew (Peterhouse), Ollie Parish (Peterhouse)
Stroke: Luca Ferraro (King’s)
Cox: Jasper Parish (Clare)
Oxford: Bow: James Forward (Pembroke), Alex Bebb (St. Peter’s), Freddy Orpin (St. Catherine’s), Tom Sharrock (Magdalen), James Doran (Oriel), Jean-Philippe Dufour (Lincoln), Tassilo von Mueller (Hertford)
Stroke: Felix Drinkall (Wolfson)
Cox: Anna O’Hanlon (Somerville)
Righto, the men’s race gets under way in 23 minutes. So…
The Cambridge team hold their cox aloft then enjoy further, chozzing champers out of the bottle. I daresay they’ll celebrate well tonight.
Sara Helin of Oxford is proud of her team and notes that the course changed a lot during the race so it was never clear what to expect. I think they knew just as well as we did.
Caoimhe Dempsey, the Cambridge president and sole survivor from last year, is proud of her team, saying their cox is very competitive and pushed them through. She says that the team is comprised of different characters from different programmes, and the personalities mesh well.
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Decent moment.
Looking back, I reckon Oxford knew they were overmatched, which is why they went out hard – they knew that if they were going to win it, they’d have to win it from the front. And once Cambridge went by, there was no prospect of anything changing.
“Cambridge won both of the lightweight races last weekend,” emails Andrew Benton, “so even if it’s one apiece today, Cambridge will come out on top by a large margin.”
“They may be rowing into the wind, but not against the tide,” says Glen Betton. “The races are timed to take advantage of the incoming flood tides which help push the boats westwards up the river to Mortlake.”
Interesting, I’m sure BBC said that cone around the corner, the teams would be rowing against the tide; please be very aware, I’d never have drawn my own conclusions.
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The victorious Cambridge team recuperate as we see footage of them crossing their line, Trotman standing on his seat – that’s decent balance from him, and he does well not to end up in the drink.
Tara Slade has a hand up and is presumably objecting to Cambridge cutting in front when a length ahead, but the appeal is swiftly dismissed as there was no contact. And from that point, the difference between the teams was so obvious there’s no real point for Oxford to argue.
Cambridge win the women's Boat Race for the sixth time in a row!
That was a proper hiding!
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There’s pain etched into Cambridge faces as their boat glides serenely across the water, Chiswick Bridge now in view. Tara Slade, the Oxford cox, tries everything to inspire her team to the superhuman, reminding them off all they’ve sacrificed, but a sixth straight win is there for the Light Blues!
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This isn’t easy for Cambridge but they’re making it look so, so smooth in the stroke and four lengths ahead coming around the final bend. There’s not a chance Oxfrod catch them.
The teams are both at 34 strokes per minute as we near Barnes Bridge – it’s just that Cambridge’s are more powerful or, put another way, they are better at suffering.
Cambridge power yet further clear, James Trotman the cox calling his team on. “Two-and-a-half lengths,” he says. “Good Cambridge”; his counterpart, meanwhile, lies that there’s a way back in it for his crew, when the Light Blues tire.
The Oxford team are being told that their opponents have gone off too hard, but as the lead increases to three or four lengths, it’s hard to see a way for them. The close-ups suggest they’re the tireder team, and their only chance now is if the Light Blues collapse.
Women and girls at the moment: Cambridge punish Oxford, stretching away and increasing pressure with every stroke. There’s still a fair way to go, but things already look desperate for the Dark Blues!
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Cambridge are warned again, I think for cutting in front, but they lead and now the boats are one in front of the other; Cambridge are ordered to move away and do, but still lead by a length and half.
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We’re about a quarter of the way through the race and Cambridge still lead, by half a length now, as Matt Smith, the umpire, orders the crews to stay apart; the Light Blues are warned.
The crews are close together now – not quite so close blades can clash, but not far off. We see that the Cambridge cox’s heart-rate is miles above resting, which tells us how nervous he must be feeling, but he communicates composure to his team, and Cambridge lead by a quarter of a length.
As we move around the new stand at Fulham, the crews prepare for rowing against the tide into a headwind. Oxford lead, but by very little. Who knocked out Hull this year?
But now it’s Cambridge forging in front past Craven Cottage, and the river looks very lively indeed – though should get more so.
Oxford look to have got away better, but there’s not much between the crews as we depart Putney Bridge.
AND WE’RE AWAY!
…nervous moments…
The teams are ready to go…
Both teams seem to have some really nice camaraderie going on. I’m sure that’ll serve them well as the muscles burn, but which will handle the pressure better?
You River Wantsum?!
Our teams for the women's race
Cambridge: Bow: Carina Graf (Emmanuel), Jenna Armstrong (Jesus), Rosa Millard (Trinity Hall), Alex Riddell-Webster (Murray Edwards), Claire Brillon (Fitzwilliam), Freya Keto St (Edmund’s), Isabelle Bastian (Jesus)
Stroke: Caoimhe Dempsey (Newnham)
Cox: James Trotman (Sidney Sussex)
Oxford: Bow: Laurel Kaye (Worcester), Claire Aitken (Oriel), Sara Helin (St. Peter’s), Ella Stadler (Exeter), Alison Carrington (Hertford), Freya Willis (Magdalen), Sarah Marshall (Jesus)
Stroke: Esther Austin (St Anne’s)
Cox: Tara Slade (St Peter’s)
Also going on:
The presidents talk about their role in setting standards, managing personalities and feeling the history. I trust that much of this is considered on sticky dancefloors, strawpedoing alcopops.
As challengers, Oxford Women call – heads – and Cambridge do too, but only one is operative. So when tails shows, Cambridge pick and go for the Surrey Station, which might give them the advantage coming around the bend at Hammersmith. Oxford Men win the men’s toss, and they go for Surrey too, though the BBC’s expert favours Middlesex.
James Cracknell is riverside, and explains that he recently broke his wrist tripping over a rowing machine. Dangerous sport.
What I love about rowing is seeing a team perform the exact-same action in sync – there’s something therapeutically hypnotic about that, especially in a close race, in which the lead changes with each stroke. That, and its presence in Daley Thompson’s Supertest on the Spectrum+3.
The weather is still orrible, by the way – windy, grey, and with rain a distinct possibility. It was worse earlier, but there’s no reason why we can’t recapture those heights.
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BBC’s coverage is about to start, so we’ll drop in on that to bring you all the buildup.
Preamble
It’s an absolutely munting day in London or, in other words, an absolutely perfect day for the Boat Race. Over the course of mornings, terms and years, our teams will have got up at all sorts of evil hours and in all sorts of disgraceful weather to tank up and down the Cam and Thames, inspired by the hope of being picked for this contest. Well, here we are.
Last year, Cambridge won the women’s event by two-and-a-quarter lengths and are big favourites to repeat their success this time. Meantime, in the men’s competition, Oxford took the 2022 honours by an identical margin and are expected to do so again in 2023.
But of course, there’s plenty that can go wrong messing about on the river in a race that is no stranger to upset, and either way, the elderly among us get to enjoy the sight of young people suffering for our entertainment. Welcome to British Summer Time!
Women’s race: 4pm BST
Men’s race: 5pm BST
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