The Oxford May Eights

Eights Week starts this Wednesday, 28th May, and continues to Saturday 31st. "That's only 4 days" observed my American friend when I told him this some years ago. "Well, racing did go on for a whole week in the olden days," I responded, " But it was reduced to just 4 days over 50 years ago, I believe, because some undergraduates felt that they had to get back to their books. After all, many students have exams at the end of this term."

We were walking through Christ Church Meadow towards the Thames. (I would have called it the Isis, but that would have involved another long verbal tussle). "Quick", I said, "I think there's a race coming."  We dashed over to the riverbank. About 5 eights rowed past in single file, and rather spread out too. They looked pretty exhausted. "Is that it?" my trans-Atlantic chum enquired, looking distinctly unimpressed.

"I think we've been a bit unlucky; I should imagine that the other boats all bumped out! Don't worry, there'll be another division starting soon - look, that women's eight is going down to the start at Iffley Lock."

"Very thrilling, I'm sure," he responded, " But what the heck does 'bumped out' mean? Why can't they get on and have a decent race?"

A slightly fuller explanation seemed in order. "The river is too narrow for side by side racing; besides there are about 38 colleges and each has several crews, both men and women. The only way is to race in single file and try to catch the boat in front - you literally touch or hit it. That's a bump, and the next day those 2 boats change places and try again. The eight finishing any particular day at the head of a division (13 crews per division) is called the 'sandwich' boat, and rows again at the foot of the next division. The colleges at the head of division 1 (men and women) on Saturday are 'Head of the River'.

"And I thought cricket was bad enough" he said, scratching his head. I had to admit he still looked rather unconvinced.

"Tell you what, if we get a move on we'll be at the college boathouses before the next race. There's far more atmosphere there: you should hear the cheering if a bump takes place in front of the crowds. You'll like it. There'll be lots of pretty girls in party dresses, chaps sporting their college blazers, and, especially on Saturday, music, BBQs and beer at student prices."

"Sounds better, I admit," he acknowledged. But he had one last go. "I'll bet nobody famous has ever rowed here" he asserted.

I was able to deal with this one: "Remember that row over who invented Facebook? Those twins from Harvard who made millions from that court case rowed for Christ Church recently. And just last year Pembroke College were stroked by an Olympic gold medallist."

"Lead on."

Boat Race Aftermath

By OISE Oxford tutor Kit Villiers

It's over for another year, and at least one can say that Oxford won; rather easily too - by 11 lengths. But it was a bit unsatisfactory both for the large victory margin and for the manner of it. 11 lengths reminds me of the one sided contests during my formative years, normally with poor old Oxford trailing in far behind, exhausted and demoralised. The races were so often not proper contests in those days, and therefore can't have been much fun for the public lining the banks of the Tideway.

I suppose it's impossible to know how many spectators there were, or indeed how many there ever are. The BBC estimated 250,000 in London (plus of course countless millions on TV). My impression is that interest continues pretty unflagged, and that crowd figures if anything are increasing. I'm sure this is because the standard is higher with all the internationals on board, but it probably also reflects the fact that we've had so many close and dramatic races in recent years. Oxford's victory by just 1 foot in 2003 is one such example. The 2012 race was shaping up to be another classic when it was interrupted by that rather foolhardy swimmer - but that incident itself gave the event added interest. So let's hope we're not returning to the days of boring processions again.

And so to the clash. In brief, Oxford drew steadily away from Cambridge following an overlap near Harrod's Depository  - well before Hammersmith and only about 5 minutes into the race - where the Light Blues' 2 (that's Cambridge) came into contact with the Dark Blues' 7. Unfortunately the Cambridge man  (a large American, like most of his crewmates) came off worse; he caught a crab - i.e. his oar hit him with terrific force in the chest, knocking him backwards into the lap of bow - and he then missed about 6 strokes. The missed strokes are less important than the fact that catching the crab meant that the boat had to come to a dead halt in order to extract the oar, and Oxford just went clear.

Cambridge's 18 year old cox raised his arm in protest at the finish, but the umpire  - rightly in my opinion - wasn't having any of it, as he'd warned Cambridge to stop boring in on Oxford only a few seconds before. The BBC commentator raised the question as to what might have happened if it had been Oxford in the wrong, claiming that Cambridge's protest might then have had some merit. Theoretically perhaps, but discussing the matter at home we could think of no time when a crew has been disqualified. Of greater interest to me was Cambridge's claim that 2's rigger was damaged in the clash and he couldn't pull properly afterwards. I must say his difficulty wasn't apparent, but perhaps that was just his skill. I suspect that there must be truth in the allegation as I don't think there was really 11 lengths difference between the crews.  Having said that, Oxford had moved out to a half length lead just before the incident and were about to embark on the long Surrey bend in their favour. I note the Oxford President was fulsome in his condolences in the Oxford Mail, and he - an Olympic gold medal winner - was in the best position of all to see what occurred from his position of 5; after all his eyes would always be on his No. 7 from whom he takes his time.  

Well, unlike Oxford, most of Cambridge return for another go next year. But I suspect the 2015 event will be overshadowed by the first ever women's boat race over the full Putney to Mortlake course. Up to now, the Varsity women have raced each other at Henley, far from world media, and have rowed less than half the distance.

And finally to the perennial (but rather hypothetical) question as to how would Oxford Brookes get on in the Boat Race, I can only quote the Brookes student newspaper when I was doing my teaching training there: they might struggle for a year or two, but then they'd give the old universities a very good run for their money.....