Images of the 160th Boat Race Part 2: The Race

‘The Event From Different Views’, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 9 April 1881.

Tim Koch writes:

I discovered long ago that, when following a rowing race in a launch, you can either take notes and produce a written report or you can take photographs, but not both. I took the photo option and have used the results to illustrate selections from Peter McConnell’s excellent Official Race Report (here in italics) published on the Boat Race website.

On an overcast day prone to squalls and with a strong south west wind blowing this was always going to be a test of technique as well as stamina.

On the start, the coxs’ hands raised to show that they are not ready. This picture shows the problem of parallax in photographing a side-by-side race – be assured that the boats were started level!

Oxford won the toss and chose the Surrey station which would give them the advantage of the big Surrey bend a third of the way into the Race. Therefore it was Cambridge who would have the early advantage around the Middlesex bend after the end of the Fulham Wall. Off the start both crews sprinted off in the mid 40’s, Oxford taking an early lead.

Seventy five seconds into the race, Oxford lead. The long lens probably exaggerates the closeness of the Oxford ‘7’ blade and that of the Cambridge ‘2’, but the illusion turned real just under four minutes later.

As expected the crews were very close to each other with Cambridge warned by first time Boat Race Umpire Richard Phelps. The Light Blues used the bend to their advantage reeling in Oxford’s lead, hence as they passed the Town Buoy the crews were level.

At Craven Cottage (aka Fulham Football ground) just before Cambridge’s bend advantage ran out.

With both crews at 35 Oxford began to exert their power, pulling out to a 1/3 length lead along the Crabtree Reach.

Approaching the Mile Post.

The crews pictured seconds before ‘the race decider’.

... shortly after the Mile Post, 5 minutes in to the Race, came the moment that effectively settled the result. Phelps had warned Oxford who now had a 3/4 length lead, they responded but Cambridge moved with them and as the Umpire issued a warning to Cambridge the blades of Light Blue 2 man Luke Juckett came into contact with that of Sam O’Connor the Kiwi in the Oxford 7 seat. Juckett was knocked out of his stride, crabbed and was nearly thrown from the boat. Oxford seizing the moment powered away as Cambridge floundered, missing five effective strokes. Worse, Juckett’s rigger was bent meaning his pitch was completely wrong so he could only make a negligible contribution to the speed of his crew.

Juckett’s head goes under.

Juckett emerges from the deep.

Juckett recovers his seat. Bowman Thorpe recovers Juckett’s blade.

Juckett resumes rowing with a gate off pitch and no backstay.

There is ‘only’ fourteen seconds between this picture and the first of this group but this was more than enough time to decide that the race was effectively over.

At Hammersmith Bridge Oxford had an 8 second lead meaning they could choose their own water. They continued to pile on the pressure at a steady 33 strokes a minute and continued to move away from a demoralised Light Blue crew. Even with a strong headwind and rough conditions after Chiswick Eyot, Oxford’s progress was relentless.

At Hammersmith Bridge.

At Chiswick Eyot, approaching Chiswick Steps.

At Chiswick Steps the Oxford lead was 16 seconds over 5 lengths, at Barnes Bridge 28 seconds and at the finish a massive 32 seconds.

Going through Barnes Railway Bridge.

Approaching Mortlake Brewery.

The finish at Chiswick Bridge.

Cambridge cox Ian Middleton raised his hand in protest after the finish but to no avail. Richard Phelps later explained, “I was concerned where Oxford were, so I warned Oxford and they moved immediately. A second later I was happy where the crews were but I then saw the Cambridge bow just twitch-in towards Oxford, so I warned Cambridge. The next thing there was a slight contact but the impact was great.” Talking about the Cambridge appeal he said that “Cambridge’s view was that when the foul occurred Oxford were not on their station. From my perspective Oxford were on their proper station; quite clearly. Contact could only have been in neutral water or at the worst Cambridge were off their station. I advised Cambridge I was overruling their appeal.”

Cox Middleton appeals to Umpire Phelps at the finish.

The luckless Juckett. His broken backstay is clearly evident.

The damage in close up. The pin appears to be upright but it is impossible to tell how much the pitch was out, especially when pressure was applied.

The winning president Malcolm Howard thanked his crew and coach Sean Bowden for an amazing year. He felt the clash but “I don’t think it affected the outcome, we were moving really well, we’d withstood their big push early on and had started to take seats. We were moving on them and would have kept moving.”

Oxford ‘3’ man, Karl Hudspith (right) commiserates with Cambridge bowman, Michael Thorpe (left).

A jubilant Hudspith lifts the Boat Race Trophy. The score now stands at Oxford 78, Cambridge 81 with one dead heat.

On the way back to Putney, a reminder adorning Tideway Scullers’ Boathouse that next year change will come to the 161st Boat Race. In my opinion, this radical move should go further as proper equality will only occur when the men’s reserve race (Isis - Goldie) is moved from the Tideway to the Oxford - Cambridge Henley Boat Races (where the lightweights and remaining women compete) leaving Boat Race Day to the fastest men and the fastest women, full stop. Should anyone complain about ‘a break with tradition’ I would suggest that they fail to understand the paradox that ‘tradition’ can only survive by evolving, not by standing still.  

The race is now on YouTube as is the last Women’s Boat Race to be held at Henley.

Photography © Tim Koch

See also "Images of the 160th Boat Race Part 1: The Prelude".

Images of the 160th Boat Race Part 1: The Prelude

‘Humours of the Boat Race’, 1879. Clearly, humour does not age well.

Tim Koch writes:

Other reports on the 2014 Boat Race were rather conventional in that they all came out within hours of the event. Here at HTBS, we like to be different and so have waited several days before putting our take on the day online (nothing to do with me starting a new job). Part 2 will show the race, pictured from my very privileged position in the photographers’ launch.

Putney Embankment, 14.00 (2 p.m.), four hours before the 18.00 (6 p.m.) start. The Putney ‘Hard’ is fenced off to the public.

‘National Treasure’, BBC presenter Claire Balding, manages to get slight smiles out of the normally recalcitrant coaches, Steve Trapmore of Cambridge...

...and Sean Bowden of Oxford.

Oxford’s balcony scene at 15.45 (3:45 p.m.), two and a quarter hours to go.

A young Old Blue (Dark).

Two Old Blues (Light).

Six future Old Blues? Girls from London Youth Rowing sell home made cakes to raise money for new equipment.

The coin toss for stations. Umpire Richard Phelps holds the gold sovereign minted in 1829 (the year of the first race), which was presented to the Boat Race by the late John Snagge.

OUBC President Malcolm Howard flips the coin, CUBC President Steve Dudek calls.

17.05 (5:05 p.m.), Oxford takes to the water.

The Oxford bow man Storm Uru in a reflective mood. The first New Zealand Maori to row in a Boat Race, it is also unusual to find a sculler and a lightweight in the event.

Oxford ‘2’ man Tom Watson, one of many Boat Race oarsman that have originated out of the University of Victoria, British Columbia.

17.14 (5:14 p.m.): The final words of wisdom from coach Bowden are absorbed by cox Harvey and stroke Louloudis. I presume that the reflective band around the cox’s wrist is so that, if he raises his hand on the start to indicate that he is not ready, the umpire will not miss it. While this may not actually be necessary, it is a great attention to detail.

17.15 (5:15 p.m.): Oxford leave for their warm up.

17.15 (5:15 p.m.): Cambridge leave for their warm up.

The view from the photographers’ launch. Leaving the crowds on the Embankment. Old hands said that it was better before the television helicopter hovered noisily overhead when the only noise was the excited murmur of the crowd.

Going through Putney Bridge, away from the start, to await the crews going onto the stake boats.

Ten minutes before the race. Having completed their warm ups, the crews wait downriver, alone with their thoughts.

Six minutes to go. Bowden’s boys pass him on the way to the start.

Cambridge on the stake boat. Only President Dudek (4) finds humour in the situation.

17.57 (5:57 p.m.): On the start. The culmination of 1,200 hours of training. One chance. No second place. 

Photography © Tim Koch

Coming up next – ‘Images of the 160th Boat Race Part 2: The Race’.

No light Blues – the Boat Race Crews weigh-in

The traditional challenge from the previous year’s losers.

Tim Koch writes:

The BNY Mellon Boat Race and the Newton Women’s Boat Race weigh-in and announcement of the crews were held on 10 March. The combined event was part of the move towards parity between the two Races by 2015.

In the background, the ‘5’ men, Helge Gruetjen from Cambridge and Malcolm Howard from Oxford weigh in. In the foreground is the trophy that both hope to lift on 6 April.

The weigh-in is a mildly undignified affair with the slightly bemused athletes paraded before the assembled press and sponsors, rather incongruously wearing rowing kit the City of London offices of sponsors, BNY Mellon. The occasion produces all sorts of statistics about weight, height and age (and that are probably ultimately meaningless) plus lots of sound bites, all of them resolutely positive. It is difficult to think of an original question to ask the coaches on such an occasion and I suspect that it is not their favourite event, perhaps they are fearful that they should reveal their tactics or any doubts that they may have.

Oxford coach, Sean Bowden. He has coached eleven Boat Race victories, two for Cambridge and nine for Oxford. Clearly he has already earned his place amongst the legendary Varsity coaches – and he has not finished yet.

The weigh-in is not, however, without its uses. For the non-rowing media it is the first indicator that the Boat Race is near, for the athletes it is an affirmation that their hard work has paid off and for the sponsors it is a manifestation of their investment.

Cambridge President and ‘4’ man, Steve Dudek as I see him.

Oxford stroke, Constantine Louloudis, known to his crew mates as ‘Stan’.

The statistics showed that the Cambridge men have a height and weight advantage and coach Steve Trapmore says that it is his best CUBC squad yet, but their opponents boat an intimidating three Olympic medallists. Oxford have Malcolm Howard (Gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Silver in the London 2012 Games), Storm Uru (World Champion and Olympic Bronze medallist from London 2012) and Constantine Louloudis (Bronze at London 2012, looking for his third Boat Race win). Karl Hudspith and Michael DiSanto have both rowed for GB and the USA, respectively, at senior international level, while New Zealander Sam O’Connor was a Junior World Champion.

OUWBC President and ‘3’ woman, Maxie Scheske.

The biggest person in the race, Oxford ‘5’ man, Malcolm Howard.

Who will win? For a ‘two horse race’, the outcome of the Boat Race is surprisingly difficult to predict. I think it could be Oxford – but perhaps it will be Cambridge.....?

The Men. Photo: Getty Images.

CUBC  (Average weight excluding cox: 92.3kg)
Bow: Michael Thorp – British (Blue)
2: Luke Juckett – American
3: Ivo Dawkins – British
4: Steve Dudek – American (Blue/President)
5: Helge Gruetjen – German
6: Matthew Jackson – American
7: Joshua Hooper – Australian
Stroke: Henry Hoffstot – American
Cox: Ian Middleton – British

OUBC (Average weight excluding cox: 89.7kg)
Bow: Storm Uru – New Zealander
2: Chris Fairweather – British
3: Karl Hudspith – British (Blue)
4: Thomas Swartz – American/Canadian
5: Malcolm Howard – British/Canadian (Blue/President)
6: Michael DiSanto – American
7: Sam O’Connor – New Zealander (Blue)
Stroke: Constantine Louloudis – British (Blue)
Cox: Laurence Harvey - British

The Women. Cambridge give a smile. Oxford say ‘Are you looking at me.....?’ Photo: Getty Images.

CUWBC (Average weight excluding cox: 73.2kg)
Bow: Caroline Reid – British (Blue)
2: Kate Ashley – British
3: Holly Game – British (Blue)
4: Isabella Vyvyan – British
5: Catherine Foot – British
6: Melissa Wilson – British (Blue)
7: Claire Watkins – British (Blue)
Stroke: Emily Day – British (Blue)
Cox: Esther Momcilovic – British (Blue/President)

OUWBC (Average weight excluding cox: 69.2kg)
Bow: Elizabeth Fenje – Canadian
2: Alice Carrington Windo – British/German (Blue)
3: Maxie Scheske – British/German (Blue/President)
4: Nadine Graedel Iberg – Swiss
5: Anastasia Chitty – British (Blue)
6: Lauren Kedar – British
7: Amber De Vere – British
Stroke: Laura Savarese – American
Cox: Erin Wysocki Jones – British

Earlier in the day the crews visited the flagship store of one of the sponsors, Hackett, for publicity photographs. The last time that I saw a shop window full of women, it was in Amsterdam.... Photo: @theboatrace

There was some nice media coverage of the story in the London Evening Standard and The Guardian. Independent Television produced this video (not sure this video will work in all countries outside the UK).