2022 saw the Boat Races, the long established 6.8km duelling between Oxford and Cambridge University, return to the Tideway for the first time since 2019.
The headlines:
Oxford won the mens race for the first time since 2017.
Cambridge won the women’s race for the fifth consecutive year in record breaking time
Isis (Oxford) won the mens reserve race
Blondie (Cambridge) won the women’s reserve race
The Mens Boat Race
The 2022 Boat Race Line ups saw an almost unprecedented number of Olympic athletes donning the famous shades of blue. This included five oarsman who rowed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games in the Oxford Boat and two Tokyo and one Rio 2016 Olympian in the Cambridge Boat. The line ups were as follows:
Oxford:
Stroke: Tobias Schroder – GB U23 World Champion in 8+
7: Angus Groom – GB Olympic silver medallist in the 4X
6: Charles Elwes – GB Olympic bronze medallist in the 8+
5: Roman Rooseli – Swiss Olympic 2X
4: Jack Robertson – Australian Berkley Graduate
3: Barnabe Delarze – Swiss Olympic 2X
2: David Ambler – GB U23 World Champion in 4-
Bow: Liam Corrigan – USA Olympic 8+
Cox : Jack Tottem
Cambridge:
Stroke: Ollie Parish – GB Junior World Champion
7: James Bernard – USA U23
6: Tom George – GB Olympic bronze medallist in the 8+
5: Ollie Wynne-Griffith – GB Olympic bronze medallist in the 8+
4: Simon Schuerch – Swiss Rio Olympic Gold Medallist Lwt4-
3: George Finlayson – Ex Australian U23
2: Jamie Hunter – New Zealand Rio Olympics Lwt 4--
Bow: Luca Ferraro – Boat Race Spare Pair 2021
Cox: Charlie Marcus
The Race
The 167th mens Boat Race got off to a fast start with both contesting for the best water. Cambridge had unusually chosen the Middlesex side of the course after winning the toss which does give roughly one quarter of length advantage in the first bend past Fulham but sacrifices as much as three quarters of a length around the bend under Hammersmith Bridge. Perhaps they were looking to gain an early advantage to lead the race enough to control the water around Oxford’s bend as their women’s boat had just an hour before.
As it was, however, Oxford made the best of start and while the umpire ordered the crews to stay apart, Oxford were able to move into the lead by roughly two minutes into the race. Oxford then continued to move away from Cambridge throughout the race and didn’t look to be under much pressure through the remainder of the race, testament to the strength of the Oxford crew considering the speed and calibre of the Cambridge boat.
Oxford therefore crossed the line first in a time of 16:42 by a margin of 2 ¼ lengths. Their first victory in 5 years sees them close slightly on Cambridge bringing the overall victory tally to CUBC 85 – 81 OUBC.
The Womens Boat Race
The Women’s boat race has recently seen an increase in the number of high calibre athletes attracted to take part in the race. This season saw what many have described as the most impressive line-up of female athletes ever for the event with both Cambridge and Oxford bringing out the big guns for 2022:
Cambridge:
Stroke: Imogen Grant – GB Olympic lwt2X
7: Grace Prendergast – Perhaps the best female sweep rower in world right now, NZL Olympic gold medallist in the 2- and silver medallist in the 8+
6: Sarah Portsmouth – Blue Boat 2021
5: Bronya Sykes – Blue Boat 2021
4: Ruby Tew – NZL Olympic 4X
3: Paige Badenhorst
2: Caoimhe Dempsey – Blue Boat 2021
Bow: Adriana Perez Rotondo – Blue Boat 2021
Cox: Jasper Parish
Oxford:
Stroke: Erin Reelick
7: Annie Anezakis
6: Anastasia Posner – Ex GB athlete & 4 time previous Women’s Boat Race winner
5: Gabrielle Smith – Canada Olympic 2X
4: Julia Lindsay – Blue Boat 2021
3: Amelia Standing – U23 World Champion 4-
2: Christine Cavallo – ex USA national team
Bow: Anja Zehfuss – Blue Boat 2021
Cox : Joe Gellett
The Race
Cambridge went into the 76th women’s Boat Race as favourites having won the previous 5 meetings between the crews however Oxford won the toss and selected the Surrey station which is favoured during the early-mid section of the race under Hammersmith bridge which is often the part of the race that decides the outcome.
Cambridge went out fast and were able to secure an early lead in the race which cox, Jasper Parish took full advantage of by controversially cutting in front of Oxford to take the best line as soon as Cambridge broke to clear water despite several warnings from the umpire. The move, although risky, proved successful and after Oxford held the gap to just a few metres for a long couple of minutes, Cambridge were able to break contact and row to victory.
Cambridge recorded a new record time of 17:23, surpassing the old record by an incredible 11 seconds, a real display of the calibre of athlete competing in this year’s race. The winning margin was 2 ¼ lengths. This year’s victory saw Cambridge extend their winning streak to 5 consecutive races and brings their overall tally to 46, ahead of Oxford’s 30.
Comments