Date April 2, 2017, 8:35 AM PDT Other Instances The Boat Races 2016, The Boat Races 2015, The Boat Race 2014, The Boat Race 2012, The Boat Race 2011 | ||
The 2017 Boat Races (also known as The Cancer Research UK Boat Races for the purposes of sponsorship) will take place on 2 April 2017. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge along a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London. For the second time in the history of the event, the men's, women's and both reserves' races will all be held on the Tideway on the same day.
Contents
Background
The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). First held in 1829, the race takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course, between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames in south-west London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide. Cambridge go into the race as champions, having won the 2016 race by a margin of two and a half lengths, and leading overall with 82 victories to Oxford's 79 (excluding the 1877 race, officially a dead heat though claimed as a victory by the Oxford crew).
It will be the second time in the history of The Boat Race that all four senior races – the men's, women's, men's reserves' and women's reserves' – are held on the same day and on the same course along the Tideway. Prior to 2015, the women's race, which first took place in 1927, was usually held at the Henley Boat Races along the 2,000-metre (2,200 yd) course. However, on at least two occasions in the interwar period, the women competed on the Thames between Chiswick and Kew. The Oxford women will go into the race as reigning champions, having won the 2016 race by 24 lengths, with Cambridge leading 41–30 overall. For the fifth year, the men's race will be sponsored by BNY Mellon while the women's race has BNY Mellon's subsidiary Newton Investment Management as sponsors. In January 2016, it was announced that the sponsors would be donating the title sponsorship to Cancer Research UK and that the 2016 event was retitled "The Cancer Research UK Boat Races". There is no monetary award for winning the race, as the journalist Roger Alton notes: "It's the last great amateur event: seven months of pain for no prize money".
The autumn reception was held at the Guildhall in London on 3 November 2016. As Oxford's women had won the previous year's race, it was Cambridge's responsibility to offer the traditional challenge to the OUWBC. To that end, Ashton Brown, President of Cambridge University Women's Boat Club, challenged Isabell Von Loga, her Oxford counterpart. Cambridge's victory in the men's race meant that Michael Di Santo, President of Oxford University Boat Club, challenged Lance Tredell, President of Cambridge University Boat Club.
The men's race will be umpired for the second time by Olympic gold medallist and former Oxford rower Matthew Pinsent who won the Boat Race himself in the 1990 and 1991 races before losing (as President) in the 1993 race. Pinsent was the assistant umpire in the 2012 race and umpired the OUBC victory in the 2013 race. The umpire for the women's race will be Sarah Winckless who will become the first woman to umpire a Boat Race on the Tideway. Winckless won a bronze medal in the women's double sculls at the 2004 Summer Olympics and umpired the men's reserve's race in 2016.
Coaches
The Cambridge men's crew coaching team is led by their Chief Coach Steve Trapmore. Trapmore, a gold medal-winning member of the men's eight at the 2000 Summer Olympics, was appointed to the post in 2010. He is assisted by Richard Chambers, silver medallist in the men's lightweight coxless four at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Donald Legget, who rowed for the Light Blues in the 1963 and 1964 races acted as a supporting coach, along with coxing coach Henry Fieldman (who steered Cambridge in the 2013 race) and the medical officer Simon Owens. Sean Bowden is Chief Coach for Oxford, having been responsible for the senior men's crew since 1997, winning 11 from 17 races. He is a former Great Britain Olympic coach and coached the Light Blues in the 1993 and 1994 Boat Races. His assistant coach was Andy Nelder who has coached the senior boat since 2006.
OUWBC's Chief Coach is the Canadian former international cox Ali Williams, her first year in the role having been the University of Alberta's head coach. She is assisted by Jamie Kirkwood. Cambridge's women are coached by former Goldie coach Rob Baker who was assisted by Paddy Ryan and Nick Acock, along with coxing coach and former Light Blue cox Peter Rudge.
Trials
Dates for the trials, where crews are able to simulate the race proper on the Championship Course, were announced on 16 November 2016. Oxford's two senior crews rowed on 30 November, while Cambridge's crews raced on 12 December.
Women
Oxford's women's trials took place on a section of The Championship Course on 30 November 2016, between the Oxford boats, Heather and Helen, named after the gold-medal-winning British Olympic pairing of Heather Stanning and Helen Glover. In cold conditions, the women's race was overseen by Winckless, who soon warned Helen for encroachment after Heather took a slim early lead. Helen took the lead around Fulham before Heather accelerated away at the Mile Post, and were two lengths ahead by St Paul's boathouse. Both crews were warned by the umpire as they approached Barnes Bridge, and Helen began to narrow the gap. Closing in on Chiswick Bridge, the finishing line, the boats began to overlap and in a sprint finish, Helen won "a narrow victory".
Cambridge's women's trials were held on 12 December 2016, on a stretch of The Championship Course. The trial boats were named Hallam and Needs after former coaches Ed Hallam and Ron Needs, both of whom had died earlier in the year. Hallam took an early lead and were nearly a length up by Fulham. Both crews were warned for encroachment before Hallam extended their lead to two lengths by the time the boats passed below Barnes Bridge. Both Needs and Hallam increased their rate in the final 500 m of the race, but Hallam pulled further away to pass the finish line at the University Post by four lengths.
Men
Oxford's men's trials took place on a section of The Championship Course on 30 November 2016, between the Oxford boats, Acer and Daniel, named after former Oxford cox Acer Nethercott and long-term coach Daniel Topolski, both of whom had died from cancer. The race was umpired by Pinsent. Acer took an early lead but Daniel was level by Barn Elms boathouse. Acer continued to pull away despite multiple warnings from Pinsent, and were almost a length up at Fulham. The gap narrowed as Daniel pushed on and by Hammersmith Bridge, the crews converged, and blades clashed. Daniel's crew handled the situation the better and took a half-length lead by Chiswick Eyot. By Barnes the lead was three lengths, with Daniel crossing the finish line at the University of London boathouse four lengths ahead.
The Cambridge men's trial boats were named One T and Two G's in honour of their coach Donald Legget who had served the club for fifty years. One T took the lead and were 3/4 of a length ahead by the end of the boathouses. Two G's pushed on and closed the gap to a quarter of a length by the time the crews passed below Hammersmith Bridge. In rough conditions, One T extended their lead to a length by Barnes Bridge. A sprint finish ensued, with Two G's closing the gap to half a length, before One T pulled away again to lead by 1 and a 1/4 lengths by the time the boats passed the finishing line at the University Post.
Women
OUWBC faced a crew from Oxford Brookes University Boat Club (OBUBC) in two races along The Championship Course on 19 February. The first piece, from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge, saw OBUBC make the better start, but OUWBC took the lead at Craven Cottage. A length ahead at the Mile Post, the Dark Blues were comfortable winners. The second race, from Hammersmith to Barnes Bridge followed a similar pattern with OBUBC taking an early lead, and OUWBC pushing through for the win. On 19 March, the Dark Blues took on a crew from Molesey in two races on the Tideway. A tight start during which Winckless, the umpire, warned both crews, Molesey took a marginal lead. OUWBC were back on level terms by the Mile Post and in calmer conditions, pushed away from Molesey to be a length up by Harrods. Pulling further ahead, the Dark Blues won by three lengths. The second race saw Molesey take the lead once again, and were soon a length up. Oxford's attempts to reduce the deficit came to no avail and Molesey won by just short of one length.
Cambridge took on University of London Boat Club (UL) on 19 February along two sections of the The Championship Course. CUWBC won the first piece, from Putney to Hammersmith, convincingly. Leading almost from the start, the Light Blues passed below Hammersmith Bridge more than three lengths ahead. The second race, from Chiswick Steps to the Finishing Post saw UL given a clear-water headstart. Despite that, CUWBC rowed strongly throughout to win by at least three lengths.
Men
The first race in the build-up to The Boat Races for CUBC was against Oxford Brookes University Boat Club (OBUBC) on 29 January 2017 along two sections of The Championship Course. The first race was from Putney Bridge to Chiswick Eyot; OBUBC took an early lead before Cambridge led at Hammersmith. A final push from OBUBC resulted in a drawn race. The second race, from Chiswick Eyot to the University Post, was a one-sided affair with OBUBC leading from the start and gradually pulling away to win by two lengths. Goldie also faced an Oxford Brookes crew over two pieces, losing them both. Cambridge faced an Italian national crew on 18 March in two pieces on the Championship Course. The first race saw the Italians make the better start, and despite steering off-course, they maintained their lead in rough weather under Hammersmith Bridge. CUBC pushed hard but were unable to catch the Italians, losing by one quarter of a length. The second piece was conducted in blustery conditions between Chiswick Eyot and Chiswick Bridge. A close start saw both crews level after a minute, but the Light Blues pulled away after Barnes Bridge, and won by four lengths.
Oxford started their preparations on 26 February with a two-piece contest against OBUBC. In poor weather conditions, OUBC comfortably won the first section, leading from beginning to end. The second race was much closer, with the result being declared in favour of OUBC "by a seat". On 18 March, OUBC faced Leander in a race from start of the Championship Course to the Chiswick Steps. The Dark Blues made a good start, leading by a length at Craven Cottage. At the Mile Post, Oxford started to move across in front of Leander and by the time the crews passed below Hammersmith Bridge, the Dark Blues were fully in front and maintained their lead. Numerous pushes from Leander were responded to by Oxford and the latter passed the finish line with "a lead of several lengths".
Crews
The official weigh-in for the crews took place at the Francis Crick Institute on 14 March 2017, presented by BBC sports reporter Andrew Cotter.
Women
The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 74.0 kilograms (163 lb), 3.9 kilograms (8.6 lb) per rower more than their opponents. Oxford's president, German rower Isabell von Loga, withdrew from the race as a result of a shoulder injury, while Cambridge's president, Canadian rower Ashton Brown, is making her third consecutive appearance in the race. Holly Hill and Myriam Goudet also have Boat Race experience for CUWBC, while no Blues return for OUWBC.
Men
The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 93.5 kilograms (206 lb), 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb) per rower more than their opponents. Cambridge's number three, James Letten, was the heaviest man in the race, weighing 106.5 kilograms (235 lb). All but two (Dutchman Olivier Siegelaar and American Matthew O'Leary) of the Dark Blue crew are British; Siegelaar won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics as part of the men's eight. Conversely, just two of the CUBC rowers are British. Oxford's bow man, William Warr, will become the third individual to row in the Boat Race for both universities, having competed for the Light Blues in the 2015 event. Two members of the Cambridge crew have Boat Race experience, including Ben Ruble (who rowed in the 2015 and 2016 races) and president Lance Tredell (2016). Oxford will feature three former Blues; Jamie Cook makes his third appearance in the event, while Michael di Santo (who opted to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics instead of in the Boat Race) and Joshua Bugajski feature in their second race.
Races
On Sunday 2 April, the women's race is due to start at 4:35 p.m. British Summer Time and the men's race an hour later at 5:35 p.m.