The Gemini Boat Race 2024

The 169th Men’s Boat Race and the 78th Women’s Boat Race – 30 March 2024

14:46 – The Women’s Race
15:46 – The Men’s Race

More info https://www.theboatrace.org/

[Applause] Hello and welcome to the 2024 boat race on a glorious spring afternoon in London for one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events eight athletes from Oxford University eight athletes from Cambridge University two boats nearly 200 years of rivalry the first men’s Cruise raced on the

Temps in 1829 while the first women’s race took place in 1927 all those competing today are students at the two most prestigious universities in the country the boat race has become a fixture in the British Springtime sporting calendar with hundreds of thousands of people lining the banks of the atts to watch the

Action each year whether or not they have an affiliation with either University it’s a spectacle and a rival that rivalry that captures the imagination thanks to the history of the race the dedication and the effort of the athletes and the course itself PNE to Mort Lake known as the tideway a 4

And a qu Mile Stretch of the temps in Southwest London that’s been a Battleground for these two boats for nearly two centuries Andrew Cotter can talk us through it it is just over 4 miles of the twist Tams between Putney and Mort Lake racing Upstream but with the flow of the

Incoming tide the crews choose either the South Bank the Su station or the North which is Middle sex the initial slight Advantage is to Middle sex around fulham’s Craven Cottage after 3 and 1 half to 4 minutes the mile marker is reached and the landmark of the former Harold’s Furniture depository before

Hammersmith Bridge the majority of Crews leading here go on to win and now the Ben favors the Su side a large sweeping turn past halfway into the straight of chis reach and pass the island chisik 8 quite often into a headwind this can be exposed and rougher water a final slight

Bend to Su and then it turns back to favor the North Bank under Barnes Bridge into the final thousand M and towards the Finish just before chisik Bridge well an absolutely beautiful day on the banks of the temps and the first to take on the famous course are the

Women’s Crews since the first race in 1927 Cambridge have won W 46 times Oxford 30 Cambridge have dominated in recent years winning the last six in a row you have to go back to 2016 for the last Oxford Victory when the Cambridge boat nearly sank however Forman fixtures

And experience in the Oxford crew suggests they’re stronger than ever this year there are six returning Blues from last year in the boat Annie as anakis is one of those who’s been here before she was the stroke in the losing Oxford boat in 2022 and she back on the tideway

Today determined to avenge that loss this year after the 2022 boat race I kind of knew it would be my last season of rowing to have been a part of that race was a really big achievement for me regardless of the result I was back home

In Melbourne for a year then whilst I was home I applied to Oxford again for medicine honestly a little bit on a whim I wasn’t really expecting to get in again but then it all kind of unfolded perfectly and I found myself back here again I’m in The Graduate entry medicine

Course which I’ll come out as a doctor in the end which is very exciting so lots of lectures on the clinical sciences and then we also get one day a week of clinical PL placement so it’s really cool to be in class and learning about you know the respiratory system

And then you go into the hospital next day and you meet someone with COPD and you kind of understand their experience of um having that disease other would I got so much food everyone would ask me oh you’re going back to Oxford so you going to row again and I very quickly

Shut down any suggestions of it because I was very much retired very much enjoying my yoga and pilates and just going for walks but I was like no like I missed out on so much Oxford life and being a student and doing the fun stuff dinner time going to

I don’t know Bops as they call them big organized parties never been to one um don’t know what it’s like honestly but then I had a week here without rowing and I realized very quickly that nothing meant as much to me as rowing did as soon as the thought of going back to

Training and the thought of having that schedule and balance of rowing in school um started itching at me I guess I couldn’t really avoid it wake up around 5:45 off to ifle gym for a usually GG or weight session and then off to class it’s a pretty rapid bolt to get to the

Medical teaching center it’s breakfast on the go coffee on the go class all day long and then back to the gym either for urg weights or off to Wellingford for a road it was hard I was coming with basically no Fitness base but I also had

Some belief in my muscle memory that I’d be a to get in the boat and kind of do what I do well on the boat again um and it definitely took a while to draw up like bring the fitness up and also tie that into how I moved the boat like you

Put your mind to a goal you just want to achieve and I think that’s um kind of an inherent thing to most athletes but another thing that kind of kept me going this season is just realizing what an insane opportunity it is I think coming back to Oxford without an intention to

Row um but now being faced with this opportunity again which I didn’t think I was going to have um it just kind of makes you really grateful and appreciative just to be on the team and to have another crack at it Annie as an NIS back for another

Crack at winning the boat race with Oxford and there she is leading the crew out these are pictures from about half an hour ago on the banks of the Temps at Putney Oxford with a vastly experienced eight six returning Blues two newcomers but both of those with World

Championship medals at under 23 level Annie sharp and Lucy Edmonds bringing top level race experience to the boat the crew then Annie as an Aus and stroke Julia Lindsay Annie sharp Sarah Marshall CLA Atkin Tessa haning Ellie Sadler and Lucy Edmonds in the bow seat they’ll be coxed by the hugely experienced Joe

Gellet who Stern pair Annie a anakis and Julia Lindsay in the losing 2020 Oxford boat while Cambridge will be coxed by American Hannah Murphy the Cambridge women’s crew though who’ll be coming out onto the water shortly have dominated the race over recent years they’re looking for a

Seventh win in a row there are two returning rowers in the crew from last year Karina graph and Cambridge president Jenna Armstrong Iris Powell and Caris ear though were both part of the reserve crew last year that completed an unprecedented Clean Sweep of victory over Oxford in all Races and

Now they are ready to step up step up into cambridge’s blue Boat so I’m studying medicine here at Keys College this year I’m inating in physiology I’m a fourth year studying Natural Sciences um and I’m studying Earth Sciences this year which I really enjoy so I originally I guess came from the Dark Side growing up in Oxford my

Parents both went to Oxford and so growing up I sort of used to be around all these Oxford students going running around in their gowns and I always thought oh that’ be really cool to do I moved to Cambridge and as soon as I came here and especially starting growing

It’s such a big rif over here I was like yeah F come to the light side now C was actually never really on my radar I applied on a bit of a worm it seemed like a bit of a pipe dream a bit of a long shot kind of crazy that I’ve

Ended up here at school I did like loads of different sports my main one before coming to Union was probably rugby but then during Co I did a lot of running around the parks in Oxford and some of them go down by the rivers where some of

The college Crews were rowing I was always like I wonder if I get to UNI I’d like to give that a go I’ve always been sporty but in 2020 when when I was 18 I came to terms with the fact that I had relative energy deficiency in sport or Reds I’d

Completely lost my mental cycle and um I had like a lot of side effects and stuff from that there were wider implications kind of cardiac implications I wasn’t aware there was something that I needed to actually focus on and fix coming to rowing after that has given me like a way bigger appreciation

For my body and I honestly think it’s made me like a way better athlete than I would have been if I had gone through it hey how’s your session been oh it was wonderful thank you before trying I was sort of expecting it to be a very sort of

Competitive active thrat environment but it’s not like that at all like everyone’s supporting each other and it’s much more about pushing yourself forward while bringing everyone with you this anle so funny you can’t ignore sort of the Grandeur of the event it’s just an incredible experience to be a part of

And it’s the kind of thing that once you’ve done it like can’t be taken away from you it’s a really nice men mentality that no matter if you’re new you come straight from college or you’ve been rowing in the Olympics like everyone’s driving towards the same goal and we’re

All working together together having the group of people who all sort of come through that journey together is really Nice this is probably going to be the most intense period of my life hopefully ever but you get so much out of it on a personal level as well so Yeah I listen to the reception for the Cambra jate coming out of the boat house on the banks of the temps up party again pitches from about half an hour ago ‘s the crew carry the boat down to the water the preparation done then for Iris

Powell and Caris L and the rest of the Cambridge eight Megan Lee in the stroke seat CLA Hull in seven Caris Earl in six Karina graph in the five seat president Jenna Armstrong 30 years old the oldest athlete out on the River today in number four Iris Powell number three two seat

Joanna Matthews and in the bow Jemma King from St John’s College Oxford as I mentioned with a more experienced boat but Cambridge only two returning blues for them but five members of the Victorious 2023 Blondie Crew That’s The Reserve boats that also r on boat race

Day making the step up to the blue boat today only American stroke Megan Lee has International experience in the Cambridge boat winning a gold medal in the USA Women’s eight at the 2023 under 23 World Championships so on paper Oxford the favorites to win the women’s

Boat race but as we all know the boat race is not one on paper so these are the scenes as we prepare for the women’s race in 2024 and hardly a seat to be had on the banks of the temps 250,000 Spectators thronging along uh the toe paths on either side of the

River in glorious sunshine and the tide coming in the creu race on the incoming time and coxing will be crucial finding the fastest water but with so much rainfall and water running off the land the strength of the tide will feel weakened to these boats there they are

The Oxford crew on the right hand side and the Cambridge crew on the left it looks like we are not far away from the the go for the women’s boat race in 2024 just imagine what’s going through the minds and the bodies of these athletes 7 months of preparation and

Ahead of them 20 minutes or so of sheer effort and grit and determination that’s the uh view from Putney Bridge the historic start of the boat race they will race up towards Hammer Smith Bridge past Craven Cottage the home of minutes Fulham Football Club on the right hand side and then on

Towards Barnes bridge and chisik Bridge Annie AZ anakis in the stroke seat for Oxford there a picture of focus as we get set for the 78th women’s boat race on the temps in London on what is an absolutely stunning spring day that’s Craven Cottage there on the left hand

Side a new stand for Fulham Football Club and the scene is set then the 78th women’s boat race time to join your team for this year’s women’s race Olympic silver medalist Cox Zoe de too two time winning Cox for Cambridge Matthew Holland and both of those two alongside Andrew

Cotter well the weather today a glorious aberration a rare parting of the clouds after a winter and spring so far of seemingly endless rain I mean this is where it must all seem worth it though for those watching but most of all for those who sit in the two boats so close

To Putney bridge and for the two coxy who get ready hand up for Joe Gillette in the Oxford BS we just give you a run through the the names you’ve seen a few of them already in the bow seat JMA King Jon Matthews Aris P Jen Armstrong Karina graph Carousel CLA Hull

Megan Le and Murphy the American Cox for Cambridge as we look down on the two boats Lucy Edmonds ell Stadler the president Tessa haning CL Cana Marshall I think they’re just about ready to go here Annie sharp Julia Lindsay an anakis and Geor aled is the Cox for

Oxford you see just looking down from on high that there isn’t that much of a tide with them go but Richard Phelps the Umpire gets them going here and the 17th women’s Board race and since 2015 they have been racing here in the tiway this very famous stretch of the TS and the

Same day as the men who will go in an hour’s time but this is about the start of the women’s boat race and what a start has been made by Oxford they practice these starts over and over again and certainly the very start of the race has been bossed by Oxford I

Think flying start is an understatement here that is absolutely terrific lead for the first 20 Strokes you can just see from the outside how directly the blades in the Oxford boat and in the Cambridge boat are going into the water they’re wasting no time when they’re at

The front end of the stroke they’re just putting the blades in and that gives them a really aggressive Rhythm that they can start driving onto their race Rhythm for so Oxford here on the middle sex station so Oxford in the yellow boat that we can see at the top of the

Picture they have chosen that station interestingly unlike previous years and I think it might be because they wanted to use this quick start and get ahead well there the the umpire’s view or near enough The umpire’s View and the the crews both apart at the moment and the

Umpires just want to avoid Clashing of blades we saw you know a couple of the warm-up races as well in different conditions choppier conditions in the men’s and women’s warm-up races we did see clashing blades we saw some pretty aggressive racing and just starting to creep together a little bit more now and

You’ll see Craven Cottage start to come into view there now the quicker water should be a little bit further out into the river and for just moving towards Cambridge just now interestingly it looks like Cambridge are now starting to come back at Oxford there are two strategies you can take off the start

One is to keep the rate really high for a very long time and try and get a big lead and then relax into your race Rhythm which is what it looks like Oxo has been trying to do Cambridge looks like they’ve settled into their longer smoother slightly lower rate Rhythm

Early on and just get that settled and truck along try and sock it to Oxford over this whole course rather than get in front so we’re not going to see a repeat of uh move by Jasper Parish last year in the men’s race or Hannah Murphy did it

In one of the warm-up races I think it was against Ts that you would go for closer to the full flat closer to Craven Cottage to sort of cut the corner and hope that that slack water wasn’t quite so slack or that it would provide you some protection in these conditions both

Are staying out in the deeper water yeah there was a a suspicion that some of the crews might try to do that because of how much flood water has been coming down so sort of negating some of the traditional stream I think they’ve gone a little bit closer to the side than

We’d normally see but Oxford here are really using that early advantage and that looks like half a length to me now yeah I think so and the Oxford rhythm is starting to settle and it’s looking really really strong I’m really impressed at how Cambridge have managed

To stick in there around the outside of the bend the first Bend is worth about a third of a length to the middle sex station that’s the station on the left of your screen as you see it now and so you’ve got to work really hard if you’re

On S to make sure that that Oxford crew doesn’t get away too soon cuz as soon as you lose contact it’s really very quiet and it’s very hard to form a race just a reminder of recent races and last year Cambridge made it six in a row in the

Women’s boat race so Oxford are trying to end that stretch of Domination by the Light blues and so far the dark Blues on the Placid Waters of the TS 3day on this glorious spring day have made the brighter start so this is a crucial moment in the race now where Oxford on

The right hand side of your screen are about to break clear water and in the vows of the Cambridge crew Jemma King and Joe Matthews they’ve got to be constantly shouting back to the stern of the boat in Cambridge that’s the bit closest to the saying actually they’re still there they’re not going

Anywhere cuz as soon as you lose overlap it gets very very quiet in the stern of the boat yeah and last year Cambridge pushed on at Craven Cottage and took Oxford’s water they could then choose that water and Tara slay the Oxford Cox asked for a big push to try and

Effectively bump Cambridge could have meant a Cambridge disqualification we’re certainly not at that stage yet but Oxford are in charge here you saw Joe Gillette who we can see on screen there the cson of the Oxford crew he looked over at cambridge’s Bow he glanced at it

He knows exactly where they are he knows that this is a race deciding moment CU this is a time where you can actually break that string of contact and really make things difficult for the crew that is chasing there’s Hannah Murphy the Cambridge Cox you hear the instru that they

Shouting all the time they’re just trying they’re little pushies within races aren’t they say right big 20 Strokes here a big 40 seconds big minute here and I think if you’re Cambridge at this point you’ve got to be aware of the fact that you are about to gain your

Advantage so the Bend’s going to go in your favor as we can see here on the screen that Bend round the left is going to be in cambridge’s favor so they need to hold on until it’s their turn to go great views from on high from the helicopter as we pass Barnes Wetlands

The sights and the landmarks of the boat race which have become so familiar to so many hammmer Smith bridge at the top of your picture will come into view shortly there we are the green spires of Joseph Basel Jets Bridge which is still still undergoing a little bit of work to to

Get it fit for traffic again the Gap it’s just creeping out I mean for Cambridge here it’s just about keeping in touch until the big Su Ben starts to play in their favor yeah absolutely although the bend is in your favor but you have to be in it to win it and if

There’s no contact then the bend doesn’t make much difference I actually think Cambridge Cox Hannah Murphy has done a terrific job here to just keep the crew contact the Gap the margin for Oxford hasn’t really increased and now they’re coming to their Bend so if she’s clever

She’ll talk them through this Bend in one minute chunk a one minute chunk is a manageable chunk and give each of her Crews a key Focus for that one each one minute so that they can focus on clawing back Oxford’s lead can just see the contact between the two it’s just that

Fraction of an overlap a little bit deceptive on that angle but again a reminder of where we are passing the old hars furniture depository that’s about uh a third of the way through this 6.8 km or 4 and a/4 mile course and there’s almost clear water but Cambridge are

Just Clinging On because as Matthew said Cambridge will have the Big sunry Bend in their favor but if Oxford could break clear they could take that water so just before we saw Oxford starting to sneak over into cambridge’s water but they were very quickly warned back by the

Umpire and they had to just take that chance and move back over onto their station but I suspect Joe will be just starting to squeeze in if I were Cox Joe jillette right now what I’d do is I’d say to my crew look I think we’re moving

Faster I’m happy with our Rhythm I’m not going to take any chances with the Umpire I’m going to give you space to just focus on your Rhythm we’ll stay away from Cambridge you focus on your Rhythm I’m not going to get your blades close I’m not going to risk this race

Setting Rhythm here that Gap is holding if anything in fact closing again that angle’s fractionally deceptive but in the bow seat for Cambridge Jemma King she will just about have peripheral vision of Geor warning from Richard Fels he’s warning Cambridge to get over to

The the Su side as they creep out just a fraction in the stern of the Cambridge boat that’s the bit closest to the Cox which isn’t alongside Oxford hearing those warnings from the Umpire will be really motivational because as far as you’re concerned you can’t see ox you’re

Having to rely on trust that they’re still there and so the fact that the Umpire is warning you means you’re close enough that your steering might cause a problem so that’s incredibly motivational in the Cambridge play and you can see that now they’re back up to half a length deficit which is a

Fantastic position to be in they’re crawling it back and so the the flotilla churning up the waters behind of all those following the race and that Gap has closed and there is a little bit of overlap as they go under the one lamp post is the perfect line under

Hammersmith bridge and now camri are coming back into this they’re sneaking up on Oxford slowly but I think if you’re in that Oxford boat you have to have the confidence the arrogance actually to sit there and think okay it’s all right this is their bend it doesn’t matter actually if they come

Back a little bit we can continue to control the race I absolutely agree and actually you’ll be able to see in a second the sheer determination on the faces of Oxford 7 seat Julia Lindsay and strok SE an zarus they’ve both lost this race before together and they’re not

Going to want to let it go this time around well let’s get our man on the river to give us his thoughts Jasper Parish we’ve heard from already in the program but Jasper what are you seeing out there in this race so far he’s seeing many things he’s just

Not able to tell us about them but what we can see here is the rhythm of the C and again the warning from richel just lures that white flag perhaps decided against the warning there as the boats come apart but again Cambridge are continuing to put this push on because

They have that big it’s a huge looping Su Bend and it’s in their favor for a good part of this race to come and this kind of race now really becomes a war of attrition this is going to be a slow race this year because of all that flood

Water coming down there’s not a huge amount of wind and these Crews really have to grit their teeth they’re going to feel that lactate burning in their muscles and they have to be prepared just to keep their hand in the fire look at this now almost dead level I can’t

Believe what I’m seeing Oxford went into this as strong favorites and I thought at the start when Oxford got that lead this was the race done and dusted but Cambridge have put in an absolutely extraordinary effort this is phenomenally good quality rowing this is one of the races for the ages already

Just watching the warm-up races in Cambridge finished so strongly against Tams it was likewise Oxford did against Oxford Brooks as well so we know they both have staying power and stamina and it’s such a long course when you think about Championship rowing being 2,000 MERS on a controlled calm lake more

Often than not and here is such a test a test of the coxing abilities as well but Cambridge are starting to turn this around I think the thing that’s different as well with the international racing is that there’s no previous form for these Crews they have never raced

Each other so you don’t actually get the measure of your opposition until the umpire’s flag drops then you’ve just got to you know you’ve got to play the ball where it lies you’ve just got to take what happens what comes to you during the race well we haven’t had a close

Race in the women’s race since they came to the tiway in 2015 the closest was two and a quter length Cambridge won by a couple of years ago there was a a slightly closer race at ele the year before that but that was over that straight course of about 5,000 m or so

On the tideway on the championship course there hasn’t been a really great race between these two universities we might get it for the first time this year but this will be demoralizing for Oxford they had a commanding position and now as the water start to come to

Life as they head into the a little bit of a Bree and the the surface picks up it’s difficult for both Crews but Cambridge are starting to move further away absolutely and in the Oxford crew you’ve got six returning Blues but they’re all losing returning blues and

What you’ve got to be careful of is you don’t want to get into your head oh hang on a second this is happening again they need to make sure they stay positive they keep their trust in their Rhythm Julia Lindsay and Annie an zaris in the

St are doing a terrific job and they’ve just got to H stay confident and trust that they’re going to hold on to Cambridge around this last part of the Cambridge Ben to on the left of the screen and then in the last third of the

Race the Ben goes back in their favor so if they can hold contact they’ll be able to sneak it back round again and get that well let’s see if we can hear from Jasper Parish winning Cox last year in the in the men’s race and this is where

They move across and move across chisik reach and the line goes over to that North Bank of the river Jasper how are you seeing it so far what a comeback by Cambridge yeah what a move by Cambridge here I’m I’m very impressed by the coxing of Hannah she’s she’s making a

Big move here oh my goodness we should see something really exciting here oh we’re going to see a bump here oord are going for the bump they’ve touched that’s contact Rich PHS is shouting at Oxford right now just to explain here Oxford trying to bump Cambridge saying

That Cambridge are in their water and if they bumped them it could have been a disqualification I mean that is as dramatic as it gets that is a frankly absurd decision on the water from the both coxes there I don’t understand why given that the race was actually going

Very well for Cambridge you’d have steered in front then I don’t understand why in Oxford Joe Gillette chose to steer for them this notion of going for the bump only works if you’re on your water as soon as you start moving in to steer for it it goes out of the window

That was a silly decision to make and I think it has cost them a lot of water look at that you can see now the the difference between the two and this may well have been the pivotal point of the race as Oxford tried to bump use that

Terminology well known in rowing but if if Ox if Cambridge were in Oxford’s water and Oxford had bumped them as they did then that would be technically a disqualification for Cambridge that’s what I think hawksford were looking for but I think it’s cost them you saw umpire Richard Phelps there chatting

With his assistant umpire Caroline Litton so I wonder whether there’s going to be a decision to make for the Umpire in my head I think both Crews acted in a manner that wasn’t necessary and I think they were both at fault for that and it looks like Oxford has come off

Significantly worse I think the thing that was interesting there was actually okay the Cox’s decisions aside was watching the rowers so Cambridge managed to stay in their rhythm really nicely but I think it disrupted the Rhythm a lot more in the Oxford boat you saw their blades weren’t as sharp into the

Water they looked like they were being um sort of bothered by what was coming back the dirty water as we say from Cambridge and that definitely threw them off we speak about wanting to steer as little as possible as a Cox because every time you put the rudder on it’s

Like a sort of small credit card under the water then that upsets the flow of the boat you can feel it and so any sudden changes on the rudder result in very significant disruption to the Rhythm and I think actually if you’re steering in to try and hit another crew

You are going to disrupt the Rhythm well such a a close race and now such a big lead for Cambridge for Hannah Murphy the the Cox and Jasper we Jasper Parish we went to you just at the the right moment there to what was your reading of what

Happened there and what might unfold in any decision after this race yeah it looked to me like Hannah made a good move to sort of send some puddles down towards the Oxford crew and then as as they came over they got a warning from the Umpire Richard Phelps

And then they sort of drifted back over to their station meanwhile Joe jillette and the Oxford crew I think he thought he had a he had a good go at a bump while they were being worn but maybe just left it slightly too late quite a big Rudder movement went for this bump

I’d say uh they probably just did it maybe three or four strokes too late and by that point you know it I think it might cost them this race this is certainly a bigger margin than we’d expect to see at this point in the race and certainly a bigger margin to

Cambridge than we thought given Oxford were the favorites here yes the houses of Barnes start to come into view and then Barnes Bridge and beyond that the stretch to Mort Lake and chisik Bridge in the finish line but really Cambridge are are away and clear now and they are barring a miracle and

Misfortune they are going to win this now so Oxford George Jette just has to try and convince his crew that they’re still within touch and urge them on to Greater Endeavor but really this is beyond Oxford now the interesting thing is that this water really is flat now so

I think I wonder if both Crews you have to shoot the center Central span of Barnes Bridge but I wonder how close they might be getting to that right hand bank now the North Bank and as they go around and under Barnes Bridge I’m not sure there’s anything that can saive Ox

For no no I think that might be the case although anything can happen in the boat race and you never know what lurks round the corner but I think the the strategies are either you can cut the corners if there’s very little stream which we’re seeing here and then you

Take the shortest route of kindat Formula 1 boat would do or you just stay where you are and try and disrupt the Rhythm as little as possible and if I were Cambridge that’s what i’ do you have to go through that middle arch of Barnes Bridge that’s encoded in the

Rules but so there’s no point in cutting the corner now only to come back out what they might do after bars bridge is try and take a Formula 1 corner here and just do a straight line straight to the Finish sounds like you might like Formula One Matthew well I know

MacKenzie’s waiting at the finish so I’ve got to give something to talk about now there’s the example of the dirty water being sent down the puddles come down and that just offers a little bit less stability in the water to for the or to grab onto it isn’t it yeah

Absolutely so it what will happen is the water will be bumpier basically for the Oxford crew they’ll be feeling that disruption that Cambridge have caused and that’s kind of a a curse sometimes but also it does allow you to feel when you’re coming back to a crew if you’re

Getting back into the race if you’re starting to chase you’re getting on their tail you can start to feel especially up in the bow seats you feel that little bit more disruption and you’re kind of thinking okay actually this is it we’re on there I think one of

The things let’s talk about this Cambridge crew for a second one of the things that’s quite significant is that seven of these rowers have roded under Cambridge coach Patrick Ryan’s program for several years there are two returning Blues but six returning from the Blondie crew and that means that

That pattern of movement is in firmly ingrained in their minds and in their bodies you can see that they’re rowing really confidently they’ve got such a nice flow to it when you’re looking at a creu rhythm you look that the gap between their heads stays the same

Through all parts of the stroke and this is really lovely in the Cambridge crew here I think it’s important to mention Paddy you know he’s always said that no matter the trend of the last few years no matter to the success they’ve had in previous years every single season

Starts AR fresh and that man he is he is a feminist he believes it’s his responsibility to be an ally to his athletes to Champion that equality and really Empower his Squad and I think we’re seeing that here well malard scatters under the Serene progress of the Cambridge crew

And Sparkling Waters will carry them to the finish here because they will be looking everyone in that Cambridge boat they know in contrast to the Oxford crew who have to try and believe or be lied to that they’re still within touch Cambridge know how far clearly they are

And it’s just that one final Bend to negotiate round towards chisik bridge in the uh finish link just before that and the cheers really now are all for Cambridge and they’re heading for a seventh Victory absolutely but I think in the Oxford crew as well a large part

Of it is rowing with absolute Pride to be wearing the color of your University to get the opportunity to compete for your University is an enormous honor to n to so many and so it’s such a proud moment that you give your absolute utmost no matter where you are on the

Court why I’ve never quite believed those who ruin the boat race the men’s are the women’s boat race because they say Winning is Everything losing they want to forget about it but really to make the crew to make the blue boat is a great achievement in itself it won’t be

Much consolation to Oxford here to Lucy Edmonds Ella Stadler the president Tess hanning the American CL can Marshall Annie Shar in the six seat there Julia Lindsay Annie an zakus George Gillette they’re still giving everything they have but they’re heading for a defeat again I think you’re right there Andrew

And also one thing that’s taken me a couple of years of perspective to realize is that actually when you’re competing it is Winning is Everything But the lessons you learn from taking part in a boat race are enormous and it’s something that sticks with your life the Friendship the determination

The idea of training together as a team for a collective goal are lessons that all of these women and joette will never ever lose that’s something that will be with them for the rest of their lives and the loss in the Oxford boat will sting for sure but this is something

That they will look back on with pride for many years and it’s going to be a big loss a big margin as well for Oxford as we sail forward through the skies to Cambridge a long way clear indeed interestingly you are seeing now both of those crews are cutting that corner

They’re going for that direct route to the Finish I think they both believe that the land water coming down is so strong the river flow is so minimal that it’s worth cutting that bend it will be fractionally stronger for the men’s race in uh just under an hour’s time but here

For Cambridge look at it again through the Placid Waters towards the finish line here so we listed the Oxford crew in order and we’ll do so again for Cambridge here five Britains three Americans one German JMA King in the B seat Joe Matthews Iris po Jenna Armstrong the president Karina graph the

German Carousel CLA Hull and Megan Lee in the stroke SE and then Hannah Murphy the co and they are that close to the finish line which you can see the Finish Line just marked on the right hand side just before chisik bridge and the thousands who have come out to watch on

This glorious day watching another Cambridge Victory Oxford came here to try and turn the tide but it has not turned yet they are the only crew in shot and sailing serenely towards Victory again they will make it seven in a row in the women’s boat race Cambridge

Will breach the line they will have the victory we will talk about the incident in the middle of the race but the second half belongs to Cambridge the title belongs to Cambridge [Applause] again that was an amazing performance from Cambridge I don’t I think it’s fair

To say many of us here expected this to be a significant oord Victory and I think the tenacity shown in that Cambridge crew especially when they were down to just trust in their Rhythm to believe that they’ve got this was extraordinary you can see what that’s

Taken out of that Oxford crew there at the end barely able to use their legs to row and straight away the hand was up from Jo he is going to of course he’s going to put in a complaint about that move and that’s why the red flag is

Hoisted at the moment so subject to ratification but uh the pain and the suffering is eased when you have won or think you have won let’s see if you can listen into the debate because joette has his hand up but Richard Fel just chatting now what the that’s what I’ve saw the

Bum took place on the is can’t quite pick up with they’re saying umpire Richard Phelps is saying is that he feels that Oxford steered to drive for the bump and actually ended up in cambridge’s water you can see here discussing on the right hand side of

Your screen is Boris rankov the chair of the umpire’s panel in the middle is Richard Phelps the Umpire for the race and Caroline list on the left is the assistant you saw the same as me it sounds to me like I don’t know why you think so it sounds to me like

Richard is going to disallow Oxford’s protested it’s worth pointing out that when the raises the red flag that doesn’t mean someone is going to be disqualified that just means hold the result he’s going to go and have a conversation with the crew but my gut feeling is cambridge’s Victory will

Stand okay Richard can we go to take I’m coming to you just waiting for his official decision here an announcement and explanation they think they have won and I think they have as well I think that will stand but we’ll see Joe talk to me your hand is up

What’s the appeal when they water we okay if you remember the briefing I said that if you come out of your station and bump the crew whilst they’re in their station that’s not a foul by the leading crew I didn’t come out of my station um I didn’t touch my brother

When we went FL we just went forwards you warned them you warn them they in water I just we went get them I was still in my station hit them that you started warning me I was still in my water when they were Joe my view is that you were

Out of your water when you had contact my view is you deliberately steered towards their station in order to make that contact and you steered out deliberately out of your station into their station and that contact took place on the middle SE on the Su side of

The racing line that’s my view okay but I didn’t they were so far in front that I didn’t have a need to swing around towards them we just kept going forward in our water Joe and only once we started making contact it only once we started making contact that you then started warning

Me and I hadn’t changed anything between I was warning you several times and I had to use the language Oxford I’m warning you several times for you to come off your trajectory but that was after we’d hit them because when we hit them that side was the one that’s why we swung towards

Them and then after we hit them we were then dragged over that way a bit so water and that is why you then had to warn us because of the way the Clash left and they hit them it dragged us towards them a bit Joe that’s not how I saw it I’m

Telling I’m Joe the way I saw it was that Cambridge were on their station I warned them back on their station and you came off your station in order to bump them they were still moving out towards us when we hit them Joe that’s I’m AF how

That moving back to St if they were still moving out towards in front of us and You’ been warn to before that before The Clash you’re warning them they were staying that same moving out more in front of us we hit them they I think we’re going to agree to

Disagree in this says Richard FS Annie and asakas having her sa okay this is awful for him but I’m afraid I don’t agree with his appeal I think he did touch the rudder there and the result should stand and here we are thank you for a very good race thank you and umpire

Richard Phelps raises the White Flag signifying the result of the race will stand and Cambridge have won the women’s so there we are confirmation ratification Cambridge women have it for a seventh successive race really and again watching the replay again you can entirely understand why that uh decision was made by Richard

Phelps but you understand why georlette has to has to try but watching the replay you can see the two movements the consequent movements of the boat initially from Cambridge coming across a little but then it’s almost a thought process you could see of George elette thinking if I get across to them not

Just en reaching them but perhaps going into them I think it really could have gone either way to be honest with you it’s just such a shame for Alan French for his first his first race there leading the Oxford women to for a race to end in that way well there we are

Will there be such drama to come in the men’s race shortly but in the women’s race it’s Cambridge [Applause] Again well what an extraordinary women’s boat race for 2024 huge controversy at the end of the race then and I’m sure that’s not the last we’re going to hear about that incident between uh the Oxford boat coming into the water of the the Cambridge boat definite contact

There we saw on the replay between uh the Oxford boat and the Cambridge boat out in front and Joe Jette you’ve got to wonder how he will come to regret his decision in the race but absolute Jubilation for the Cambridge crew there’s Megan Lee in the The Stroke seat

Clar hole number seven Caris Earl Karina graph Jenner Armstrong the president can celebrate once again Iris Powell Joanna Matthews and Jemma King in the B seat who had the privilege as all bow seat athletes do of crossing the line first at chisik Bridge so it is a seventh eighth win

Seventh win in a row I should say for Cambridge in the women’s boat race Oxford the favorites on paper coming into the race with a greater experience and better results in the early season fixtures but uh it’s Cambridge who Prevail once again and look at the devastation in the Oxford boat seven

Months of effort and hard work Annie azanis and Julia Lindsay part of the losing crew last year and backto back losses for the two in the strok and seven seat in Oxford You’ve Really Got a feel for them such a strong start to the race over the first 20 Strokes or

So but Cambridge coming back at them and holding off Oxford hopes for a seventh year in a [Applause] [Applause] row so whilst we wait to hear from the winning and losing Crews let’s have a quick look back at the race and what an extraordinary contest it was for the 78th women’s boat race this was the start Oxford off really strongly from the line just by Putney

Bridge first 20 Strokes saw them take a lead of a a good half a length as they flew down the Temps towards Craven Cottage Joe Gillette you can see they’re urging his athletes on Hannah Murphy in the Cambridge seat just making sure that Cambridge kept in touch with

Oxford as they headed down the turn towards Hammer Smith Bridge just about to come into view around the corner up in the distance Cambridge settling into that Rhythm Oxford after the strong start just beginning to slow down and this is where Cambridge started to come back at

Oxford as they fly down towards Hammer Smith bridge this was the controversy this was the incident warnings for both Oxford and Cambridge in the end it was Oxford who came off the worst and the Gap widening with every stroke as Cambridge headed for victory at chisik Bridge so the celebrations beginning for

Cambridge on the banks of the 10s at chisik and a win against the odds for a seventh in a row for Cambridge completely dominant in the women’s boat race in recent times and for Oxford you can see the bitter disappointment and the legs of the Oxford rowers will

Hurt 10 times more than the legs of the Cambridge rowers who will be carried on a wave of elation out of their boat and towards their team their families and friends waiting to embrace them congratulate them and there are the celebrations Cambridge Tears and emotion and Jubilation underdogs on paper but the belief of this crew is what carried them through Hannah Murphy the doing such a brilliant job to keep their heads up when they fell behind disbelief and Elation on the faces of Megan Lee CLA hole Iris Powell there in the background

We heard from her earlier on what it would mean to win the boat race the boat’s coming out of the water and we’re about 25 minutes away from the men’s race but the women’s race for 2024 done and dusted just the two returning rowers in the crew from last year it’s Cambridge

Crew Karina graph and Cambridge president Gemma Armstrong who tasted victory last year but backto back wins for them and there they are the Victorious eight alongside Cox Hannah [Applause] Murphy and we’ll let the athletes have their moment in the sunshine and hopefully shortly we’ll be able to hear from the winning crew Paddy Ryan the coach for Cambridge his experience and his the winning dynasty of Crews that he’s managed to build up has once again prevailed in the women’s boat

Race absolutely Ely perfect conditions on the temps today smooth calm water bright Sunshine 15° perfect conditions to get those muscles working and power these boats down the river Cambridge now lifting their Victorious vessel from the water and the crowds will turn their attention back down the river but

Uh almost time to hear from the Victorious Cambridge crew Lee McKenzie has managed to grab three of them my goodness some incredibly happy people here um I I’m going to say against the odds but I’m not quite sure why when you’ve dominated this for so many years and Oxford made such a good

Start we’re going to show the bump in just a moment but try and sum up the emotions um yeah I think just crossing the line we were just all super proud like no matter what um the ruling was like we knew that was the fastest race

We could put down and that was the best race we could do and it was just like I think pure Pride on our part like we knew that was the best race we could put down today and we were just incredibly happy with it no matter what happened

Tell us about the start I mean yeah we I think we had a good start but I know that our our strongest spee is our base Pace we were really confident in it we knew it was what our strength was and we were just we just believed in that the

Whole way through and knew that was our power that could bring us back through and that’s what happened so I’m really proud of us and when you came running up we were shouting to people oh my goodness I’m way too old for this you’re definitely not too old for this J oh

Gosh yeah no that that was incredible and I feel like each year it just keeps getting better and better and that was one Epic race I don’t think the women’s race has ever been that close on the tideway um and that’s what we want that’s what we want for women’s sport

That’s what we want for for us and that was that was epic there was a lot of discussion at the end um with the ire about the bump I just want you to take a look at this and talk us through it from your point of view sure

Cambridge so what were you feeling in the boat at the moment um at the at the moment I was feeling just um just happy that we had sort of found our Rhythm um and then obviously seeing them closer and closer I knew we were on our station

I had even moved slightly off our station um and I was really confident that I was I was in the right there and I just wanted us to get right back on our Rhythm as soon as possible and I think you can kind of see there we just

Immediately take off like we were confident that um yeah we were confident that we just needed to keep moving and get ourselves basically out of the situation as fast as possible no doubt in your mind at all I yeah I mean I trust Hannah 100% and that’s why she was

Selected you know to be the Cox for this um race and so quite frankly in for seat my job is to trust and my job is to go and so I knew she was in the right place and so I just put my head down I

Listened to what she said and I did it we all did it and that was that was incredible huge congratulations go join the rest of your crew and enjoy this moment moment thank you well a first boat race victory for Hannah Murphy the Cox of Cambridge who

Did such a remarkable job in intense pressure steering her crew through that Onslaught from Oxford the contact from the Oxford boat and to a seventh consecutive Victory and for the president of the Cambridge crew Jenna Armstrong at 30 years old what an achievement for Jenna to win the boat race once

Again still plenty of action to come from the tideway and the 250,000 Spectators down there are all set for the men’s race which will begin shortly All kinds of positions at which to get the best view of the action big screens put up along the banks of the temps and uh all of those Spectators human and animal just digesting the excitement that they’ve seen Cambridge beating Oxford by some distance in the end but what a race one

For the ages on the tideway for the women of Oxford and Cambridge but it’s Cambridge with an historic seventh victory in a row the dominance of the Light blues continues in the women’s race so Elation for Cambridge but heartbreak for Oxford the favorites on paper and three members of the Oxford crew

Speaking to Lee McKenzie thanks very much um Ella as a president if we start with you try and sum up the emotions if you will it’s incredibly hard it’s a hard day for the ox of women’s blue boo massive congratulations to Cambridge it was a great race out there and just as us

They’ve put in so much leading up to today and incredible respect for that but today is not just one race it’s a representation of seven months of work and it’s a representation of so much that’s been going going on at Oxford and I don’t think today represents all the

All the success that we’ve had this year at Oxford all that Alan French has brought to it and I just think anyone that’s considering rowing Oxford Cambridge so much success is coming to Oxford women and this result doesn’t represent that at all so apply to oxid

Um Joe tell us about the bump from your point of view I mean we heard you really vifer us at the end talking to the Umpire in your mind it was all legit in mind mind it happened just after cambri had been warned and I didn’t think they’

Moved back therefore in my head it was happening in our water obviously that’s from my point of view in the he’s the moment it’ll be something might go look back at some point probably not soon but having discussed with the Umpire and looked at past few years races it was a

Potential move which could at least dis disqualification if it had happened with Cambridge and our water unfortunately after um Richard the Umpire conferred again with the um rest of the umpires They concluded that it didn’t happen in our water so the race stands but yeah okay listen thank you very much for

Talking to us I really appreciate your honesty thank you you can hear the disappointment in Joe jal’s voice there the women’s race done and dusted heartbreak for Oxford and the celebrations can begin for the Cambridge women next it’s over to the men seven months of effort boiling down

To 20 minutes so how do you go about putting together a boat race crew well it all begins at the start of the Academic Year in September when the students return to University and then the coaches narrow down their selections just before Christmas with the trial AES the university rowing squads split into

Two boats which go head-to-head there’s no a boat or B booat the rowers are mixed up so it’s a tight race this is a test of skill stamina and who has the metal for the big race in the spring and this is how Oxford selected their men’s boat race

Crew and we’re underway now nearon 20 minutes to go in this the Oxford University men’s Tri lates for the 2024 Boat Race season and wow that’s a really Punchy start from Panic there on the right hand side of the screen yeah they’re just coming past the commentary

Box now and we can see that the the crew in white Panic it’s a slight lead although we we talked earlier about the the water being nice and flat but actually with with three races now having gone down it’s starting to look a little bumpy yeah one of the things

Actually to not is the the river is not closed for for tries there’s still plenty of traffic going up and down we’ve had the launches whiz up and down for both the women’s race the lightweight races um so these guys will have the worst of it when it comes to

That bounce and and it’s similar on boat race day right Zoe yeah absolutely and and not only what’s gone before them but also the fact that the river is much higher so the higher the river gets the more water there is the bumpier it gets as well so actually you know these guys

Are going to have potentially the more challenging conditions Matthew Pinson there getting the flag out you can just see in that umpires boat behind and I I found it very interesting going to the women’s briefing the umpires briefing Richard Phelps talked about looking at where the bow balls are heading four

Lengths ahead right that’s exactly what Matthew Pinson is looking for is to try and avoid any Collision four lengths prior then call it as it comes now look at this I think we’ve had a change in lead uh for the first time in this race no’s looking a little bit bouncy

Actually I have been noting that that wash definitely not subsiding and and it is certainly a bit of a choppy part the course this yeah that doesn’t look particularly comfortable to Rowan they I mean they seem to be keeping it pretty clean but as you can see by the sort of

The the the waves on the side of the boat against the yellow you can see there’s some real sort of riffle through the water well panic I think are losing seat by seat here on the approach into Hammersmith they uh haven’t managed to transfer that confidence uh after

Leading out of the start into this middle part of the race and I think if they’re not careful here this can be a real sort of motivation killer right being sliced through uh by a crew like this yeah the crews coming together quite tight now so I think you know if I

Was noise I would just want to make sure that I gave my crew enough space um to to use this you know they’re rowing really well they are moving away they’re on the inside of the bend but look they’re coming so close together you’ve got to be really careful at this point

And it looks like actually the two seat in in uh in the Panic boat the trailing boat just missed a bit of a stroke there um and this is this is what we were saying with the with practicing the clashing they didn’t Clash there but it’s about really holding your Rhythm

When another boat gets close to you now Zoe I’m going to come to you on this we’ve uh we’ve got a bit of a a station switch going on now how common is this and at what point as a Cox do you choose uh to you know sort of do a maneuver

Like this yeah it’s a tricky one because um if something happened in your boat now so if someone caught a crab for example and uh you know the boat’s stopped dead or lost speed really quickly or hit something you know so many things in a race like this can

Happen um and the other crew surged back up to them it causes a huge problem for the Umpire and theoretically um if you could say that that crew was well off their station uh you know they could be disqualified I I suspect will has thought that because he now looks like

He is moving back more towards his own station um it’s it’s a tricky one isn’t it because you know you want to shut the door on a crew but equally if you’re that far ahead and you do you need to take the risk you know is there is there

Anything to gain from doing that um if you’re confident and you think you’re going to keep moving away your best option might be just to to keep um you know keep somewhere safe but equally if you think well I don’t want to take the risk that you know uh This Crew might

Move back maybe you do you are a little riskier to give yourself just that little extra advantage in this trailing crew and panic um they’ll be doing everything I’m sure to sort of boost up those you know Fringe ends of the squad to be as strong as

Possible yeah very much so you want to it it’s it’s all very well and good having a fantastic top end but you need that depth as well especially if people are going to get uh illness uh an injury you want to be able to sort of call up

Athletes who you’re not going to be worried about slotting into a boat and also worth mentioning that Ox would have fewer returners from the Blue Boat than Cambridge do so these experiences absolutely vital for the whole Squad well floating towards the Finish now really pressing the legs down

Powerfully into the final few Strokes nothing left really uh to row out of this trial Ates uh tries race for Oxford this is noise coming in towards the line Victorious Alex Underwood Isaac throsby heish Rimer Freddy Orin Elliot Kemp Elias Fred rer and Saxon Stacy uh will cross the line and that famous

Blues post just outside of tideway skolar school and followed by Panic the trailing crew it was Panic versus noise with noise is taking the spoils in the trial AES four of that crew have been selected to row in the blue boat for Oxford Lenny Jenkins wasn’t in the winning boat that

Day back in the depths of winter but he had the pedigree to make it into the Oxford 8 for today’s race he started rowing in New Zealand while he’s at school being tall and strong but once he went to Yale University in the United States for his undergraduate degree he

Was no longer eligible to row for New Zealand and instead used his dual citizenship to start training with British rowing he picked Oxford for his post-graduate studies and now here he is preparing to take on the boat race one last time I’m studying sustainability Enterprise in the environment so that’s

Sort of the business strategy of how we get to Net Zero and Achieve greater sustainability worldwide um so a lot of it’s to do with balancing development objectives um increasing human well-being um but also doing it in a way that doesn’t jeopardize the future of uh

You know coming Generations so for me I feel like I’m really really lucky to have had a chance to go to some of these amazing universities mainly through my rowing um and the way that I kind of deal with that uh that feeling of while

You know should I be here is is to try and work out how do I take what I’ve learned and try and have a positive impact on people I was incredibly tall from day one just absolutely Dreadful at at different sports and Rowing was the the one sport that really

People kept telling me Oh you you could be really good at this you could one day go on to do amazing things with it and then we were really lucky to be incredibly successful in high school I read with my brothers we won five national titles with five people so we

Had a really really good time in high school it was a big family affair and then when I arrived at Yale it was revitalization of this passion for the sport I was right okay this is it I really really want to go to the Olympics what I didn’t really realize

Was going into the senior national team was that there is an emotional aspect of this that isn’t really brought in I struggled really really badly with my mental health and the and the and the r team while I was there and I think you know indicated to me this is actually

Not something I really want to be um a part of anymore and coincided with me getting into Oxford so it was a beautiful refreshing kind of motion to to get me out of the sport in that way we’re very lucky with sea and with the the coaching team and that we do

Have a pretty robust selection set up I think that’s a big an part of a successful rowing team looking at it from like a social aspect at Oxford I’m surrounded by 25 people from 19 different nationalities in my cohort we get to do amazing things together um every conversation that I’ve had with

These guys is just fantastic they’re inspiring individuals the cards will fall as they will but I I I aspire to be the guy that shows up at AR race and goes we have done everything in our power to win this race but I’ve made the decision that this will be my last

Race I will miss this sport dearly um and I think to to finish it with something that I can look back on for the rest of my life and think we did that we overcame the adversity and we and we and we nailed that and we absolutely crushed Cambridge that would

Be the perfect way for me to end my run Career seat for the Oxford crew today and what must be going through his head as he takes to the water knowing this will be his last race Cambridge Crews go through the same selection process as Oxford a race on the tideway between two boats of the squad members hoping for a

Place in the blue boat come boat race day this is how they got on much choppier waters on the temps winter both Crews off cleanly now they’re going to try and get into their Rhythm um I tell you what it must be really strange having to start down

After a Bend like that yeah really strange isn’t it um so the advantage as we go round uh under Hammer Smith bridge will be to the crew on the left who are the Zoolander crew crew’s coming very close together there emry absolutely yeah crew’s coming together very early

On but keeping it clean for now it’s going to be up to Zoolander now to to push put pressure on Hansel they know that their race needs to be won by the end of the Sur Ben so they’re anticipating a shorter race where it’s Hansel by contrast looking to just hold over

That well this is a a sharp steer in now the crews are barely uh clear of each other but they’re almost line of stun once again um that is a tight line that H Savannah is taking underneath Hammersmith absolutely I think I mean it was hard to tell from the the camera

Angle we had there but if you were in Savannah’s position the trailing boat in Hansel you would basically be wanting to try and almost hit Zoolander hit that boat if you can do that you force a foul and the race is over and you’ve won it looks like zoolander’s just got into a

Safe enough position now but the crews are are quite close well yeah the the the Zoolander crew as you’re saying they were really long out forward so they’re reaching round in in out out in front of their riggers the blades are in the water for a long time I mean they do

Look rowing a slightly different standard to their teammates yeah I would agree I think they do look the classia crew right now um what’s going on in there you know it’s only up for us to kind of Imagine but it looks like there’s really good leadership all the

Way down that boat in how we’re trying to row and how they how they want their boat to to look and feel um not ideal from the coach’s point of view right now I’m sure they want it to a little bit closer but you know the race is we’re

Not even halfway yet so let’s see how this next Bend unfolds so bar bridge awaits Us in the background there we’re we’re looking at the crew Hansel in the white as we have been for most of this contest Stroke by the 23-year-old Matt Edge chemist PhD from St

Catherine’s 884 kilos he’s put on a bit of weight since he rode at a lightweight which is is is down at uh 70 72 and A2 kilos so he’s certainly packed on the pounds and the muscle in the stern of the eight and uh it’s impressed Rob

Baker As we’ve said in commentary but he’s got a big job to do in the last part of this race yeah we just saw a look around again from SE benacre the president in the five seat I always say when you see a look around from someone like that you

Know that probably things aren’t going to go very well for that crew there’s a bit of desperation creeping in now they’ve only got about 4 minutes of the race left and that’s a huge margin to try and overturn um Zoolander really just took a hold of this race from the

Off and have just been able to stretch out that lead and I think if you look just look at the way that um that Hansel is rowing right now it looks to me like that crew really believes that they can still do this there’s a lot of intent

There it’s springy it’s light and I think they’ve they’ve obviously seen what Savannah’s done and I think you know in their minds they’re still in this so Tailwind you could see from the uh Union flag flying on one of the pubs there at barnbridge it’s a nice tail in

Condition out in front it’s the Zoolander crew Joe Travis alander moley Tom Marsh Gus John Kenny copela noan muel Luca Ferraro Martin amater the swed in the stroke seat says I think he a film of his life will be portrayed by Dwayne Johnson um the Hulk um and uh Ed bracie

The Cox and uh she’s coming very tight on that boy she’s going to have to put the Rider on now Savannah isn’t she yeah absolutely I think whenever you go tight you tight on the Benz you’ve always got to make sure you’re the correct side of

The navigation boys so I think you know that’s that’s it’s it’s a bit more challenging in that way so they probably the line isn’t as smooth as it might be but I agree with imagin that I think it’s worth the risk when you’re in the position that they were in they have

Moved back a little bit haven’t they IM yeah I I think that that definitely got them distance it’s not going to be enough um but um yeah it looks like zoland was going to run away with this one uh Joe Travis orando orando moley Tom Marsh Gus John Kenny copelan Noel

Luca Ferraro martiner and Ed bracie and um this has more of the newbies in it so it’s going to be their first taste of winning in Cambridge colors yes uh was this one of your picks no I’m I’m over for too but as they cross the line that’s a win for

Zoolander slaps on the back there in the middle of the boat Gus John to Ken Copeland as uh Hansel crossed the line it was a relatively close race interesting coxing in the final part of that race so the Oxford boats called noise and panic the Cambridge boats took their

Names straight Off The Runway Zoolander against his great modeling rival Hansel from the Ben Stiller movie let’s hope they could turn both ways in the end five returning Blues from last year’s Victorious boat from Cambridge a more experienced crew than the Oxford eight out on the river you can see both Crews

Ready to go jelma Bena Harry glener Saxon Stacy James Doren Elias Frederick rooper Leonard Jenkins Elliot Kemp and William denegre in the seat for Oxford with Sebastian benzer Noah muel Thomas Marsh Augustus John Kenneth Copan Thomas Lynch Luca Ferraro Matt edges for Cambridge with Ed bracie

In the seat for the Light blues so Cambridge looking for a sixth win in 8 years on paper they’re The Underdogs against a bigger stronger Oxford crew but as we know from the women’s race the boat race not won on paper comes down to tactics the water and the Heart of the

Eight men in the boat time to rejoin your commentary team Zoe Deo Andrew Cotter and Matthew Holland yeah a sporting event that’s not far off 200 years old and surrounded by the the modern changing world the growing Skyline it continues the feeling of nerves and excitement though will be the

Same as they have always been the desperation to be on a winning blue boat there is the lineup for Cambridge from Ben zakre the president in the bow seat to stroke Matt Edge who’s returning and Ed bracie will be steering them and urging them on and giving the

Instructions they just beyond the Putney rail bridge is Putney Bridge itself and just beyond them the two Crews set Ben in the B seat the Dutch Roar and all the way down only James Doran returning blue for Oxford and will denegre in the coxing seat Elliot cemp the stroke and interesting water conditions

Oh no he can’t get up there God I give another shot no we’ll come back to him anyway Matthew Pinson uniring the oord now no happy go so way they go in the waters which are certainly not floating with both these Crews usually that strong tide behind them pushing them down the

Course here but as they push off on the first of about 600 Strokes here and probably around about 20 minutes today in this this sluggish water who will get the better start even at the moment it was very sharp from Cambridge though they rocketed it out of the blocks

Oxford took a few more seconds to fill the blad up but actually Oxford looked like they’ve drawn lever with Cambridge now I thought Cambridge had an initial Advantage but it looks like Oxford are now in front the crews coming together here already not what we expected we expected that middle sex crew the

Cambridge crew to stay over to their side a little bit more with this slightly slacker tide but they have come straight over to meet their opposition from Oxford well the booming voice of Matthew pinsent rings out across theart H above the Roars of the on the embankment both Crews being warned to

Keep aart here and then you can see the rudder look at the move that’s being made there by Cambridge now are they heading towards Craven courage towards the wall just to cut the corner fraction I thought initially they were but I think actually he was just giving his

Crew some space but certainly that looks like that move from Ed BRAC has cost them a couple of seats I think they were dead level just before Matt Pinson started warning oh it looks like I’m wrong well they are coming back together again and the the flag was held out by

Matt pinsent and he’s warning Cambridge again again and then the rudder wire will be pulled a fraction by the hand of Ed braci and Cambridge do start to move but my goodness close together both Crews being zo I think will denegri there coxing that Oxford crew has really

Just kept his boat straight he is not messing around he’s giving his crew the chance to get into their best Rhythm which is so important at this point in the race what I think Abra is trying to do for Cambridge is get Cambridge right up in the face of Oxford and say look

Just off the we’re already half a length up and we’re right on your blade TS what are you going to do about it and by doing that you put the pressure right on the opposition you get right up in their face and give them and challenge them to

Respond both Crews being warned again both straying out of their own water but we saw in the side on shot that the bow seat SE benak the Cambridge president and noan mu in the two seat as well are starting to pull clear so Cambridge with the advantage now Oxford being wor the

Blades almost coming together this is a very dangerous moment now when the blades are tip on tip like this and you’re in a position where Cambridge on the right of the screen are 3/4s of a length up if there’s a clash the Cambridge stroke is taken out and that

Means that the rhythm is disrupted whereas in Oxford the the bow seat is what sacrifit and the bow seat although crucial for the power doesn’t contribute too much to the Rhythm so if you lose a bow seat you can recover from that if you lose your stroke your rhythm is in

Trouble clashing blades and now both Crews being warned again you can see how close to together they are but you can also see the four or five seat lead that Cambridge have now again a reminder Oxford are the slight favorites here a powerful very very tall crew for Oxford

They are fancied to win this but then again so too the Oxford women were fancy to earn the victory in that race and they could not and Cambridge have the lead yes they have the slight advantage of that early middle sex Bend and Oxford will have the advantage of the long Sury

Bend to come but Cambridge are building a good lead here listening to Cox will denegri for Oxford he’s been calling a push to just try and check that Cambridge Advantage as they come off the end of their Bend and it looks like it’s starting to work it looks like Oxford

Are just holding in there as they come around the bend look at the glances to the left that the Oxford crew have to see exactly where they are both Crews being warned again because bow seat and stroke seat will be clashing and then you can see that Cambridge did make a

Sharp move to the right there how close they are and Oxford still within touch both Crews warn so Cambridge will have to move to the right of the picture towards the KN towards the middle sex station Cambridge being warned again zo Oxford moving Oxford are moving now they have seen the Cambridge

Are being warned they are taking advantage of cambridge’s Ruder going on which means it will be acting as a break and Oxford are now moving back through danger is when you’re looking for that Rhythm and then suddenly a blade is caught it can disrupt the whole boat

There is head bracing you see the little touch the Gentle Touch on the r Wilds there in the Cambridge bo gosh this is an absolute again a fantastic race we’ve been so lucky today Cambridge Cambridge are quite significantly up but as they come into their Bend Oxford done really well to

Come back you hear umpire M Vincent naming Oxford Cox will denegri and as an Umpire you only do that if you’re really concerned so I think Matt Pinson is starting to worry that actually this these crews could tangle up together but have done really really well here to get

In front and hold this is a substantial lead coming into the hars bend well let’s see if we can hear from Jasper Parish winning Cox for Cambridge last year down on the river watching what have you made of it so far Jasper wow wow what an impressive start from this

Cambridge crew I think they look a more relaxed crew right now they’re a bit more Dynamic through the front end and I think that’s really going to benefit them in this Tailwind let’s not forget that the wind is going to swing around as they come past the island the water

Might rough rough up quite a lot um and I think this Cambridge crew is either going to row away in the next sort of two three minutes or this Oxford crew is going to come right back into it don’t forget this is the start of the big

Sorry Advantage well there you can see it carefully played out this is the start of the sun event worth about 34 of the length then there’s a bit of a straight into chis and then a quarter of a length advantage to the Su station again so

Oxford have all that to come if they can remain in contact which they are now and Oxford will be looking for a push towards Hammer Smith here you saw that actually you saw Oxford start to take more Strokes per minute so they took their rate up they are trying to make a

Move here around that bend I think it’s working but is it working fast enough I actually think o have just fallen behind a little bit camridge are now getting warm this is a big risk from both Crews this is gamesmanship at its best but also high risk High reward if Ed bracie

When he’s getting warned for Cambridge makes contact he’s in big trouble here and has made the Umpire nervous by getting so close he’s steering a lovely course actually this is a very smooth Bend round tari and it looks like they’re about to get clear Cambridge are

Being warn now to get back into their water again they’re just battling for this deep fast stream that goes uh Upstream against the flow of the river but with the tide although today there really isn’t much carrying them along but there is the lead it’s just about

Half uh a length in Cambridge as they come under Hammersmith bridge now the leading crew at Hammer Smith Bridge it’s about 85% of the time that crew will go on to win but that is not a significant lead at all CD doesn’t look like a significant lead at all although interestingly it hasn’t

Moved much around that bend I’ve been listening to the Oxford Cox will denegri in my ear and he’s been throwing quite a lot of his resources to try and get back up and although they’ve now eaten up half of cambridge’s Bend in their favor actually they’re not going anywhere they

Haven’t clawed that much back and Cambridge I think are getting into a position where they’re going to be able to bit clear and as soon as you break clear in the boat race it’s very difficult to come back just looking at the angle of C you can hear why Matthew

Pinsent is uh is just Waring them a little bit just looks as if they’re putting a squeeze on slightly in terms of coming across yeah what you can see is that their boat is not parallel to the river bank it is slightly across which goes to show that they are

Slightly across the stream rather than pointing in the direction the Umpire Matt pinsent wants them to be pointed in they’re not going to give Matt Vincent a break here I think both Crews both coxes are going to keep well there is Ed braci the C for Cambridge who follows in his Father’s

Footsteps he C the Cambridge blue Bo in the early 1990s will denegri the the Oxford CS very experienced at under 23 International level but this is on the tide with this is very different Challenge and there’s a nice story with Edy there his mother was the Oxford

Reserve cops Isis in 1991 when his father cops against Cambridge and they had to keep that relationship secret from their crew oh Intrigue we’ll talk about that afterwards Clear Water there as Cambridge Take the Lead so now Cambridge can come across into Oxford water but Oxford have the you would

Think surely with the power they have there that there have something left in reserve but what a move that Cambridge have put on here I think you have to remember as well what an extremely tough race this is physically it’s about three times the length of your standard

Olympic race and the suffering that these athletes go through is really brought it’s brought to the Forefront because we can get right up in their [Applause] are coming just keeping a Keen Eye on everything on the banks huge crowds out watching today in the in the spring

Sunshine and all the puddles are being sent down as well I think that’s what Ed braci was saying words to that effect they send down the puddles towards them because Oxford are now having to come through that dirty water and I didn’t expect it to be this kind of lead when

We saw them coming under Hammer Smith you wouldn’t have thought it’d be that margin at this stage but Cambridge have put a massive move on they have and I think that’s a testament to their Rhythm to be honest listening to Ed BRAC the cambrid Co he hasn’t asked for anything

Massive he’s just been saying trust in what you’re doing trust in this Rhythm and it’s working they’re rowing away he’s having to look around his shoulder to see what’s going on actually he looks quite relaxed there say and I think in this Oxford crew all

You’ve got to do now is trust in your Rhythm and trust that you’ve been prepared well that your rhythm is going to carry you back and Trust in the cops will denegri has a rather unenviable job here of having to try and convince his crew that they’re still in the Rex but

I’m by no means relaxed my heart is still quite High I think this we shouldn’t switch off yet this is going to be something quite special I think no don’t switch off don’t switch off anybody big big lead though for Cambridge and again you look at the the

Recent dominance not quite the same as in the the women’s boat race but if you look at the The Last Five results Cambridge have won four of them yes there was that win for Oxford in 2022 both Crews were very very impressive a lot of Olympians in the cruise This Time It’s

Different with a lot of a not less experienced Ro very experienced University Roars and a lot of international flavor in there as well but uh they’re not Olympians and gold medal winners but Cambridge have come together so well again they might not have the international experience but

They’ve got the boat race experience and I think in a race where awareness of the tactics of the race is so important that’s you know what we’re seeing play out here is we seeing an understanding of The River an understanding of the water an understanding of how the boat

Race just hearing Willen saying they’re flagging now they’re flagging now and that is where you have to be the the effective liar persuade that you can still do this but starting to close a b that there as he says that again you just have to keep saying it you almost

Have to believe it as well you have no choice if you sit there saying oh they’re rowing away from us then you’re doing a terrible job and I think actually Will’s doing a good job but listening to his calls he’s definitely trying to keep the Rhythm alive it looks

A little bit like Oxford are starting to flag I think their the timing of their blades going to the water is starting to look a little less neat than it was which would suggest that they’re starting to tie you see that the face of yelma bener at stroke and Harry

Glennister at two yeah just run down the boat there Saxon Stacy youngest in the in the crew James Duran the only returning blue ellias Kon the German Fred roer of Australia Lenny Jenkins Elliot K in the stroke seat and then will denegri as the Cox but they are

Being outclassed by Cambridge and again this will be very very very hard to take for Oxford because they believe they had a wonderful not a wonderful crew the line was about right the line okay just a chat between you agree with that wonder what what they talking I think they’re just discussing that

Slight Clash that happened just by the black boy Craven Cottage era it looks like because there’s not that much going on in the race he just getting his head in the right place so that should there be an appeal he can give a definitive answer because you want to get your mind

Set and sometimes as an Umpire it’s very useful to have a second opinion Boris rankov an extraordinarily experienced umpire in the boat race here but that lead for Cambridge in this picture shot is absolutely enormous and the feeling in the Cambridge boat must be pretty awesome right now Boris ranov who WR six

Times in the boat race he sted Classics just went on and on studying Classics and kept on coming back and Rowing Matthew Pinson who rod in three ball races one two and then lost as Aid for Oxford after he’d won Gold in Barcelona but this is an enormous lead

And actually looking at the the recent results between the two there haven’t been big blowout wins 2018 Cambridge won by three lengths but since then it’s always been pretty close and before that pretty close going back to 2015 when Ox for one by 6 and a half length but a lot

Went on in that race as well this is going to be a huge margin again Ley Jenkins in the seven seat for Oxford on screen now took a big look around his shoulder and he will be very very dis Caron to see that presumably he can’t

Even see their vote at all well let’s go down one more time to Jasper Parish who’s following the race and Jasper as a a Cambridge man you must be very proud but what a what a push was made in the middle of that race oh I’m mightily

Proud by this uh this uh Cambridge crew I’m just trying to imagine what’s going through my housemate said Ben’s mind right now you know he’s watching this race from the bow seat of Cambridge you can see it all unfolding he’s just watching Oxford drift away and away and

It must be the best feeling in the world I think brace is doing a great job of just keeping them relaxed keeping them in their Rhythm I they’re run better and better into this headwind as the race goes and the last thing maybe to say is

That just I think I think the umpires are very much expecting a hand here from will denegri should expect him to appeal this it seems like they’ve had a thought a thought or two on the boat about what what might come of it but who knows

What’s going to happen here well we had a discussion between bis rankov and uh and Matthew Pinson the Umpire and I don’t think they’re going to get much joy from that so Ed braci in this Cambridge crew as they near barnbridge in the central span they’ll head through

With sure what the lead is now my goodness that’s five length lead or so it’s uh it’s going to be a huge victory for Cambridge and again one that will be you know sometimes you as a a beaten boat you know that you’ve you’ve pushed hard and you’ve rued well but I’m not

Sure this one there will be a lot of suffering and inquiries after this one for Oxford I’m afraid the of movement in the Oxford boat looks very labored now you can see the timing on the blades isn’t very good the height on the blades is different as they approach the water

This is a crew that has suffered and I think they all struggle to come back it’s interesting Zoe as well talked beforehand about the the lack of time on the water that Oxford have had over the winter because Wallingford where they train yes they’ve gone to cavers the

International base where they get more Placid Waters to work on but because of the flooding they’ve had far less time on the water than Cambridge who row on the more stable River great out to El yeah Cambridge was saying they haven’t missed a single planned rowing session

This season whereas Oxford I think at one point was saying they’d only rode something like 10 sessions in about 3 months on the water you can actually see here how much Cambridge is struggling look at the blade the or of the stroke seat Matt Edge barely going in the water

Look at his head his head’s going right down there as we saw in the race last year with Oxford stroke Felix drinkle Matt Edge is struggling the rest of the seven of them just need to relax him they need to say don’t worry we’re nearly there just put the blade in take

The blade out but this could be fantastic for Oxford this could be the chance to get back in my goodness M I’m not sure there’s enough time but it makes a big difference mad Edge former lightweight and again that can have a big big effect as well when you tried to

Make the waight he’s lacking the power I remember said Mar jman who’s a former lightweight himself really struggling and the blade was hardly going into the the water a good few years ago now but it can make a big big difference so the stroke in the C boat Matt Edge who comes

Back after winning last year you can see his head’s gone and so this is whereing now is the man who is right in front of him just has to keep him going they’ve just got to get across the Finish Line If I Was Cambridge cops Ed RAC I’d be

Saying right Luca Ferraro in seven you stroke the boat guys in the B let’s get some legs on just get us across the Finish then we’ll get Matt the help he needs I think they’re going to win but this is going to take a big effort and

Mat just left too much on the course my goodness his blade is barely grazing the now there is not enough time for Oxford to come back if the race were another 400 m longer than Oxford might have a chance Matt Edge though what you can guarantee is that he will keep moving in

That boat and keep moving that or because you know you’re doing it not for yourself but for your crew he’s an enormously talented athletes and enormously gifted chemist and he will get the boat across the line i absolute confidence in him the only danger here

Is if his or gets stuck in the water what rowers call catching a crab that’s the only danger here because that will stop the boat in it right up two the M Edge is spent but the race is nearly run as well they are heading for the finish

Line and Cambridge are going to hold on and what an effort by all of them not least Matt Edge because he is gone but he’s still pulling on that door for cambrid for another Victory ax for a closing but they’re not going to have enough River left to overhaul this light

Blue crew and they came in not as the favorites in this race but against the odds they have done it and now matage will collapse and they will get some help to him but they will celebrate in that board a victory which they might have believed they would have had but a few

People said it would have been a dark blue victory in this men’s boat race but it goes to Cambridge again I speechless that was one of the most terrific rows I’ve seen Cambridge again like last year went in underdogs and they’ve just pulled it out of the bag in a manner

I’ve not seen in a boat race in a very very long time that edge in the stroke SE would getting the help he needs but I think in the Oxford Camp they now need to ask some very very serious questions Oxford have eight very talented athletes

Here who I think have been let down by a system where they just weren’t able to row well enough to keep their head in the game they were several lengths down as they come alongside the A and we see this year and year again in the past 5 years I

Think well we’re just going to see if we will have the the protest I I think we will it does happen quite often but I think Matthew pinsent already has his explanation and his answer but we’ll just listen in because will denegri is he he’s building a case here

In his head I can’t think of a case that will be able to turn this around I think utter despondence in the Oxford crew I’m not sure he’s even go to GL said Ben there him there the president in the in the bow seat I’m not sure will denegri

Is going to appeal I think Will’s a sensible guy I think he knows that he tried he did his part he did what he he needed to try and do but I think he knows that that was not going to change the outcome of the race no his head is

Bowed not in thought but in uh in Despair and the result is there confirmed and it will be Cambridge again who have won the men’s boat race and what is that now five and six of the last races so again if it’s not the same dominance that we’ve seen in the women’s

It’s not far off but this was them coming across the line and uh Oxford someway down we’ll get official confirmation of the margin of Victory and again a word for mat Ed you know he talk about bravery in sport but he will have known that the last

Thing in his his mind his exhausted body and his addled mind will have been not good to stop rowing after the races so this evening that each Club has a dinner where all of the old blues and the old reserves from the clubs come back and celebrate this achievement of the cruise

And I guarantee you Matt Edge will get the biggest clap as he walks in to have left it all on the track quite literally for your University and for your Club is something that should be praised to the utmost and the atmosphere at the dinner in Cambridge will be absolutely

Brilliant I remember in 2019 when we won with my crew all of the old blues were there and the roarers you walk into the dinner hall and then they all go out to the nightclub afterwards to celebrate and I remember the oldest blue who was

87 came with us in his Zimmer frame and was dancing with the Victorious crew in his Zimmer frame on the nightclub dance floor and it’s the most amazing atmosphere ever well Matt Edge might borrow that FR him tonight but anyway he will have the Salve of being a winner

And giving everything there that’s a that was an amazing effort from this Cambridge crew we talked about all the returning blues and again that continuity that Rob Baker the coach had mentioned and they were rowing as a crew as a unit yeah absolutely and actually it’s Rob Baker that I think we should

Mention you know we talk about Shawn Bowden a lot his 30th year he said he wasn’t counting the years but Rob Baker has been around this race since 2001 he has been there a long time he understands the racecraft and having those returning Blues means you do have that continuity and that understanding

Of the Race Craft what’s amazing as well is that Rob Baker has climbed up through the ranks he started as an 18-year-old Boatman at CVC Towing the trailers and fixing the boats and he learned under a series of successive Cambridge coaches how to coach and now he’s built his own

Style and built his own program that’s showing to be unbelievably successful well as the Waters of the terms rise up towards the mort Lake anglan and Alpha boat club it is just a very short Journey from the boats to start the celebration with the reserve Crews and the women’s

Crew Cambridge and the the men’s and the women’s have done it again in the sunshine on the terms well two thrilling races on the tideway and you can see the water now lapping against the steps at Mort Lake there is Matt Edge just getting some water on board real concern for him

Crossing the line the Cambridge men’s stroke seat leaving everything out on on the water but a winner once again for Cambridge he was part of the winning crew last year and now he’s he’s needing help to get out of the boat hopefully after a little bit of rest some medical help taking

Some calories and water on board Matt Edge will be back on his feet and ready to celebrate with the Cambridge crew five wins in the last six years for Cambridge and just a really brilliantly masterminded from the Cox Ed bracie in his F Bo first boat race in the Cambridge Blue

Boat celebrations there Luca feraro also part of the winning crew last year braces for Seb benacre bearded B seat athlete the back also part of that Victorious team once again tasting Elation and victory in the boat race 12 months on from that win last year for Cambridge they’ve done

It again here and there is the despondent crew from Oxford favorites to win the race but as Andrew and the comy team mentioned during the race coverage there you’ve got to wonder how much time lost on the water has cost Oxford in this Boat Race season their their boat house and their various

Facilities flooded multiple times because we’ve had so much rainfall this British winter time and so much time on the water lost for Oxford whereas Cambridge have been able to train right the way through the winter haven’t missed a session on the water and it’s Cambridge Who come out Victorious you F so a quick look back on the race Matthew pinsent twice a winner of the boat race getting the action underway a sharp start from Cambridge and then Oxford managed to get themselves back into it in those really early stages and the crews coming together really early

On warnings for both Crews right at the start of the boat race as uh the boats approach the turn to Craven Cottage lots of bellowing from Matthew Pinson he was kept busy during this race wasn’t he as both both Crews battled for that fast water on the incoming

Tide at this point Oxford still very much in the boat race Cambridge with a narrow lead which they never relinquished from this point onwards Gracie urging his his eight on you can see Matt Edge there towards the Finish Line at chisik Bridge his head hanging he’s left absolutely

Everything out on the water he can barely get the blade in the water but by that point Cambridge had done enough they were winners of the 169th boat race and we can hear from the winning president Seb benzak who is talking now at the Finish to

McKenzie I try and sum up what this means to be out there and do it again I mean to to have that race as you know that was my last race with the club and it’s been four unbelievable years and you know probably going into it this was

The biggest challenge we’ve had um D crew really really classy unit really good guys so you know we knew we had to we had to put a lot into it and push ourselves to a place where you know we we very rarely go um but that was just

The most unbelievable feeling I so hard to put into words um just so proud of the guys so proud of Goldie they put all of themselves into this season you know you have to put so much into it no one ever backed off for a single second so I

Can’t ask for anymore the coxes seemed determined to give Matt Pinson quite a stressful afternoon but it was so close for such a long time out there and even when we saw Matt struggling out there it just shows you what a tight unit what a Tight Crew you are

Yeah no absolutely I mean credit to Matt to go to go that deep I’m sure a lot of that margin that we took early in the race was was him you know he was putting down such a such a dynamic Rhythm and that takes that takes a lot out of you

In the stroke seat um so you know so proud of him um and and yeah I mean just a just an amazing Amazing Race really really came together yeah ke congratulations that go and celebrate with the crew thank you so much absolute Delight you can see what

It means to win the boat race and conversely you can imagine how it feels to lose the boat race Oxford just getting their boat there out of the water on the steps of mort Lake there’s the trophy for the winners already beded in the light blue ribbons of Cambridge

University so there’ll be presentations of medals for the winning Crews and uh celebrations can begin for both Cambridge Crews the women winning the seventh year in a row the Cambridge crew while four Cambridge men a fifth win in six years Oxford must go back to the drawing board for the boat race next

Year and now the banks of the river Temps can gradually empty and boat houses all the way down this stretch of the river it’s it’s famous of course because of the boat race and because of the conditions for rowing and there’ll be parties and gatherings in pubs and boat houses along

The river on what has been an absolutely glorious afternoon in Southwest London look at those scenes across Putney looking out towards the city of London in the distance and uh 15° warm and sunny light winds absolutely beautiful Seb benacre just cooling off in the water there bananas taking on

Some much needed calories and minerals so those are the scenes at Mort Lake where Cambridge have won the boat race once again heartbreak for Oxford who were favorite coming into the race but uh Come Away with that horrible sinking losing feeling non worse than at the boat race

We can catch up with Lee McKenzie who’s with one of the crew thanks very much Lenny you’ve just been watching that analysis A Hard watch a hard race out there just sum up the emotions oh I mean I don’t really have any words we uh we had a clear plan of

What we wanted to do and we had a really good setup for that and last couple days have been amazing the boys have taken another step on and then you know just didn’t for some reason just didn’t come together on the day and that’s really disappointing but like you know it’s

Been a it’s been a great battle with the guys you know everybody’s put everything into it I couldn’t be prouder of them um it a shame the results don’t suit that but Cambridge showed their class they’re a really really top uh top group of athletes and yeah they did what they did

To us what we wanted to do to them you’re standing here in the heat of the battle you’re an experienced Ro do you know what the point of difference was out there today um maybe experience I’m not sure I mean I yeah I really did didn’t expect

It to be such a big difference um I I I will also say and this is no way to take away from Cambridge but you know we’ve had a few guys go down pretty badly with the Uki strain so I mean this morning I was throwing up and I really wasn’t sure

That there was going to be a chance for me to be in the boat but I ultimately kept that quiet and that’s on my shoulders um I’m not sure if it was the right choice because I really didn’t feel like I had much to give in that but

You know it would have been it would have been taking taking one of those top guys out of Isis and ruining their chances so I felt like we needed to give them a fair fight um but yeah it would have been ideal not to have uh so much

So much poo in the water but you know that’s not to take away from Cambridge they were a talented crew I don’t I don’t know if we would have had a chance to get them even if we’d all been on form um so it’s no way to make excuses L thank you very

Much Lenny Jenkins there obviously bitterly disappointed and as we heard ear ier on in our coverage it’ll be his last race in an Oxford boat and you can tell that he was dearly hoping that there would be a different outcome for him as he signs off on his Oxford University rowing career

Presentations just in preparation on the banks of the Temps at Mort Lake we’ll be heading to those shortly to see Cambridge pick up the honors for both the men’s and the women’s race and when you look out across the scenes in Southwest London it’s hard to believe

That rainfall has had such a disruptive effect on this year Boat Race season the Wallingford stretch of the river for Oxford and the boat house there on flooding regularly which has had a significant impact on their ability to train on the water we heard Lenny Jenkins there as well talking about a

Stomach bug that has been affecting the crew and perhaps that’s how they’ll reflect on today’s two big losses but to take nothing away from camridge they have been able to train as normal and perhaps that was the difference Oxford choosing to host their winter training camp on the tideway in London Cambridge

Men flew to aiz in Portugal Cambridge winning women out to Italy for their winter training Oxford hoping to get a little bit more insight into the river uh but uh it was Cambridge who came back to the temps to take the victories in both so the spectators enjoying a drink or

Two in the warm spring Sunshine shirt sleeves and uh outlandish rowing blazes as usual and uh all of them training their eyes down to the boat house steps at Mort Lake where Lee McKenzie is ready to talk us through the presentations presentations welcome to the trophy presentations for the Gemini boat races

2024 first we have the presentation for the 78th women’s boat race presenting the women’s trophy is the vice Chancellor of Oxford University Professor Irene Tracy and Marcus Becky Howard the head of institutional at gini first of all commiserations must go to the Oxford University boat club and

Now let’s welcome our winners onto the stage Cambridge University Boat Club Jemma King Joe Matthews Iris po Karina grath Caris Earl Claire Hull Megan Lee Hannah Murphy the president Jenna Armstrong and the coach of Cambridge women’s paty Ryan [Applause] now before you start spraying your English sparkling wine courtesy of

Chapel down I’d like to invite the president Gemma to take this wonderful [Applause] trophy woo a magnificent success there for the Cambridge [Applause] women absolutely drenched the Cambridge crew Jenna Armstrong hoisting aoft that famous silver Trophy and it’s now full of English sparkling wine blim me she’s doing a quick job of that celebrations for Cambridge and the Cambridge men’s crew as well just in the

Right hand side of your picture there waiting to go up for their moment on the stage seven wins in a row though for Cambridge it really has been a dominant stretch for the Light blues and for Oxford it’ll be back to the drawing board ahead of next year’s

Race trying to find a way to to break the strangle hold that Cambridge seem to have on this famous old fixture so as we await the presentation for the men’s Cruise that’s just Tak in the scene on the side of the river temps and do you know what these pctures

Are the complete opposite to the type of weather we’ve been enjoying in the UK over the last few months unprecedented rainfall the river as you can see brown and swollen corant just drying its wings there and uh finally some warmth there’s been a bitter wind for the past few

Weeks temperatures not climbing out of single figures but today by the side of the temps it’s 15° celsus there are no coats glasses of champagne and a spot for everybody to enjoy the action on uh what is always a special day in the British Springtime sporting calendar I wonder who’s winning that race

Cream teas and abundant Wildlife nearly 200 years of history from the boat race and this afternoon’s action will go down surely as races for the ages in the end comfortable victories for Cambridge in both the men’s and the women’s races but not without controversy both boats the men’s and the

Women’s boat coming together and delighting the crowds here a spectacle and a rivalry that really captures the imagination thanks to the history of the race and of course the dedication and effort of the athletes on that famous stretch of water between Putney and Mort Lake this is how Cambridge won their

Seventh women’s boat race title in a row came Oxford off to the stronger of starts putting down a fast pace over the first 20 Strokes or so but Cambridge always kept in touch and that was crucial for the light blue crew once the river began to follow that uh sorry

Station around the bend after Hammer Smith bridge and this was the controversial incident Joe Gillette bringing the Oxford boat across into Cambridge water and the two boats coming together there was an appeal of course at the end of the race from Joe Gillette but uh it was not

Upheld by Richard Phelps the Umpire and Cambridge as you can see pulling away to a comfortable four or so lengths Victory and at this point as they approach the line at chisik Bridge they know that the job has been done they’ve defied the odds underdogs coming into the

Race but uh as we’ve just seen the Cambridge women lifting aoft the famous silver Trophy and spraying the English sparkling wine and that was how their race was won [Applause] now though it’s time for the men to receive their prize and the celebrations can start for Cambridge Lee McKenzie once again

Talking you through the presentation welcome to the presentation of the 169th men’s boat race presenting the men’s trophy is the vice Chancellor of Cambridge University Professor Deborah apprentis and Marcus baky Howard Head of institutional at Gemini we must say commiserations to the Oxford University boat club and now let’s

Welcome onto the stage Cambridge University boot Club please welcome up noan muy Thomas Marsh Gus John Kenneth Copeland Thomas Lynch Lua Ferraro Matt Edge Ed bracie Z bener and the coach Rob [Applause] Baker you will get the chance to spray your English sparkling wine courtesy of

Chapel down in just a moment but first Seb if you would like to lift the winning trophy [Applause] [Applause] Ben zakre lifting the trophy for the men’s boat race for Cambridge and joined on the stage by the reserve boat in amongst all the celebrations not sure I could spot Matt Edge who had left everything out there and the women now joining in for Cambridge Clean Sweep in the blue boats for Cambridge

University and what a party there’s going to be in the Cambridge boat house this [Applause] Evening So Cambridge with the celebrations first a women’s race for the Ambridge Cambridge with the ages Cambridge with a seventh win in a row after a controversial battle on the tideway and for the men Cambridge leaving absolutely everything on the water for a fifth win in six

Years the tide in on the temps and the sun sinking low in the sky from the boat race for 2024 thanks for watching and we’ll see you back on the temps next [Applause] [Applause] year Is e