row2k Exclusives
The Boat Race: A Double Win for the Dark Side
by Liz Wray
posted on March 29, 2009
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| Anyone's race at this point |
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| but soon the celebration was all Dark Blues |
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| click images for full-size version |
GOLDIE vs. ISIS
The day dawned bright and sunny for the 2009 Boat Race. The cool but calm conditions about as perfect as could be asked for in the absence of a strong stream.
Cambridge started their day well, winning the toss for both races despite the blue boat crew managing to get lost between their boathouse and the platform on the Putney Embankment. President Henry Pelly nipped through a gap in the barriers but the rest of his crew failed to follow, leaving him standing alone grinning in amusement while they took a detour.
Both Goldie and the Blue Boat chose Surrey – a risky call but presumably because they both though they were fast enough off the start to get the advantage of their opposition around the outside of the first bend.
As the usual flurry of excitement descended on the Putney bank in advance of the main race, Isis (Oxford) and Goldie (Cambridge)lined up for the annual race between the reserve crews.
Goldie had long been deemed to be the faster crew of the two, Oxford fully expecting to take a loss in the first race -- but in the end things didn't quite work out that way...
Off the start both crews were rating 44 but Isis had the better start, moving into a small early lead - their rate dropping to 38 by the black Buoy. By Barn Elms Isis, rating 35 to Goldie's 36, had increased their lead to 3/4 length and by the Mile Post had extended it to a length. Isis had been warned repeatedly by the Umpire up to this point but they then pulled away, moving out to 2 lengths clear water by Hammersmith.
At Chiswick steps with both crews rating 33, it was a done deal. The Isis cox, Helen Hodges, even looked round to see exactly where the Goldie crew was – never a good sign.
By Barnes Bridge Isis were a full 14secs ahead, they went on to win by 4L, though in all probability they conceded a length between Barnes and the finish as they took the pressure down, knowing they had it in the bag.
The Oxford contingent was delighted by the unexpected victory; coach Andy Nelder looking especially pleased with the excellent performance of his crew. Meanwhile Goldie looked resigned to their defeat, last year's President Dan O'Shaughnessy giving some explanation for their failure to perform.
"We just panicked. As a crew we row very well on our own but for some reason the presence of another crew alongside just unsettles us".
Isis
B – Mike Vialli
2 – Douglas Bruce
3 – Tim Farquharson
4 – Alec Dent
5 – David Hopper
6 – Justin Stangel
7 – Colin Keogh
S – Martin Walsh
C – Adam Barhamand
Goldie
B – James Strawson
2 – Dan O'Shaughnessy
3 – Code Sternal
4 – John Clay
5 – Shane O'Mara
6 – Joel Jennings
7 – George Nash
S – Fred Gill
C – Helen Hodges
Times:
Mile Post: Isis 3:36, Goldie 3:40
Hammersmith: Isis 6:33, Goldie 6:41
Chiswick Steps: Isis 10:33, Goldie 10:44
Barnes Bridge: Isis 14:25, Goldie 14:34
Finish: Isis 17:24, Goldie 17:37
CAMBRIDGE vs. OXFORD
For the Blue Boat race, Cambridge's choice of Surrey appeared to pay off initially as their blistering start propelled them to an early advantage. Oxford fought back hard but the light blues held on to Hammersmith, increasing their lead to almost a length by St Pauls School. Oxford looked rattled but near Chiswick Ait they clashed with the light blues causing Ryan Monaghan, the CUBC 7 man, to miss around eight strokes on the trot.
As a result the dark blues pulled back 1/2 length in a matter of seconds, and as Cambridge lost their powerful rhythm and Oxford finally found theirs the race turned around and Oxford eased into a comfortable lead.
"When they were 3/4 of a length up we knew we just needed to keep in contact. The second we came off that last bend everyone just whacked it up and kept a beautiful rhythm. It's the most incredible moment I have had in rowing." – Alex Hearne, OUBC 3 seat.
Oxford continued to extend their lead to go on to win by 3.5 lengths in a time of 17 minutes exactly.
After the race, CUBC president Henry Pelly commented "We were up there on the final bend but we didn't hold it together and couldn't put them under pressure at the end which was disappointing. We did an amazing job of putting ourselves in the frame but it just didn't happen when we needed it to"
Oxford
B – Michal Plotkowiak
2 – Colin Smith (president)
3 – Alex Hearne
4 – Ben Harrison
5 – Sjoerd Hamburger
6 –Tom Solesbury
7- George Bridgewater
S – Ante Kusurin
C – Colin Groshong
Cambridge
B – Rob Weitemeyer
2 – Henry Pelly (president)
3 – Deaglan McEachern
4 – Peter Marsland
5 – Tom Ransley
6 – Hardy Cubasch
7 – Ryan Monaghan
S – Silas Stafford
C – Rebecca Bowdiggin
Times
Mile Post : Oxford 3:34, Cambridge 3:34.5
Hammersmith: Cambridge 6:28.2, Oxford 6.28.9
Chiswick Steps: Oxford 10:17, Cambridge 10:19
Barnes Bridge: Oxford 14:01, Cambridge 14:09
Finish: Oxford 17:00, Cambridge 17:12
THE FUTURE OR BUST?
In future years the 2009 boat race may well be noted as marking the end of an era. With ITV pulling the plug on their TV coverage of the race, organizers have been forced to return to the BBC, cap in hand. The BBC, who still feel aggrieved at the perceived way they were treated when they lost the race three years ago have agreed to take it back on, but on their terms, which will mean much less money going into the Boat Race coffers from now on.
While unfortunate for the event, this at least will allow them to keep their main sponsor happy but the reduction in available money will undoubtedly have a noticeable impact over the next few years. It is unlikely that the blue boats will continue to be treated to a brand new Empacher every year and things like press launches for tideway week or taking the buoys on the course up, may be relegated to a dim and distant memory.
Changes are already afoot in the Boat Race Company and most of those currently involved are rumoured to be stepping down after the 2009 race. There is talk about employing a neutral 3rd party, with no previous link to either university, to take over as Chairman, along with an expectation that the University clubs will be much more involved in the running of the race. We may even be in danger of peace breaking out but this may well be exactly what is required if the Boat Race is to continue to flourish rather than turning into another Varsity Match (the name given to the Oxford Cambridge annual rugby match – the only other sports fixture between the universities that attracts any mainstream media coverage.) Since rugby became a professional sport in the UK, the quality on show on the varsity match has declined along with the press interest.
One thing is clear; something must be done to agree on a level playing field (if you can have such a thing in rowing) for competitors in both teams. Oxford has come under criticism this year for the large number of blue boat oarsmen who are on one year masters courses. Four of the crew are on an MBA course, a prerequisite of which is supposed to be a number of years of business experience -- business experience which some of them are noticeably lacking. Cambridge doesn't offer any courses less than two years long, so the perception is that Oxford instantly becomes more attractive to Overseas internationals looking for a year out and the chance to tick the Boat Race off their to-do-list.
This griping, even if justified, does nothing for the event, and while nobody wants to see the standard of rowing reduced, the search for quality should not be at the expense of the original ethos of the race. It is, and should primarily remain, a private match between the two universities. There are a number of options which could be considered to ensure parity; an agreement that to be eligible for the race, oarsmen have to be enrolled on a minimum of a two year course: or a maximum age for competitors but whatever the answer, it will require Cambridge and Oxford to work together to find an acceptable compromise.
In the end, if reduced funding eventually makes the race less attractive to one year wannabes, it may just turn out to be a cloud with a silver lining, though on the downside it does mean that tentative plans to move the women's race to the Tideway will have to be put on ice indefinitely.
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