Oxford coach Sean Bowden pronounced himself satisfied after his crew won the first of two races against top club Molesey along the Boat Race course, although the second piece ended early after the two crews clashed and came to a stand-still. Dark Blue cox Sam Winter-Levy stood up well to a stiff examination from Rowley Douglas cox of the Great Britain eight that won Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000 and umpire Richard Phelps was forced to issue plentiful warnings on both sides.
Oxford finished a length and a half up in the first piece, from Putney to Hammersmith Pier just before the Boat Race half-way mark passing through Hammersmith Bridge in a time of six minutes 32 seconds. Molesey were without their current Great Britain internationals but featured four Blues stroke Fred Gill and Henry Pelly from last year's winning Cambridge crew, and Ben Smith who beat Pete Marsland with Oxford in 2008.
Under solid grey skies, with drizzle in the air making the conditions calm, the club crew were slightly sharper off the start but Oxford who had lost the toss and were on the Surrey station found their rhythm more easily. Veteran stern pair Simon Hislop and George Whitaker were backed well by highly-rated former Etonian Constantine Louloudis and Karl Huspith the duo who finished seventh overall in last weekend's Great Britain trials. They were three-quarters of a length up at the end of the Fulham Wall, but lost some of that advantage as Winter-Levy was warned sternly by the umpire and moved too sharply back to his station. The Dark Blues were half a length up by the Mile Post, though, and stretched that lead as they passed Harrods. Phelps who will be assistant umpire for the Boat Race - warned Oxford again as they approached Hammersmith, but by then the Dark Blues were more than a length ahead.
With Molesey on the inside of the final bend for the second piece over the second half of the course from the easterly end of Chiswick Eyot to the finish with an 11km north-easterly wind behind them for much of it a tight race looked in prospect. However, the crews could only just make it through Barnes Bridge before they came to a halt. They clashed even before making it to the end of the island and a fractious race ensued, with Oxford taking a lead of half a length at one point. An impressive Molesey push, with the rate climbing to 38, brought the crews back level as they went under the second bridge on the course, taking three minutes 43 from Chiswick Steps to Barnes Bridge. Molesey cox Douglas was warned three times for pushing too wide on the following corner, but it was Oxford's Winter-Levy who received the final warning before a clash saw Huspith lose his blade amid angry shouts from both crews.
Had the collision occurred during the Boat Race, Oxford would have conceded the race because of a foul. However, with Molesey in the wrong in the lead-up to the incident, Phelps refused to apportion blame. There was a restart and a short sprint to the finish, with rates not dropping below 43 and Molesey just edging the verdict.
"It was good, useful stuff," said Bowden. "The first piece was very smooth from a rowing point of view. The second was a close race and Molesey rallied well to put us under pressure. It was a shame they became tangled up because it would have been a great finish."
Oxford have two further warm-up fixtures, against Queens University, Belfast in 6 March and Leander six days later. Molesey are in action against Cambridge on 8 March, which may give a chance for comparision. Reserve crew Isis enjoyed more resounding wins over Molesey's second crew, taking the first piece easily then overturning a head start for their opponents in the second.
Crews:
Oxford: Bow Ben Myers (Exeter College); 2 Moritz Hafner (Oriel); 3 Ben Ellison (St Anne's); 4 Alec Dent (Keble); 5 Karl Hudspith (St Peter's); 6 Constantine Louloudis (Trinity); 7 George Whittaker (Oriel); stroke Simon Hislop (Oriel); cox Sam Winter-Levy (New College).
Molesey BC: Bow Ben Pugh; 2 Henry Pelly;3 Blake Friedman; 4 Peter Marsland; 5 Ben Smith; 6 Daniel Ousley; 7 Stephen Feeney; stroke Fred Gill; cox Rowley Douglas.
Isis: Bow Dan Harvey (Mansfield); 2 Matt Pointing (St Anne's); 3 Antoine de Weck (New College); 4 Ben Snodin (Exeter); 5 Alex Woods (Pembroke); 6 Dave Whiffin (New College); 7 George Blessley (Pembroke); stroke Tom Watson (Brasenose); cox Zoe de Toledo (St Catherine's).
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