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The Boat Race 2022
Oxford winning the men's event
Date3 April 2022
Men's race
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory2¼ lengths
Winning time16 minutes 42 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		85–81
UmpireMatthew Pinsent
Women's race
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory2¼ lengths
Winning time18 minutes 23 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		46–30
UmpireJohn Garrett
Reserves' races
Men's winnersIsis
Women's winnersBlondie
← 2021 2023 →

The Boat Race 2022 was a side-by-side rowing race which took place on 3 April 2022. Held annually, The Boat Race is contested between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, usually along a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London. This was the 76th women's race and the 167th men's race. Cambridge led the longstanding rivalry 85–80 and 45–30 in the men's and women's races, respectively. The race returned to the traditional 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London, known as the Tideway, after the previous year's race had taken place without spectators, on the River Great Ouse. This followed the cancellation of the 2020 race as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

The crews for both senior boats were announced on 7 March 2022. The women's senior race was umpired by John Garrett who rowed for Cambridge University Boat Club in the Boat Race three times in the 1980s and who represented Great Britain at the Olympics in 1984, 1988 and 1992. The men's senior race was umpired by multiple Olympic gold-medallist Matthew Pinsent who rowed three times for Oxford University Boat Club in the early 1990s before umpiring the 2013 men's race and the 2018 women's race.

The women's race was won by Cambridge with a winning margin of two and a quarter lengths in a record time on the Tideway, which took the overall record in the women's race to 46–30 to Cambridge. Oxford won the men's race an hour later by the same margin, in the third-fastest time in history, resulting in the head-to-head record being 85–81 to Cambridge.

Background

Map of the Championship Course
The Championship Course along which the races were conducted (historic names used)

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] First held in 1829, the race usually takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course, between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames in south-west London.[2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; the race is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.[3][4] Cambridge entered the race as champions, having won the 2021 race, held on the River Great Ouse, by a margin of almost one length,[5] and led overall with 85 victories to Oxford's 80 (excluding the 1877 race, a dead heat).[6][7]

It was the fifth time in the history of the Boat Race that men's and women's races were held on the same day and on the same course, this time along the Tideway. Before 2015, the women's race, which first took place in 1927, was usually held at the Henley Boat Races along the 2,000-metre (2,200 yd) course. However, on at least two occasions in the interwar period, the women competed on the Thames between Chiswick and Kew.[8] Cambridge's women were also victorious in 2021 on the River Great Ouse course, winning by just under a length, which took the overall record in the Women's Boat Race to 45–30 in their favour.[5]

John Garrett (pictured in 2018) umpired the senior women's race.

The women's senior race was umpired by John Garrett who rowed for Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) in the Boat Race three times, in 1983, 1984 and 1985. He also represented Great Britain at the Olympics in 1984, 1988 and 1992.[9] The men's senior race was umpired by multiple Olympic gold-medallist Matthew Pinsent,[9] who won gold medals for Great Britain at four consecutive Olympics, between 1992 and 2004.[10] As well as rowing for Oxford in the 1990, 1991 and 1993 races,[11][12][13] he was assistant umpire in the 2012 race before umpiring the 2013 men's race and the 2018 women's race.[14][15][16]

The autumn reception, when the previous year's losing team challenges the winners to a rematch, was held on 18 November 2021. As Cambridge's women had won the previous year's race, it was Oxford's responsibility to offer the traditional challenge to Cambridge. To that end, Amelia Standing, President of Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC), laid down the gauntlet to Bronya Sykes, her Cambridge counterpart. Cambridge's victory in the men's race meant that Martin Barakso, President of Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC), challenged Charlie Marcus, President of CUBC.[17]

In October 2021, the BBC announced that they would continue to broadcast the Boat Race in the United Kingdom after agreeing a four-year extension to their existing contract.[18]

Coaches

Sean Bowden was the chief coach for OUBC, having been responsible for the senior men's crew since 1997, winning 12 from the previous 18 races. A former Great Britain Olympic coach, he led the Light Blues in the 1993 and 1994 Boat Races. Bowden's assistant coach was Brendan Gliddon, a South African who formerly coached under-23 and FISU teams for both South Africa and Great Britain. Alex Bowmer was OUBC's physical therapist.[19] The OUWBC chief coach for the second year was Andy Nelder, who previously worked with Bowden and OUBC for eleven years. He was assisted by James Powell.[20]

The Cambridge men's crew coaching team was led by their chief coach, Rob Baker, who had previously coached Cambridge's women to victories in both the 2017 and 2018 races. Cambridge women's chief coach was Patrick Ryan who joined as CUBC's women's assistant coach in 2013. CUBC's assistant coaches included Bill Lucas, Autumn Mantell and Nick Acock, with Henry Fieldman as the coxing coach and Donald Legget and James Cracknell performing supporting roles.[21]

Trials

Every year before Christmas, each squad stages a race between two of their eights over the Boat Race distance called Trial VIIIs.[22] To minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the previous year's trials took place on the River Great Ouse without spectators,[22] but the trials for the 2022 race were restored to the Championship Course. Initially scheduled for 19 December 2021, the women's trials were postponed to January as a result of COVID cases in each squad, while the men's trials were unaffected.[23]

Men

The OUBC men's trial boats were named Gondor and Rohan, after two of the fictional kingdoms in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings.[24] The trial race took place at 1 p.m. on 19 December 2021 in clear and calm conditions, under the supervision of trials umpire Matt Smith,[25] with Rohan occupying the Middlesex station and Gondor taking the Surrey side of the river. Rohan held a one-third of a length lead which was extended to almost a length by Fulham flats following aggressive steering from their cox, Jack Tottem. Gondor began to close the gap as the crews passed below Hammersmith Bridge but a push from Rohan took their lead to more than a length which they held onto to take the victory.[26]

CUBC's men's trial also took place on 19 December 2021, starting 35 minutes after their Oxford counterparts. Burpees won the coin toss and took the Surrey station, leaving Mr Sleepy on the Middlesex side of the river. Following aggressive steering from their cox, President Charlie Marcus, Mr Sleepy took an early lead but Burpees were level before Smith was required to warn both crews for clashing oars. Burpees held a slight lead on the approach to Harrods Furniture Depository and, after a further blade clash, extended their advantage to two lengths by Barnes Bridge which they maintained to secure the win.[25]

Women

CUBC's women's trial, umpired by John Garret, took place in calm conditions at 2:45 p.m. on 6 January 2022 between Woody and Buzz, named after Ryan's dogs. After an early clash of blades, Woody took a three-quarter length lead which they extended to nearly a length by the Mile Post. Buzz responded and by Hammersmith Bridge had reduced the deficit to one third of a length before Woody pushed on to restore a one-length lead by St Paul's School. Under Barnes Bridge, Buzz started to gain on Woody but the latter replied and sprinted to the finish to secure a victory of just under one length.[27][28]

The OUWBC women's trial was conducted between Speed and Style, named in tribute to the manner in which the inaugural women's race in 1927 was judged.[a][30] Speed took the Surrey station leaving the Middlesex side of the river to Style. Speed took an early lead but, following warnings to both crews from the umpire to avoid a clash, Style held a one-third length lead by the Mile Post. At Chiswick Eyot, the lead was down to one quarter of a length but Speed recovered better from an oar clash to hold a one-length advantage by Barnes Bridge. Despite a late push from Style, Speed held its lead to win the trial by around a length.[30]

Build-up

The official fixtures to be conducted in advance of The Boat Race were announced on 27 January 2022. The opponents included crews from Leander Club, Oxford Brookes University Boat Club, Imperial College Boat Club, the University of Washington and Nereus Rowing Club from the Netherlands.[31]

Crews

The crews for both senior boats were announced on 7 March 2022, at The Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge.[32] According to Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker, the Cambridge women were considered strong favourites to win their race while Oxford's men were heavily favoured to win.[33]

Women

Grace Prendergast
Grace Prendergast (pictured in 2021) rowed for Cambridge.

Oxford's crew included Gabrielle Smith who had represented Canada in the double sculls at the 2020 Summer Olympics,[34] and American Erin Reelick who won the gold at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in the coxless four.[35] Anastasia Posner returned to the OUWBC crew to win her fifth blue, having represented Oxford between 2013 and 2016.[36] The CUBC boat featured New Zealand Olympian Ruby Tew who was part of the crew which finished fourth at the 2016 games in the eight.[37] She was joined by countrywoman Grace Prendergast, who secured gold in the coxless pair and silver in the eight at the Tokyo Olympics, and Imogen Grant, who finished fourth for Great Britain in the lightweight double sculls in the 2020 games.[36][38]

Women's crews
Seat Oxford
University of Oxford coat of arms 		Cambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms
Name Nationality College Name Nationality College
Bow Anja Zehfuss American Green Templeton Adriana Perez Rotondo Spanish Newnham
2 Christine Cavallo American St Anne's Sarah Portsmouth British Newnham
3 Amelia Standing (P) British St Anne's Paige Badenhorst South African Magdalene
4 Julia Lindsay Canadian St Cross Ruby Tew New Zealand Queens'
5 Gabrielle Smith Canadian Regents Park Bronya Sykes (P) British Gonville and Caius
6 Anastasia Posner British Pembroke Caoimhe Dempsey Irish Newnham
7 Annie Anezakis Australian Lady Margaret Hall Grace Prendergast New Zealand Queens'
Stroke Erin Reelick American New Imogen Grant British Trinity
Cox Joe Gellet British St Anne's Jasper Parish British/Canadian Clare
(P) – Boat club president

Men

Barnabé Delarze
Barnabé Delarze (pictured in 2014) rowed for Oxford.
Simon Schürch
Simon Schürch (pictured in 2016) represented Cambridge.

Oxford's crew included five Olympic rowers: Barnabé Delarze and Roman Röösli both participated in the quadruple sculls representing Switzerland in the 2016 games,[39][40] American Liam Corrigan was a member of his country's eight in Tokyo, while Angus Groom and Charles Elwes rowed for Great Britain in 2016 and 2020 respectively, the latter winning a bronze medal in the eight.[36][41] Elwes's Olympic crew-mates, Thomas George and Oliver Wynne-Griffith rowed for CUBC, along with New Zealand Olympian James Hunter, and Swiss Olympic champion Simon Schürch who secured gold in the lightweight coxless four.[36]

Men's crews
Seat Oxford
University of Oxford coat of arms 		Cambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms
Name Nationality College Name Nationality College
Bow Liam Corrigan American Oriel Luca Ferraro British King's
2 David Ambler British Jesus Jamie Hunter New Zealand St Catharine's
3 Barnabé Delarze Swiss Christ Church George Finlayson Australian Peterhouse
4 Jack Robertson Australian Green Templeton Simon Schürch Swiss St Edmund's
5 Roman Röösli Swiss St Peter's James Bernard American St Edmund's
6 Charlie Elwes British Oriel Tom George British Peterhouse
7 Angus Groom British St Catherine's Ollie Wynne-Griffith British Peterhouse
Stroke Tobias Schröder British/Estonian Exeter Ollie Parish British/Canadian Peterhouse
Cox Jack Tottem British Brasenose Charlie Marcus (P) British Trinity
(P) – Boat club president: Martin Barakso was the non-rowing President of OUBC

Races

Conditions on race day were overcast with calm water.[42]

Women's

Oxford won the toss, electing to start on the Surrey side of the river, and the race commenced around 2:25 p.m.[43] Cambridge made the quicker start and were half a length ahead by the Mile Post, despite their cox Jasper Parish receiving multiple warnings from the umpire for encroaching on Oxford's line. Four minutes into the race, Cambridge took a clear water lead and moved across in front of Oxford, again being warned by Garrett. Although OUWBC reduced the deficit on the approach to Hammersmith Bridge, CUBC pulled away to take the victory by two and a quarter lengths. Oxford's cox Joe Gellet lodged a protest over the perceived aggressive steering of his counterpart, but the umpire allowed the result to stand.[42][44] It was Cambridge's fifth consecutive victory and took the overall record in the event to 46–30 in their favour.[5] Their winning time of 18 minutes 22 seconds was the fastest on record for races held on the Tideway.[44]

Men's

Cambridge won the toss and took the Middlesex station, handing Oxford the Surrey side, traditionally favoured by crews. The race started around 3:26 p.m. and after an even start, Oxford took a narrow lead as the boats passed Craven Cottage. In the face of a strengthening headwind, the Dark Blues extended their advantage to be clear of the Light Blues by the time the crews shot Hammersmith Bridge. By the time the boats passed under Barnes Bridge, Oxford's lead was more than two lengths. They passed the finish line in a time of 16 minutes 42 seconds, the third fastest time in the history of the race, with an advantage of two and a quarter lengths. It was Oxford's first victory in six years and took the overall record in the event to 85–81 in Cambridge's favour.[42][43][44]

Reserves

CUBC's Blondie beat Oxford's Osiris in the 50th women's reserve boat race by two and three-quarter lengths. In the 57th men's reserve race, OUBC's Isis secured a three-and-a-half-length victory over CUBC's Goldie.[5]

Reaction

CUBC women's rower Bronya Sykes remarked that "It was insane, it was fast, it was emotion, all in one go. Jasper [Parrish] did a phenomenal job coxing there."[43] Parrish himself conceded that he "took a risk early on that paid off as the race went on". His counterpart Gellett noted that "I'd say it was a very aggressive approach to steering the line, and the course ... There was a point where I thought it had gone against what’s stated in the rules. So I thought I'd challenge that."[43][44]

OUBC's cox Jack Tottem said that "everything we’ve talked about, everything we’ve worked towards, it’s been six, seven months with this team and it’s been a dream for all of us. I’ve been watching the Boat Race for 10 years so to put in that kind of performance means a lot."[43] His stroke, Tobias Schröder, added that "the plan was always to go out hard and win the race from the start."[43] Their coach, Bowden, reflected on recent events: "It's been tough in recent years, what with the 2020 race being cancelled, then not performing as we would have wished last year, so this was a huge result".[42] Oxford's number 7, Groom, said he "felt we had control of the race by about Hammersmith Bridge ... Cambridge pushed back, but we responded. From that point on, we had that extra bit of belief."[42]

Notes

  1. ^ In the 1927 Women's Boat Race, the crews were forbidden from racing side-by-side, and the winners were judged "rowing down stream for style and back again for speed" along the course "from the Free Ferry from the top of Iffley Reach to the Keble barge".[29]

References

  1. ^ a b "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  2. ^ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  4. ^ "TV and radio". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  6. ^ Higginson, Marc (6 April 2014). "Boat Race 2014: Oxford emphatically beat Cambridge". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  8. ^ Quarrell, Rachel (8 February 2012). "Boat Race becomes 'the Boat Races' as women and men's university events are combined for 2015". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  9. ^ a b The Boat Race 2022, p. 134.
  10. ^ "Matthew Pinsent". Team GB. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  11. ^ Rosewell, Mike (31 March 1990). "Odds weigh heavily against Cambridge". The Times. No. 63668. p. 51.
  12. ^ Rosewell, Mike (30 March 1991). "Cambridge may have edge". The Times. No. 63979. p. 33.
  13. ^ Rosewell, Mike (23 March 1993). "Oxford select new cox in Boat Race surprise". The Times. No. 64599. p. 48.
  14. ^ Quarrell, Rachel (7 April 2012). "University Boat Race 2012: Oxford call for re-race after protester causes chaos on River Thames". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Boat Race 2013: Oxford v Cambridge". BBC Sport. 31 March 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  16. ^ McVeigh, Niall (23 March 2018). "Boat Race 2018: Cambridge beat Oxford in men's and women's race – as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Challenges made and accepted". The Boat Race Company Limited. 27 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Boat Race: BBC to broadcast annual contest between Oxford and Cambridge until 2025". BBC Sport. 29 October 2021. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Staff – OUBC". Oxford University Boat Club. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Coaching Team". Oxford University Women's Boat Club. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Coaches And Support". Cambridge University Boat Club. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  22. ^ a b The Boat Race 2022, pp. 54–56.
  23. ^ "Women's Trial VIIIs races postponed". The Boat Race Company Limited. 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  24. ^ "Jack pulls off masterstroke to win Boat Race trial race". Monmouthshire Beacon. 8 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Cambridge University Boat Club – Men's Trial Race Review". The Boat Race Company Limited. 21 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Oxford University Boat Club Trial Eights Review". The Boat Race Company Limited. 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Cambridge Women's Trial VIIIs Report". The Boat Race Company Limited. 7 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  28. ^ Kline, Liam (6 January 2022). "'Woody' beat 'Buzz' in CUBC Women's Trial VIIIs race". Varsity. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  29. ^ "Boat Race Practice – An Oxford victory". The Times. 16 March 1927. p. 7.
  30. ^ a b "Oxford University Women's Boat Club Trial Race Report". The Boat Race Company Limited. 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  31. ^ "The Gemini Boat Race 2022 Fixture Series starts Sunday 30th January". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  32. ^ "Blue Boat Crews Announced for The Gemini Boat Race 2022". The Boat Race Company Limited. 7 March 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  33. ^ "The Boat Race 2022". Paddy Power. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  34. ^ The Boat Race 2022, p. 117.
  35. ^ "(W4-) Women's coxless four – Final". World Rowing Federation. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  36. ^ a b c d "Boat Race 2022: BBC coverage guide as Oxford and Cambridge race on the River Thames". BBC Sport. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  37. ^ Alderson, Andrew (14 August 2016). "Rio Olympics 2016: Gold for Mahe Drysdale". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  38. ^ Anderson, Ian (30 July 2021). "New Zealand men's rowing eight win gold, women claim silver at Tokyo Olympics". Stuff. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  39. ^ "Barnabé Delarze". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  40. ^ "Roman Röösli". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  41. ^ "Rowing – Heat 1 Results". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  42. ^ a b c d e White, Jim; Quarrell, Rachel; Tyers, Alan (3 April 2022). "Oxford win first men's Boat Race in four years as 'aggressive coxing' accusations follow Cambridge women's victory". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  43. ^ a b c d e f Hess, Alex (3 April 2022). "Oxford win men's Boat Race as Cambridge women triumph – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  44. ^ a b c d McLaughlin, Luke (3 April 2022). "Oxford triumph in men's Boat Race as Cambridge set record in women's event". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.

Bibliography

  • The Boat Race. The Boat Race Company Limited. March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
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