Latest news with #BoatRaces
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cambridge complete Boat Race clean sweep as men's team claim emphatic victory
Cambridge completed a clean sweep on the Thames with victories in the men's, women's and both reserve Boat Races. It was expected to be a tight battle in the 170th men's edition, but instead the light blue boat built up an early lead and never looked back, shocking an Oxford boat stacked with several Olympians. Cambridge made it eight straight wins in the 79th women's competition, also the 10th anniversary of the men's and women's races taking place on the traditional 6.8-kilometre Championship Course. It was an event once again overshadowed by controversy in the build-up after the enforcement of rules preventing PGCE students taking part meant three Cambridge rowers were unable to participate. Like in 2024, there were also worries about water quality after concerning levels of the E. coli bacteria were found along the course in the weeks leading up to the event. Both Oxford's men and women won their coin tosses and elected to start at the Surrey station, and the sunny conditions for the latter had turned overcast by the time the men began just under 10 minutes after its scheduled 14:21 start to clear debris from the course. It was neck-and-neck at the start and Cambridge were the subjects of a few early warnings from umpire Sarah Winckless, who became the first woman to umpire the men's race on the Championship Course after also overseeing it when it moved to the Great River Ouse in 2021. But Cambridge pulled out to a lead of just under two seconds, and extended their advantage as they crossed under the Hammersmith Bridge just over four seconds ahead. They continued to look loose and in control as they built up a considerable advantage of more than 12 seconds at the Barnes Bridge before pulling well clear to claim a comfortable win. The women's race was umpired by Sir Matthew Pinsent, who issued his first warning to Oxford less than a minute in and had a huge early decision to make after the oars clashed within the first two minutes. It was a move initiated by Oxford cox Daniel Orton, and for a brief moment it looked like Pinsent was contemplating disqualifying the dark blue boat. Instead the four-time Olympic champion elected for a restart, handing Cambridge – who had been out in front – a compensatory advantage a one-third of a length advantage. The light blue boat began to pull ahead under the Hammersmith Bridge, maintaining a significant gap by the halfway point and crossed the Chiswick Steps with an advantage of just over six seconds, extended to 7.72 seconds by the time they crossed the finish. Pinsent told the BBC: 'The clash was heavy enough that it was going to stop the race. There are a range of options you've got at that moment. You could DQ someone straight away, you can do a restart. '(Disqualification) pops into your mind, but you also can allow after a restart to see whether it affected the outcome of the race, and obviously in my opinion it did not affect the outcome of that race, and that's what is going on in my head now.'
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
The Boat Races 2025: Oxford v Cambridge
Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature A more uplifting, empowering tale of the Oxford v Cambridge rivalry comes via Matt Hughes. He spoke to Heidi Long and Claire Collins, who were born on the same day and have raced each other 15 times. They go again today with it all on the line – epic stuff. Share It's got pretty toxic in the buildup to the 2025 Boat Races – and we don't just mean the sewage pollution and E coli in the Thames. There's been an eligibility criteria row between the two fierce rivals, with three Cambridge students – two female rowers, one male – banned from the race because they were studying for postgraduate certificates in education (PGCEs) rather than a degree. This led to Imogen Grant, the Olympic lightweight double sculls champion and a three-time Boat Race winner with Cambridge, accusing Oxford of 'slimy tactics' in March, amid talk of academic snobbery. An independent panel, however, saw things the way of Oxford University Boat Club. So we've got the playlist ready before the 2025 event: Toxic, Bad Blood, erm … The Tide Is High? Of course, the state of the river is a serious matter. Tests carried out by water campaigners along the four-mile route revealed E coli levels three times above the threshold for 'poor' bathing water status. Last year, the Oxford team revealed that some of their crew had been ill in the buildup. As for the races themselves: Cambridge boast recent dominance. The Light Blues are going for a hat-trick of victories in the 170th men's race, while the women's team are looking to stretch an even more impressive run. They have won the last seven Boat Races, though last year's was a dramatic affair with the Dark Blues taking an early lead. Can Oxford turn the tide, as it were? We find out with the women's race beginning at 1.21pm BST, the men's starting at 2.21pm. Share
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Boat Race 2025 LIVE: Cambridge and Oxford do battle once again after controversial build-up
The Boat Race returns this afternoon for another day of rowing action on the River Thames as Oxford and Cambridge renew their historic rivalry. This year's race has been surrounded by controversy in the build-up to the pivotal day, with a prolonged row over eligibility rules dominating the headlines after Olympian Tom Ford was banned from taking part for Cambridge. Three post-graduate teacher training students have also been caught up in the crossfire and were deemed ineligible less than a month before the two universities were scheduled to face off. Oxford are seeking to end years of Cambridge domination of the event after the latter university won both the men's and women's races in superb fashion last year. Cambridge have won seven years in a row in the women's race and six of the last eight men's editions. When are the Boat Races? The women's race will start at 1.20pm with the men's race following at 2.20pm BST on Sunday 13 April. The action will be shown live on the BBC, with coverage getting underway at 12.45pm. We'll bring you the latest build-up. Jamie Braidwood13 April 2025 11:01 Good morning The annual Boat Race returns for another day of elite action on the River Thames. This year's edition has been rocked by controversy in the lead-up to the pivotal day, with a row erupting over eligibility rules after Olympian Tom Ford was banned from taking part for Cambridge. Earlier, three post-graduate teacher training students were also deemed ineligible, with the decision made less than a month before the two universities were scheduled to face off. The spat has heightened the stakes in an already-dramatic race, with Oxford seeking to end years of Cambridge domination of the event. The light blue competitors have won seven years in a row in the women's race and six of the last eight men's editions. Jamie Braidwood13 April 2025 11:00
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cambridge's Hudson on rowing with atrial fibrillation
Three years ago, James Hudson was rowing with a Great Britain team-mate when he looked down at his watch and saw his heart rate was very had a strange feeling in his chest and knew something was not there were doctors back at base who diagnosed Hudson with suspected atrial fibrillation - when sufferers experience an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm - a problem that was then confirmed at hospital."It was quite disconcerting; I struggled quite a lot with it to begin with. For the first year I had an episode once every three months," said the Cambridge University rower, who is from Suffolk."But over time I have learned to deal with it much better and it doesn't affect me at all."Symptoms include a heartbeat over 100 beats per minute, feeling chest pain or tightness and a shortage of elite athletes at this year's Boat Races are screened for underlying cardiac conditions and have an ECG – a test that records the heart's electrical activity - prior to extreme training. 'Not dangerous' "James's condition is different to atrial fibrillation you see in the normal population," said Dr Rob Howlett, GP and medical support for Cambridge University Boat Club."As an elite athlete he pushes his body to places most people don't go to."You see changes in the heart, adaptive changes for the exercise they are doing. You sometimes see odd things appear like atrial fibrillation."It's not dangerous, it doesn't cause collapse or sudden death. He's very safe. In fact, he gets it more at rest than when he is pushing himself."If they train less it will go away, but that obviously isn't an option."The 31-year-old wears a heart rate monitor for every session on the also does daily meditation to bring his stress levels down and has reduced his caffeine intake."If I have an episode, we have a pill in the pocket method," he said."I stop training and take a medication called Flecainide which slows the nerve impulses in the heart and reduces the heart to a normal level."I then try and relax as much as I can. I have a great medical team around me."Hudson is used to the demands of elite is on a break from training with GB Rowing and was a reserve in the men's eight at the Paris is studying for an MBA at Cambridge and is preparing for his first Boat Race against Oxford on Sunday."What I've realised is that atrial fibrillation is indiscriminate," he added."But it's great to be bringing awareness to the condition and understand I am not the only one out there dealing with it."It's good to show people that anything is possible – that you can prove you can go out there and achieve your dreams."
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boat Race water quality 'an ongoing concern'
Boat Race organisers say water quality is an "ongoing concern" before Sunday's race following claims that the River Thames fails basic safety standards. Environmental charity River Action says results from water-quality testing show levels of E. coli bacteria almost three times above the Environment Agency's threshold for "poor" bathing waters. University of Oxford rowers criticised sewage levels in the Thames after losing last year's men's race. Three members of the team suffered stomach bugs before the race, although they cannot be certain it was caused by pollution. Organisers have encouraged rowers from Oxford and Cambridge to follow British Rowing poor water quality guidance, including not entering the water, covering any blisters and wearing footwear when getting in and out of the boat. "Clearly the water quality testing carried out along the River Thames shows there is more work to be done to get our waterways where we all want them to be," the Boat Race Company said. It said it was hopeful the Tideway Tunnel, a deep-level sewer that became operational this year, will have a "transformative effect" on water quality. Thames Water has been approached by BBC Sport for comment. Last month it said that £1.8bn would be committed to improve river health in London. It said the Tideway Tunnel and associated upgrades would capture 95% of the untreated sewage currently entering the tidal Thames in a typical year. British five-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave said: "It's a real worry that in 2025 unsafe water quality in the Thames is still a concern. "Rowers, river users and the public deserve better." Last month Redgrave wrote to Environment Secretary Steve Reed calling for more action to combat river pollution. The men's and women's Boat Races take place on Sunday, with live coverage on BBC One from 12:20 BST.
