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Telegraph
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
I was in the Oxford boat that fought back against Cambridge domination
As I slumped over the oars at the end of the 1994 Women's Boat Race, desperate in defeat, I would not have believed I'd ever race against Cambridge again. Still less that it would be on the Tideway in London – and we'd be leading them in the tally of victories by 2.5 to 1.5. Yet Saturday marked my fourth appearance for Oxford in the Women's Veterans' Boat Race. We race, like the Men's Veterans, from Putney to Furnivall Steps, just past Hammersmith Bridge, a distance of just under 3k. Veteran is an outmoded description for rowers of a certain age, who are now 'Masters'. But it is so called because we are all Veterans of the Boat Race, Reserve, or Lightweight Races. Eligibility is not quite so hotly debated as it is with our younger counterparts – the age limit is 33 and over, while the boat average must be 42 or above – but make no mistake: we want to win just as much. The tally for the Women's Veterans' Race was, before Saturday, poised intriguingly at one all and one extraordinary dead heat. Last year, we crossed the finish line just one foot ahead, Cambridge coming through at the end, while we held on despite burning lungs and tired legs. But due to a barney between the men a few years prior, the rules state Veterans have to win by a margin of more than 6ft, due to us not having stake boats at the start. A moral victory, the umpire told us. We got the Chapeldown, and having won the previous year, Cambridge retained the Senior Trophy, while both university names were etched on it. I think both crews were proud of making history in a brutal but powerful display of midlife athleticism – but we still felt we had something to prove this year. More of a grudge match, if you like. Cambridge's 2025 line up was boosted by the reappearance of Olympian bronze medallist (and Chief Umpire of the Boat Race) Sarah Winckless, who missed last year's race, and the returning Olympic silver medallist Cath Bishop. There's no age limit for coxes – and Cambridge brought in Jasper Parish, he of the race-winning dramatic dash for calmer waters in the 2023 Men's Boat Race. Meanwhile, Oxford made three changes to last year's crew, with Kiwi Sarah Payne Riches from Osiris 2018, and Americans Emily Reynolds and Katie Davidson from 2015's victorious Oxford Blue Boat and Osiris crews. That was the first year the Women's Boat Race moved from Henley to the Tideway – something we campaigned for over many years. We won the toss and chose the Surrey station. Having led on the Middlesex station last year, and watched Cambridge come up on our inside as the bend worked in their favour, there's no doubt in my mind Surrey is the better side. Crews on Middlesex must have clear water by Hammersmith Bridge. This year was the most nervous I'd felt. Rowing is a sport where disaster can strike at any moment – a crab [of tangled oars], a rogue wave – and the what ifs had been rolling around my brain in the days before the race. At 53 and 364 days old, should I really be back sitting in the stroke seat, with my opposite number two decades younger than me? I felt physically sick in the seconds before the start. We knew Cambridge, having lost the toss, would front load their race and try to edge us out in the early stages. Our boat was powerful, but with no real form book it was hard to say who were the favourites. It still feels surreal to me to be there on the start, looking up at Putney Bridge: this view denied to us in the 90s. Now we are truly part of the fold. We train from OUBC in Wallingford, and, like all other Oxford crews, we now have our own yellow Empacher boat. Women's Head Coach Allan French has welcomed us in, and we wanted to repay the trust placed in us with a victory. And that was what we got. Our plan, frankly, is always to go hard off the start. We went off around 43 strokes a minute, settling to 37, and just a few strokes in our cox called, 'You're already up, Oxford!' After a rhythm call to take us down to 34, we settled in, possibly slightly over-rating our opposition, and taking seats off them every single stroke. The noise is at its most intense in that first part of the race, as crowds line the Putney Embankment, and we fed off it – perhaps achieving clear water by Fulham Football Club. When you are already up and know you have the psychological advantage of the bend coming up in your favour, racing feels truly glorious. It is significantly less painful even though we stayed true to our race plan, putting our pushes in, as no victory is secure until you cross the finish line. That is psychology and adrenaline for you, because the physical effort is intense. A side by side race of nearly 3K is hard for anyone, young or old. Yet I felt 25 when I got out of the boat, exhausted but elated – we do this because it makes us feel young again. And also because racing against Cambridge is an obsession that never dies. I still dream about that 1994 Boat Race loss, and each victory now assuages that pain. If you think controversy can't erupt in the same way with the Veterans, then think again: yesterday, Oxford Men's Veterans crossed the line 1/3rd of a length ahead, but were disqualified for a blade clash halfway through the race. In a slightly unorthodox decision, Umpire Caroline Lytton gave Cambridge the option to vote on a verdict of a DQ or a dead heat. Naturally they chose the former, and lifted the trophy. But there is still joy on behalf of all the Veterans to be taking part in a Boat Race again, and to be afforded the privilege to do so. I asked Emily and Katie what taking part in the Veteran's Race a decade on meant to them. 'Ten years ago, the women coming to race on the Tideway was such a big thing,' they said. 'Now it's just normal for women to be rowing on the same day as the men. And that's how it should be.' I caught up with Sarah afterwards to ask her view of the race. 'It's great that the Veterans are so competitive,' she said, with all the grace and diplomacy of a Chief Umpire – and indeed, we won in a record time: eight mins and 11 seconds, to Cambridge's eight mins 25 seconds, with a verdict of four lengths. At Putney Bridge tube on the way home, with more Chapeldown drunk and a very satisfied smile on my face, I bumped into Paddy Ryan, the Cambridge Women's Chief Coach. 'How's it looking for tomorrow?' I said. 'You're not going to like it,' he replied. No, I don't like it: every dark blue is willing there to be a reversal in Oxford's fortunes. It will come, even if it didn't happen this year. But in 2023, rumour has it Cambridge hung a broom outside their boat house to signify a clean sweep when every single Oxford crew lost, including the Veterans. I'm proud to have prevented them from doing that this year.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
With eligibility dispute rocking the storied Boat Race, Oxford and Cambridge crews refocus
A dispute over eligibility criteria has rocked the build-up to the Boat Race, a nearly 200-year-old rowing contest between storied universities Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames in London. Now the two rivals are calling for calm and focus as the event approaches. Three Cambridge rowers have been banned from taking part in next month's race because they are undertaking a postgraduate teaching course — a PGCE — which Oxford argued is a certificate as opposed to a degree. An independent panel ruling on the eligibility of students in the race sided with Oxford, sparking disgruntlement from those linked to its long-time rival. 'Slimy,' was the view last week of one former Cambridge rower, Olympic gold medalist Imogen Grant. Another member of Cambridge's alumni, former world champion rower Cath Bishop, described it as 'utter madness' and a 'new low in relations' between the university boat clubs. Matt Heywood, a former under-23 world champion who is one of the three rowers affected by the ruling, said on social media the decision didn't align with the 'values of sportsmanship or race spirit that I have known in rowing." He added he felt 'disheartened by the wider implications of this decision on my future vocation.' Recognizing the growing controversy surrounding this year's men's and women's races, The Boat Race Company — the organizer of a contest that is one of the oldest sporting events in the world — said Wednesday the two clubs have sympathy for the students who are unable to race but now want to 'focus on those who are competing." 'Following this year's races, as usual we will meet to review rules and processes, to ensure maximum clarity for the future,' the company said. 'We create rules which are intended to respect the integrity and original spirit of The Boat Race, balanced against the ambitions of talented rowers pursuing their academic goals. 'Our rivalry on the water is fierce, and we disagree on things from time to time. This is part of what makes the event what it is. But we have huge respect for each other, and that will never change.' The men's race between the two universities first took place in 1829. The women's crews have been racing along the same 4.2-mile (6.8-kilometer) stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake since 2015. The event has typically attracted more than 200,000 spectators along the Thames. Rarely has there been such open hostility ahead of the event, however, since the ruling that will see Heywood and female rowers Molly Foxell and Kate Cowley needing to sit out the race on April 13. It hurts Cambridge's chances of an eighth straight win in the women's race and a sixth win in the last seven men's races. The chair of the Light Blues' boat club, Annamarie Phelps, said last week it was 'supporting affected athletes through this difficult time.' 'There is no question academically about the standing of the PGCE course, which is highly valued and operates at a postgraduate level,' said Phelps, who noted that former PGCE students from both Cambridge and Oxford previously had been allowed to race. Not anymore, though, with organizers pointing to revised criteria that has been jointly agreed to by the two competing clubs. 'And likewise,' Cambridge added in a statement published Tuesday that was calmer in its tone, 'we've agreed to the authority of an independent interpretation panel. It is based on their interpretation of the rules that some athletes have been ruled ineligible, decisions which we have accepted.' For Grant, though, Oxford's tactics were underhand. 'As you can imagine, I'm seething,' she said in comments reported in the British media. 'This is an insult to teachers everywhere and a desperate ploy from Oxford to gain an upper hand in the most slimy way. 'I don't believe this reflects on the current Oxford squad, who have also had to train among this uncertainty all year. I believe this is entirely down to select individuals amongst the alumni who have a narrow, outdated view of who rows boat races.' The names of the crew members taking part in the races were being announced on Wednesday. ___ AP sports:
The Independent
26-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
With eligibility dispute rocking the storied Boat Race, Oxford and Cambridge crews refocus
A dispute over eligibility criteria has rocked the build-up to the Boat Race, a nearly 200-year-old rowing contest between storied universities Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames in London. Now the two rivals are calling for calm and focus as the event approaches. Three Cambridge rowers have been banned from taking part in next month's race because they are undertaking a postgraduate teaching course — a PGCE — which Oxford argued is a certificate as opposed to a degree. An independent panel ruling on the eligibility of students in the race sided with Oxford, sparking disgruntlement from those linked to its long-time rival. 'Slimy,' was the view last week of one former Cambridge rower, Olympic gold medalist Imogen Grant. Another member of Cambridge's alumni, former world champion rower Cath Bishop, described it as 'utter madness' and a 'new low in relations' between the university boat clubs. Matt Heywood, a former under-23 world champion who is one of the three rowers affected by the ruling, said on social media the decision didn't align with the 'values of sportsmanship or race spirit that I have known in rowing." He added he felt 'disheartened by the wider implications of this decision on my future vocation.' Recognizing the growing controversy surrounding this year's men's and women's races, The Boat Race Company — the organizer of a contest that is one of the oldest sporting events in the world — said Wednesday the two clubs have sympathy for the students who are unable to race but now want to 'focus on those who are competing." 'Following this year's races, as usual we will meet to review rules and processes, to ensure maximum clarity for the future,' the company said. 'We create rules which are intended to respect the integrity and original spirit of The Boat Race, balanced against the ambitions of talented rowers pursuing their academic goals. 'Our rivalry on the water is fierce, and we disagree on things from time to time. This is part of what makes the event what it is. But we have huge respect for each other, and that will never change.' The men's race between the two universities first took place in 1829. The women's crews have been racing along the same 4.2-mile (6.8-kilometer) stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake since 2015. The event has typically attracted more than 200,000 spectators along the Thames. Rarely has there been such open hostility ahead of the event, however, since the ruling that will see Heywood and female rowers Molly Foxell and Kate Cowley needing to sit out the race on April 13. It hurts Cambridge's chances of an eighth straight win in the women's race and a sixth win in the last seven men's races. The chair of the Light Blues' boat club, Annamarie Phelps, said last week it was 'supporting affected athletes through this difficult time.' 'There is no question academically about the standing of the PGCE course, which is highly valued and operates at a postgraduate level,' said Phelps, who noted that former PGCE students from both Cambridge and Oxford previously had been allowed to race. Not anymore, though, with organizers pointing to revised criteria that has been jointly agreed to by the two competing clubs. 'And likewise,' Cambridge added in a statement published Tuesday that was calmer in its tone, 'we've agreed to the authority of an independent interpretation panel. It is based on their interpretation of the rules that some athletes have been ruled ineligible, decisions which we have accepted.' For Grant, though, Oxford's tactics were underhand. 'As you can imagine, I'm seething,' she said in comments reported in the British media. 'This is an insult to teachers everywhere and a desperate ploy from Oxford to gain an upper hand in the most slimy way. 'I don't believe this reflects on the current Oxford squad, who have also had to train among this uncertainty all year. I believe this is entirely down to select individuals amongst the alumni who have a narrow, outdated view of who rows boat races.' The names of the crew members taking part in the races were being announced on Wednesday. ___
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
With eligibility dispute rocking the storied Boat Race, Oxford and Cambridge crews refocus
A dispute over eligibility criteria has rocked the build-up to the Boat Race, a nearly 200-year-old rowing contest between storied universities Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames in London. Now the two rivals are calling for calm and focus as the event approaches. Three Cambridge rowers have been banned from taking part in next month's race because they are undertaking a postgraduate teaching course — a PGCE — which Oxford argued is a certificate as opposed to a degree. An independent panel ruling on the eligibility of students in the race sided with Oxford, sparking disgruntlement from those linked to its long-time rival. 'Slimy,' was the view last week of one former Cambridge rower, Olympic gold medalist Imogen Grant. Another member of Cambridge's alumni, former world champion rower Cath Bishop, described it as 'utter madness' and a 'new low in relations' between the university boat clubs. Matt Heywood, a former under-23 world champion who is one of the three rowers affected by the ruling, said on social media the decision didn't align with the 'values of sportsmanship or race spirit that I have known in rowing.' He added he felt 'disheartened by the wider implications of this decision on my future vocation.' Recognizing the growing controversy surrounding this year's men's and women's races, The Boat Race Company — the organizer of a contest that is one of the oldest sporting events in the world — said Wednesday the two clubs have sympathy for the students who are unable to race but now want to 'focus on those who are competing.' 'Following this year's races, as usual we will meet to review rules and processes, to ensure maximum clarity for the future,' the company said. 'We create rules which are intended to respect the integrity and original spirit of The Boat Race, balanced against the ambitions of talented rowers pursuing their academic goals. 'Our rivalry on the water is fierce, and we disagree on things from time to time. This is part of what makes the event what it is. But we have huge respect for each other, and that will never change.' The men's race between the two universities first took place in 1829. The women's crews have been racing along the same 4.2-mile (6.8-kilometer) stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake since 2015. The event has typically attracted more than 200,000 spectators along the Thames. Rarely has there been such open hostility ahead of the event, however, since the ruling that will see Heywood and female rowers Molly Foxell and Kate Cowley needing to sit out the race on April 13. It hurts Cambridge's chances of an eighth straight win in the women's race and a sixth win in the last seven men's races. The chair of the Light Blues' boat club, Annamarie Phelps, said last week it was 'supporting affected athletes through this difficult time.' 'There is no question academically about the standing of the PGCE course, which is highly valued and operates at a postgraduate level,' said Phelps, who noted that former PGCE students from both Cambridge and Oxford previously had been allowed to race. Not anymore, though, with organizers pointing to revised criteria that has been jointly agreed to by the two competing clubs. 'And likewise,' Cambridge added in a statement published Tuesday that was calmer in its tone, 'we've agreed to the authority of an independent interpretation panel. It is based on their interpretation of the rules that some athletes have been ruled ineligible, decisions which we have accepted.' For Grant, though, Oxford's tactics were underhand. 'As you can imagine, I'm seething,' she said in comments reported in the British media. 'This is an insult to teachers everywhere and a desperate ploy from Oxford to gain an upper hand in the most slimy way. 'I don't believe this reflects on the current Oxford squad, who have also had to train among this uncertainty all year. I believe this is entirely down to select individuals amongst the alumni who have a narrow, outdated view of who rows boat races.' The names of the crew members taking part in the races were being announced on Wednesday. ___
