The World Championships were held in Munich, Germany this year, on the course originally built for the 1972 Olympics. As is usual in a pre-Olympic year, these World Championships doubled up as the main qualification regatta for Beijing 2008. OUBC oarsmen selected for their countries were:

• Pete Reed... (BB '04, '05)... GBR 4-
• Andy Hodge... (BB '05)... GBR 4-
• Colin Smith... (BB '04, Isis '05, BB '06)... GBR 2-
• Robin Bourne-Taylor... (BB '01, '02, '03, '05)... GBR 8+
• Acer Nethercott... (Isis '02, BB '03, '04, '05)... GBR 8+
• Tom Parker... (BB '06)... GBR 8+
• Gerritjan Eggenkamp... (BB '02)... NED 8+
• Jake Wetzel... (BB '06)... CAN 8+
• Scott Frandsen... (BB '03)... CAN 4-
• Barney Williams... (BB '05, '06)... CAN 4-
• Brodie Buckland... (BB '06)... USA 8+
• Chris Liwski... (BB '05)... USA 4+
• Jamie Schroeder... (BB '06)... USA 4x
• Ante Kusurin... (BB '02)... CRO 2x

14 oarsmen representing their countries was one up on the previous year, when there had been were 13 Old Blues competing. In 2006, two walked away with gold and two with bronze; this year the tally was two gold (Wetzel and Liwski) and three bronze (Bourne-Taylor, Nethercott and Smith).

In the blue ribband Eights event, Wetzel's Canadian crew went into the regatta favourites having won the World Cup series earlier in the season despite not racing at one of the rounds. They lived up to this billing, and waent home world champions and dominant winners. On this showing, they go into Olympic year hot favourites to put right their disappointment in Athens in 2004 and win in Beijing.

The British 8+ containing Bourne-Taylor, Nethercott and Parker was hit by illness on the morning of their Heat, with Tom Parker falling gravely ill. In his place, Cambridge President Tom James was called up from the non-Olympic coxed four event to fill the bow seat. After an unconvincing Heat in which they paid the price for trying to live with the Canadians' pace early on, they raced a dominant Repechage and then a storming Semi-final to leave them heading into the Final hopeful of a medal. A poor start left them out the back of the field in the first 500m, but a much better second 1000m metres saw them push Buckland's USA 8+ back into fourth position and move into third. Despite their late change, the Germans (defending World Champions and racing on home water) had just enough to be able to hang on to the silver medal, but it was a close race.

Joining Wetzel, Bourne-Taylor, Nethercott and Tom James on the medal rostrum were five Cambridge Boat Race veterans (three in the German 8+, two more in the British 8+) proving once again the relevance of the Boat Race to international racing at the highest level. Buckland's USA 8+ in fourth will be hungry to defend the Olympic title they won in Athens, and so next year's 8+ event looks to be an exciting one for Boat Race fans. The only disappointment in this event in Munich was with the Dutch 8+, where Eggenkamp's Dutch crew were squeezed out of the Olympic qualifying slots. If they are to race in Beijing to defend their silver medal from Athens, they will have to claim the final open slot in a special pre-Olympic regatta held early next summer.

In the fours events there were mixed fortunes for the OUBC Old Boys. Reed and Hodge were defending World Champions but a disappointing regatta saw them finish fourth, and so outside of the medals. They will return to Britain looking for more speed to put their quest for Olympic gold next year back on track. There was also disappointment for Frandsen and Williams in the Canadian 4-, who finished second in the C Final and so did not qualify for Beijing. However, in the 4+ OUBC alum Chris Liwski took gold and was thus crowned World Champion after his American crew won a nail-biting final that saw USA and Germany almost insperable.

The other OUBC medal of the regatta came in the 2- event, where Colin Smith won bronze for Great Britain. The Aussies (reigning Olympic and World Champions) were imperious in this event and waltzed off with the gold, the 2005 World Champions New Zealand taking silver, but Smith's showed a late burst of speed to move through into the medal positions in the final 500m.

Finally, Schroeder and Kusurin both qualified their boats for Beijing 2008, Kusurin's Croatian 2x winning the B Final and Schroeder's USA 4x coming third in theirs. In addition, Oxford alumni Paul Mattick (ex-Oxford Lightweights) and Alice Freeman (ex-OUWBC) both medalled at the Championships and so qualified their boats for the Olympics. Mattick was in the British LW4- that won gold, whilst Freeman's GB W8+ took home the bronze. The OUBC offers its congraulations to all who competed, and wishes them the very best for the road to Beijing...

As always, the third and final World Cup regatta of the season took place in Lucerne, Switzerland this weekend, and as usual there was gold for the Oxford old boys - even if not from some of the usual winners...

To start with the gold first: Jake Wetzel's Canadian 8+ followed up their Henley win of seven days previous with a commanding performance in the blue ribband event. First to every marker and the fastest crew over each of the first three 500m sections, they crossed the finish line nearly a length up on the field. It was a dominating row and an emphatic performance, and must surely make them firm favourites for the World Championships in Munich in six weeks' time. In second place were current World Champions Germany, with three recent Cambridge Blues in their line up; in fourth, the British crew containing Oxford old boys Tom Parker and Acer Nethercott, but missing Robin Bourne-Taylor through injury, and racing with a further sub after a last-minute illness; and finally in fifth place it was the Netherlands, with Blue Gerritjan Eggenkamp on board.

In the fours event, perennial gold medalists Andy Hodge and Pete Reed of the GB 4- had to settle for silver for the first time since their crew was put together after Oxford's victory in the 2005 Boat Race. After the second World Cup in Amsterdam three weeks ago, their three-man Alex Partridge went down injured. His replacement was Tom James, 2007 CUBC President, coming back in to the British squad having spent the summer term in Cambridge sitting the Final Examinations for his degree. A win at Henley Royal Regatta last week (after barely more than two days in the boat together) was a good start, but here in Lucerne the British 4- suffered their first loss of the Olympiad so far: in the semi-finals they were just edged out by the New Zealand 4- that took gold in Amsterdam whilst the British 4- were racing in the Eights event. In the final, the Brits managed to turn that around and finish in front of the Kiwis... however, both boats finished behind the Netherlands, the usual silver medalists in this event of recent years, who as a result also took home the overall World Cup trophy for coxless fours.

In the pair, there were two boats of Oxford interest. For Canada, Oxford Blues Scott Frandsen and Barney Williams raced together, whilst for Great Britain Colin Smith sat in the bowseat. Smith won a silver medal in this event at Lucerne last year with Tom James, but this season has been paired with Matt Langridge who raced 2006 in the GB 8+. Having won at the first World Cup in Austria six weeks ago, Smith & Langridge were part of the Eight with Hodge & Reed that won gold in Amsterdam at the second World Cup, and were hoping to continue their gold-medal-winning season at the final World Cup here this weekend. However, illness to Langridge meant that they were well below par, and 5th in the B Final (which is to say 11th overall) was all they could manage. Frandsen & Williams hovewer had their best World Cup regatta to date. They led the A Final to 500m, albeit at a pace that turned out not to be sustainable, and finished fourth overall, just outside the medals.

Rounding off the Oxford entries was Ante Kusurin, Blue Boat stroke in April's Boat Race, who finished second in the B Final (8th overall) in his Croatian double.

Finally, in other news Mick McKay (legendary Australian Olympian, OUBC Guest Coach in 2002 and 2003 - and 2003 OUBC Tour de France Yellow Team member!) was in Lucerne to pick up the highest award in the sport, the Thomas Keller Medal:

"Mike McKay earns highest distinction in Rowing"
http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324197

"Mike McKay: 2007 Thomas Keller Medal awardee"
http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324193

All at the club congratulate him on an award well-deserved.

It was very successful royal regatta this year for Oxford oarsmen, with no less than six oarsmen walking away with a coverted Henley medal all of their own and Oxford being represented at the presentation ceremony of three different trophies.

In the Grand Challenge Cup, Jake Wetzel (BB'06) was part of the Canadian 8+ - coached by former Oxford Coach Mike Spracklen - that beat the Australian 8+ to lift the blue ribband trophy. It was a very impressive performance by Spracklen's charges that saw them dominate the Australian boat of Tomkins and friends, and they won with speed to spare after having opened up a three length lead in the early stages.

Elsewhere in the elite events, Andy Hodge (BB'05) and Pete Reed (BB'04,'05) were part of the British 4- that lifted the Stewards' Challenge Cup for international standard coxless fours. Deputising in their crew for the injured Alex Partridge was 2007 Cambridge President Tom James, and the British crew comfortably defeated Spracklen's Canadian four - a boat containing 2006 and 2007 Cambridge Blue Kip McDaniel - in the final. That half of the contestants in this race had Boat Race experience - between them, a staggering 9 Boat Races in total - surely stands testament to the continuing relevance of the Boat Race to international rowing.

The reigning champion in the elite pairs event, the Silver Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup, were the 2006 Oxford crew of Barney Williams & Paul Daniels. They had continued on together after their 2006 Boat Race success to race as a coxless pair at Henley. This year however Daniels was back in America, training with the national team ahead of the World Championships later this summer, but Williams was back, racing as part of the Canadian pair with fellow Oxford Blue Scott Frandsen (BB'03). They went out to the South African Olympic medallists Di Clemente & Cech on the Saturday, who in turn defeated the German pair in one of the best races of the regatta come the final.

The other Oxford victory came in the Wyfold Challenge Cup for coxless fours. Ciaran Hayes (Isis'03) stroked a well-fancied London Rowing Club crew in this event, and there when they got through to the final he faced a number of familiar faces. "1829" is the banner former Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race oarsmen can race together under (1829 being, of course, the year of the first Boat Race), and this year Matt Smith (BB'00,'01,'02,'03), Dan Perkins (BB'02) and (BB'00; Isis'01; BB'02) teamed up with Cambridge Blue Ben Smith - Matt's younger brother - to race for 1829 Boat Club. In a closely fought final the 1829 crew managed to inch out to a lead of a length and a half through the middle section of the race - at which point Perkins popped a rib. The 1829 crew were unable to take the rate up as a result, whilst Hayes' meanwhile led his London crew up into the forties in their charge for the line. As it turned out, the 1829 crew had just enough of a lead to get them across the finish first, the final verdict being a nail-biting third of a length victory to the Oxford and Cambridge combined crew.

In the fourth final of Sunday contested by Oxford old boys, the Ladies' Challenge Plate saw a Molesey & New York Athletic Club composite crew containing Neil Chugani (Isis'90; BB'91), Jonny Searle (BB'88,'89,'90), Mike Blomquist (BB'05) and Christian Albert (Isis'01) race Harvard University. Harvard had knocked out the Brown crew coached by Luke McGee (BB'02) and Joel Scrogin (BB'04) in the semi-final the day before. Youth unfortunately got the better of experience, with the Molesey & New York Athletic Club crew that contained the four Oxford old boys going down by 1 length to the Harvard undergraduates.

Henley regatta week is here, and a number of Oxford athletes are getting ready to race. The following are those competing that the club knows about, listed alongside the crews they are a part of and the trophy they will be contesting:

• Jake Wetzel Shawnigan Lake & Victoria City, Canada (Grand Challenge Cup)
• Pete Reed & Andy Hodge Leander & Molesey (Stewards' Challenge Cup)
• Barney Williams & Scott Frandsen Brentwood College Rowing Club & Western Rowing Club, Canada (Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup)
• Phil Beard London Rowing Club (Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup)
• Jamie Schroeder (Diamond Challenge Sculls)
• Paul Kelly, Matt Brown, Anthony Mullin & Richard Chambers Isis & Oxford Brookes (Ladies' Challenge Plate)
• Bruce Magee & Stephan Molvig Oxford Brookes & Isis (Ladies' Challenge Plate)
• Neil Chugani, Jonny Searle, Mike Blomquist & Christian Albert Molesey & New York Athletic Club (Ladies' Challenge Plate)
• Robin Ejsmond-Frey Molesey & Oxford University (Visitors' Challenge Cup)
• Dave Livingston, Henry Morris & Pete Hackworth 1829 Boat Club (Britannia Challenge Cup)
• Matt Smith, Dan Perkins & Andrew Dunn 1829 Boat Club (Wyfold Challenge Cup)
• Ciaran Hayes London 'A' (Wyfold Challenge Cup)

Oxford Blues Joel Scrogin and Luke McGee are also over for Henley, coaching Brown University crews in the Temple Challenge Cup and the Ladies' Challenge Plate. If any supporters know of any other Oxford athletes competing this week, please let the Club know: webmaster[at]oubc.org.uk

News is filtering through of a swarm of cow-eating killer insects infesting the sleepy town of Mequinenza, where the OUBC retreats to in early January each year on a pivotal training camp in the march towards the Boat Race.

"Spain hit by plague of blood-sucking black flies"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2110516,00.html

OUBC Coach Sean Bowden is taking these latest reports in his stride, however. "Mequienza is a dangerous place, we know that. We're used to having to deal with that. The river Ebro is home to some of the most deadly catfish in the world, real brutes the size of a small lion that could swallow, ok, maybe not a whole rower - but they could certainly see away a small cox in one gulp if they were feeling hungry or of a mind to." With this in mind, Bowden continues: "We're always vigilant. We're used to having to look after ourselves when we're out on that river, so this is nothing new."

Assistant Coach Andy Nelder was even more bullish upon hearing the news: "A small bunch of pesky midges won't deter us from getting on with our training, let me tell you. I'll swot them all before they even see me coming."

The second World Cup regatta of the 2007 international season took place in Amsterdam, Holland this past weekend, and the Old Blues were once more out in force and on the medal podium.

This time round, after winning gold in the coxless four with Andy Hodge (BB'05) and Pete Reed (BB'04,'05) and gold in the pair with Colin Smith (BB'04; Isis'05; BB'06) at the first World Cup British Chief Coach Jürgen Grobler decided to give these athletes and their crewmates a mental break from their boats by entering (along with two of their colleagues and a cox) in the Eights event. This crew - dubbed the "Super Eight" by the press as Jürgen pooled his top athletes in one boat for the first time ever - raced as "GBR2" alongside GBR1, the British 8+ proper. GBR1 had one change from the first World Cup regatta in Linz, where they had finished a disappointing 5th: Old Blue Tom Parker (BB'06) came in at bow, joining cox Acer Nethercott (Isis'02; BB'03, '04, '05) and seven-man Robin Bourne-Taylor (BB'01, '02, '03', '05) to make it three Oxford Blues in each of the two GBR Eights.

GBR2 raced first in the Heat, and were led by an aggressive Chinese crew until the final 500m when they eased through to qualify directly for Sunday's Final. Next up was the second Heat, and GBR2 looked like booking the second centre-lane spot in the Final alongside their compatriots when they took the lead in the middle 1000m of their race. However, a late charge by the Poles resulted in a photo finish, and after the dust had settled following the mad-dash scramble for the line the finish-line judge delivered the verdict: victory for Poland, by three one-thousandths of a second (half an inch).

Whilst GBR2 had a day of rest, GBR1 were thus back in action in a repechage the following day. There they faced the Chinese and the Australians in what turned out to be a three-way battle for the two Final spots on offer. With all three crews dead level racing through the 1250m mark, the Australians inched ahead to lead with 500m metres to go. China and GBR1 managed to find an extra gear however, and rowed through the Aussies to take the two Final spots on offer a mere 0.18secs in front of the antipodeans.

Come the Final, the British 8+ racing as GBR1 made an aggressive start and lead the field to 200m from the outside lane. At this point GBR2 inched their bows in front, and it was a lead Hodge, Reed, Smith and friends were not to relinquish. GBR1 continued to race hard from Lane 6, and all three 500m markers saw GBR2 and GBR1 pass through in an unprecedented British one-two in front of the rest of the field. A late charge from the Chinese saw them take their rate up to a mind-boggling 44 strokes per minute, and in the final 500m they first passed GBR1 and then very nearly caught the other British boat on the line. Those in GBR2 were not sure who'd won until the official verdict was announced, but it was then confirmed: their bows had crossed the line first, a canvas in front of the Chinese and half a length in front of GBR1.

The medal podium thus saw 18 British athletes received medals in the blue ribband event, including six Oxford Blues. These 18 also included three ex-Cambridge oarsmen, leaving 9 Boat Race boys with medals round their necks. In addition, two ex-Cambrdge oarsmen were in the fourth-placed German boat, who are the reigning World Champions in the Eight, and the Dutch 8+ of Gerritjan Eggenkamp (BB'02) were third in their repechage, narrowly missing out on a Final spot. The Boat Race, then, clearly develops oarsmen who know how to race in Eights...

The third and final World Cup regatta of the season takes place in Lucerne, Switzerland a week after Henley Royal Regatta in three weeks' time.

The OUBC Boathouse and new spiritual home was officially opened this past weekend (10th June 2007). Following a fly-by of crews pulled from the broad spectrum of Old Blues - from the current generation of Boat Race oarsmen and internationals through to Blues from 40 years and more ago - a live jazz band added to the atmosphere as club members and their families mingled throughout the building. Head Coach Sean Bowden was called upon to say a few words, and made a reflective speech about the place of Oxford, OUBC and the Boat Race in the modern world and the unashamed pursuit of excellence they each represent.

The first World Cup regatta of the 2007 international season took place in Linz, Austria this past weekend, and the Old Blues were out in force.

Leading the field from start to finish were Andy Hodge (BB'05) and Pete Reed (BB'04,'05) in the British coxless four. They won all their races on the way to the final, and there came home first, a length ahead of the Dutch four that have been their main rivals for the past two years.

In the coxless pairs, Colin Smith (BB'04; Isis'05; BB'06) was back in the boat class he raced in after his exams last summer, but with a new partner. Last summer he teamed up with Cambridge President Tom James late in the season, and they won a silver medal in the final World Cup regatta in Lucerne before coming 6th at the World Championships, their final preparations hampered by illness. With Tom James completing his course in Cambridge right now, Colin is currently paired with Matt Langridge, the seven-man from last year's British 8+.

The new pairing showed some good speed through the early rounds of racing, but come the final Olympic silver medallists the Skelin brothers of Croatia set a blistering pace out of the blocks to leave the whole field trailing in their wake, and the British pair in last place. However, a storming last 1000m saw Smith & Langridge charge through the pack, and come the line the British pair emulated the British four in crossing the finish line first to take home the gold medal.

Also racing in the pairs final was Canada, a crew comprising Barney Williams (BB'05, '06) and Scott Frandsen (BB'03) for Canada, who finished 5th. Elsewhere in the regatta the British 8+ coxed by Acer Nethercott (Isis'02; BB'03, '04, '05) and with Robin Bourne-Taylor (BB'01, '02, '03', '05) in the seven-seat also finished 5th, just ahead of Gerritjan Eggenkamp's Dutch 8+ (BB'02) in 6th. Cambridge Old Blues Tom Stallard and Josh West were also racing in the British 8+.

Finally, Tom Parker (BB'06) raced in a second British coxless four together with Cambridge Blue Kieran West and former Cambridge reserve crew oarsman James Orme, but illness to West hampered their regatta. They raced nonetheless with a substitute or board, but finished 6th in the C Final.

The second World Cup regatta of the season takes place in Amsterdam in three weeks' time.

As usual at this time of the year just after the Boat Race, the British rowing squad decamped to Hazewinkel' Belgium for its Final Trials.

All those wishing to be a part of the British sweep team for the summer season race in coxless pairs, and off the back of this regatta the boats for the first of the World Cup races are formed. As such, this regatta marks the end of the long winter season and the start of the summer, and the scorching weather experienced this year helped underline that fact all the more.

Oxford's Pete Reed and Andy Hodge have won these Trials for the past two years, ever since they raced the Boat Race together in 2005. They were in their pair again this year, and succeeded in making it three in a row. Of the other Old Blues, Oxford's Colin Smith was third in his pair; Cambridge's Tom James & Kieran West, fresh from their Boat Race success, came sixth; Oxford's Robin Bourne-Taylor's pair won the B Final (placing them seventh); and CUBC's Pete Champion & Oli de Groot raced in the C Final. Richard Chambers of this year's Isis crew paired with Dave Brown of Bath and raced in the D Final, whilst Colin Scott of Goldie finished 11th with his pairs partner. Finally, former Blue and GB squad member Tom Parker is currently injured, and so missed the Trials.

The 153rd Boat Race saw Cambridge win a titanic battle firmly in line with the 21st Century tradition of classic Tideway contests. The significantly smaller and lighter Oxford crew led for the entirety of the first half of the race, but, in the end, Cambridge succeeded in making their superior size, strength and firepower tell.

Oxford have made a habit in recent years of turning out crews the newspaper pundits and the bookies stamp "underdogs", yet winning regardless. This year's build-up was no different from recent times, and Cambridge's five returning Boat Race oarsmen (against Oxford's one) as well as the two reigning World Champions and the Olympic gold medalist in their ranks prompted no change from this recent trend. When Cambridge dominated the scales at the weigh-in five days before the race, in the eyes of many the gulf between the two Blue Boats was merely confirmed. If Oxford were going to win, they were going to have to upset the form book once again.

And so to race day. On a beautifully sunny Easter Saturday on the banks of the river Thames, Oxford won the toss and President Robin Ejsmond-Frey chose the Surrey station. Cambridge were late to the start, receiving an Umpire's warning as a result, but when the contest finally got under way the two crews were inseperable, neck and neck out of the blocks. With the Cambridge cox steering her crew off towards Middlesex, Oxford cox Nick Brodie was soon able to hog the centre-stream and send his Oxford crew on the attack.

Attack they did, and attack they did hard. Imperiously led by the aggressive stern pairing of Ante Kusurin and Terence Kooyker, the Oxford crew's pace was relentless. First it rendered Cambridge's advantage at the Fulham bend obsolete; and then, as the two crews swung round onto the Milepost Straight, it propelled the Dark Blue bows into the lead.

A one second advantage at the Milepost was seized on and attack after attack was ceaselessly thrown at the Cambridge crew. Three minutes later and one minute into the Surrey bend (in Oxford's favour) the Oxford boys had Cambridge on the ropes. Three-quarters of a length down and on the outside of the bend, the Light Blues found themselves in a mightily perilous position.

However, as the Umpire warned the race over to Surrey, Oxford were unable to land that final knock-out blow. Already going flat out - and having been going so since the start seven minutes before - there was no more speed to be had. The killer move to gain that critical clear-water needed in Boat Race racing could not physically be made.

And so, after seven mintues of exemplary racing - suicidally brave, relentlessly attacking racing - the Oxford crew found themselves with no more gears left to shift up through. Cambridge, however, did have something else in their arsenal. They took their rating up by two strokes a minute, and slowly they began to creep back. With the majority of Oxford's Surrey bend now over, the Cambridge crew first drew level and then, for the first time after over ten minutes of racing, they inched their bows in to the lead.

As experienced Boat Race watchers could see, the writing was now on the wall. But this Oxford crew refused to give up or acknowledge when it had been beaten. When Cambridge got to three-quarters of a length ahead the Light Blues shifted gears once more, taking their rating up again in order to break free to clear-water - yet still Oxford refused to roll over and die. They harried and harassed Cambridge all the way to the line, stunning most observers in crossing the finish just a fraction over a length down on their opposition.

James Cracknell's post-race analysis had it that the significantly more experienced and stronger Cambridge crew should have won the race by much, much more. He suggested that the Light Blues, as a result, should be disappointed with their performance. He was not the only pundit espousing this view. However, the Boat Race is a two-horse race in which there is a Winner and a Loser - and Cambridge won. As such, Cambridge had nothing to be disappointed about. What such comments stand testament to however is the phenomenal performance the boys in Dark Blue put in. Bullish and aggressive from first to last, they did everything right and nothing wrong. The only thing missing, of course, was the victory. Regardless of the perfection many recognised in their performance, they had come up against a faster crew.

Half an hour before, Isis (the Oxford reserves) had lost to Goldie (the Cambridge reserves) by four lengths.

The OUBC congratulates CUBC - and in particular their President, Tom James, who finally won in this, his fourth and final Boat Race, after three previous loses. All at Oxford are at work already to return to the Tideway next year and prove that there is a reason why the Oxford University Boat Club has won the lion's share of the races so far this century...

As per the tradition of recent years, the spare pairs of the Oxford and Cambridge squads did battle on the Tideway today, a few days ahead of the Boat Race and the Isis v. Goldie race.

Raced on the outgoing tide from the Milepost back to the start of the Boat Race course, the spare pairs race is an informal affair, historically the result of a "challange" laid down by the two oarsmen of one University to the two of the other at the squads' weigh-in a few days before. In this year's edition of the race, the Cambridge pair took an early (and what proved to be an unassailable) lead off the start. The Oxford pair's cause was not helped by some wayward steering that took them way out of the stream and over the Fulham flats, and, despite a late rally, Cambridge hung on to take the spare pairs title for the first time in a number of years.

In other racing of late between Oxford and Cambridge, the Henley Boat Races for the Women and Lightweights last weekend resulted in three wins for Oxford and one for Cambridge. The Dark Blue Men's and Women's lightweights crews were victorious, as was the Osiris, the Oxford Women's heavyweight reserves. The only trophy Cambridge took home that day was the one for the Women's heavyweight race.

The 153rd Boat Race will take place at 16:30 this Saturday, 7th April 2007, with the Isis, the Oxford reserve crew, racing Goldie, their Cambridge counteparts, half an hour before.

The traditional pre-Boat Race weigh-in took place in front of the assembled media pack at the Hurlingham Club on the banks of the river Thames today (03/04/07).

The biggest story was the sheer size of the Cambridge crew. Whilst not the heaviest crew in Boat Race history (that title still belongs to the victorious Oxford crew of 2005) they did tip the scales as the second heaviest ever. Furthermore, they included amongst their number a man who will officially become the heaviest man ever to race the Boat Race when he passes the end of the Fulham Wall this coming Saturday. At 110.8kg, Cambridge strokeman Thorsten Engelmann is just shy of 600g heavier than the previous heaviest oarsman, Christopher Heathcote of the victorious Oxford Blue Boat of 1990.

The lightest oarsman in this year's race is Oxford's seven man Terence Kooyker, who weighed in at 86.6kg. This is over two stone lighter than his opposite man, and nearly three stone lighter than Engelmann. Oxford will take heart, however, from the knowledge that whilst with excess weight there typically comes extra power, there also comes - of course - an excess of inertia. And at four and a quarter miles long, the Boat Race is not a short course race. Indeed, the last time there was a significant weight difference between the two crews was in 2003; then, the lighter Oxford crew entered the record books by overturning the biggest weight deficit in the history of the Boat Race as they won the closest race of all time.

The 153rd Boat Race will take place at 16:30 this Saturday, 07/04/07.

It is today exactly a fortnight before the 153rd Boat Race, and the Oxford crew had their final warm-up fixture against yet another quality opposition crew on the Tideway.

Leander have been the dominant club crew in Britain in recent years. Home to the likes of Redgrave, Pinsent and Cracknell, they have won the Head of the River race (raced over the Boat Race course on an outward going tide) for the past five years. Until OUBC supporter David Sherriff built the new national rowing lake and training centre at his marina in Caversham, the GB squad used to train out of Leander, in Henley; as a result the vast majority of the GB squad row with Leander's pink hippo on their lycra. The concentration of international oarsmen at this club is so great that many World Championship oarsmen often join only to find themselves rowing in the club's 2nd Eight.

In March, it is often hard to find quality opposition to give the Boat Race crews decent match practice ahead of the Boat Race. In recent years both Oxford and Cambridge have taken to inviting international crews to Britain to race them in order to ensure a tough enough work-out ahead of the Boat Race. In the first round of fixtures this year a fortnight ago, Oxford beat a crew of US internationals sent over by US Rowing, whilst Cambridge lost to the German National Eight that are the reigning World Champions.

Because of Leander's tendency to boat international standard Eights, Oxford and Cambridge both covet fixtures against the boys from the Pink Palace. As a result Leander alternate, racing one University one year and the other the next. The last time Oxford raced Leander was in 2005, and Leander were humiliated. The ten minute race from the start of the Boat Race course to Chiswick Steps saw Oxford have clear-water by the Black Buoy (90secs into the race) and go on to win by a margin too big to quantify with the naked eye. Last year the Leander vs. Cambridge raced was a hard-fought affair. Heavy clashing under Hammersmith Bridge saw a Leander rower lose his oar, and the Umpire stopped the race and ordered a re-start, from which Cambridge went on to win by just under a length.

And so to 2007. This year the recently-announced Oxford Blue Boat raced a Leander crew that was once again exclusively comprised of full GB internationals. Amongst them were an all-Oxford stern pairing of Pete Reed (BB'04, BB'05) and Colin Smith (BB'04, Isis'05, BB'06), two former Cambridge oarsmen and a Cambridge cox. In atrocious conditions, Oxford took a seat or two off the start, but Leander soon clawed this back and began to take the lead. A quarter of a length at the Black Buoy became three quarters of a length at the Milepost and a length by Harrod's, as both crews were pounded by waves that broke over the side of the gunnels, showering mists of spray up into the air that completely obscured the rowers from view at times. By the finish line, the water would be up to the level of the decks, the rowers feet completely submerged in ice cold water. The stronger, more powerful Leander crew opted for a lower rating than their Oxford opposition, but in doing so kept their length in the face of the watery onslaught. At Chiswick Steps, the verdict was a three length victory to Leander, and the Oxford boys had been taught a harsh lesson about the sort of conditions the Tideway can throw up.

Cambridge raced a Molesey crew from the start to Chiswick Steps, the first two-thirds of the Boat Race course today (Friday, 23rd March 2007). The Molesey crew included Oxford Blues Andy Hodge and Acer Nethercott, reprising the cox-stroke pairing of the winning 2005 winning Oxford Boat Race crew, and a last-minute injury led to them being joined by their Oxford crewmate Mike Blomquist. When Molesey's two-man went down injured, Blomquist (now retired and working in the City) got the call... He left work immediately, jumped in a taxi and made it to Putney at 15:05 ahead of the 15:45 race. Whilst he stipped out of his suit and donned a borrowed lycra, his new crewmates adjusted his footstretcher for him so that crew could push off as soon as they could for what little warm up time they had left.

Cambridge had won the toss, and wisely chose the Surrey station: racing only the first two-thirds of the course meant that the Surrey bend gave the Surrey station a big advantage over the Middlesex station. Cambridge took a slight lead of a couple of seats off the start, and were then consistently and heavily warned by the Umpire as the two crews raced down the line of moored boats. After two minutes, the two crews swung onto the Fulham bend in Molesey's favour, and Molesey attacked. They took back the few seats they had lost off the start, and then set about moving through the Cambridge crew. As the two boats came off the bend and onto the Milepost straight, Molesey continued to move through the Cambridge crew until cox Nethercott was level with the Cambridge four-man. At this point Cambridge fought back, managing to first halt their slide, then to creep back slowly for the rest of the Milepost straight.

Six minutes in and 2,000m of hard racing since the start, it was now time for the long Surrey bend. As the two crews approached Harrods' Wall Cambridge unleashed a massive, concerted push. Well-timed to the beginning of their bend, they started to move. They first drew back level and then, as the two boats swung round the apex of the bend under Hammersmith Bridge, they began to forge ahead. With only three minutes to go and the rest of the course to Cambridge's favour, the pendulum seemed to have swung decisively their way...

But Molesey had other ideas. As the bend swung round and the headwind dropped away, they popped their rate back up a pip or two and refound the loose, flowing rhythm that had characterised their Fulham bend rowing. The change in boat speed was dramatic, and came at a time when Cambridge were tiring from the efforts of first their long defensive push down the Milepost straight and then their long offensive push at the beginning of the Surrey bend. And so it was that Molesey, even though on the outside of the bend, began to move back through the Cambridge boat. With the bit now firmly between their teeth and the finish line only two minutes away, they sniffed blood in the water and went for the kill. Seats were chewed up one after the other, and the change in the relative position between the two boats became dramatic: Cambridge had no response, and Molesey marched imperiously through.

Come Chiswick Steps, the margin was a canvas shy of a length in Molesey's favour - a similar margin by which Cambridge lost to the reigning World Champions, the German 8+, when Cambridge had raced them over the same distance a fortnight before. Then however the German World Champions had been on the advantageous Surrey station and Cambridge on disadvantaged Middlesex. The victory was one that Molesey - the Old Blues on board in particular - relished.

The crews for the 2007 Boat Race, sponsored by Xchanging, were announced today (12/03/06). For a full report, see the Boat Race website:

http://www.theboatrace.org/article/newsandmedia/latestnews/news07crewannouncement

The announced Oxford Blue Boat and Isis line-ups can be found on the crew pages of this website:

http://www.oubc.org.uk/crew_lists.jsp

The Oxford Blue Boat raced against an international America 8+ this weekend, and acquitted itself admirably. Two pieces were raced on the Boat Race course, the first from the start to St. Paul's (just short of half the Boat Race distance) and the second from Chiswick Steps to the finish line (the final third of the course).

Oxford took a marginal lead off the start in both pieces. In the first, the US crew held the Dark Blue crew at that distance until the start of the Surrey bend to the American's favour at Harrod's. There, strokeman and Olympic gold medalist Jason Reid called for a push, and his US crew responded by moving through and into a half-length lead. At Hammersmith Bridge a minute later Oxford pushed back and succeeded in halting the American advance, and from there on until the finish of the first piece the distance between the two crews remained the same round the apex of the Surrey bend.

In the second piece, Oxford again took a slight lead off the start. As the Surrey bend in the American's favour ended, the superior boat speed of the Oxford shelled became obvious and the Dark Blues moved out in front. Clear water was established little over a minute later, before the final bend in Oxford's favour came into play, and the margin at the finish line was four lengths.

A report on the pieces on the Boat Race website can be accessed at:

http://www.theboatrace.org/article/newsandmedia/latestnews/news07oxfixturevusa

Half an hour earlier, the Oxford reserve crew Isis raced a crew from Imperial College, London steered by the 2006 Oxford cox Seb Pearce. Isis were comfortable winners, but the contest was not without incident. During a bout of heavy clashing the Isis seven man had his oar knocked out of his hand by the Imperial College bowman, and caught a crab. Isis managed to recover from this set back, however, and showed much composure to regroup and row back through their opposition to still claim the win.

Oxford University Boat Club is extremely grateful to both its American friends and Imperial College, London for putting out crews against whom the 2007 Oxford boats could test themselves, as these fixtures are a vital part of the build up to 7 April.

Oxford's final fixtures this year are scheduled to take place on Saturday, 24 March, two weeks before the Boat Race. The Blue Boat will race a Leander crew made up of the "Best of British", an 8+ drawn from the international oarsmen from the Great Britain 8+ and 4-. On the same date Isis will race a Leander 8+ comprising the best of British sculling including Oxford Blue and Boat Race winner Colin Smith. Once again, spectators and supporters are more than welcome down on the Tideway to watch.

Oxford will take to the Tideway this weekend in two fixtures against some quality opposition. These races will provide the proto-Isis (the Oxford reserve boat) and proto-Blue Boat crews a chance to gain some side-by-side race practice over the Boat Race course.

On Saturday, 10th March, Isis will race Imperial College (London) at 15:30, whilst the Blue Boat will race an Amercian International 8+ sent over by Mike Teti and US Rowing at 16:00. The latter includes Olympic gold medalist Jason Reid at stroke, and 2006 Boat Race winner Paul Daniels (no relation to Debbie Magee) at bow.

Supporters are welcome and encouraged to attend. (Because of the large volume of land water coming down the Thames at the moment, it should be noted that at high tide the river level has consistently been coming up above the level of the road on Putney hard and into the boathouse bays these past couple of days. Spectators should bear this in mind if leaving their cars parked up in the usual spots for any length of time.)

A full preview can be found on the Boat Race website:

http://www.theboatrace.org/article/newsandmedia/latestnews/news07oxfordfixture

Oxford's other fixture this year is scheduled to be against a Leander crew made up of full British Internationals in two weekends' time (Saturday, 24 March). On the same day Isis will race a Leander 8+ of international scullers including Paul Daniel's Boat Race winning colleague Colin Smith.

The FISA Team Cup took place in Seville this weekend, and a number of ex-Oxford rowers took home gold medals.

The first day of racing took place over 1000m, and saw Andy Hodge (BB '05) and Pete Reed (BB '04, '05) win the Coxless Fours event in the British 4- crew. Former Oxford President Robin Bourne-Taylor (BB '01, '02, '03, '05) finished a narrow second in the Pairs event behind Hodge & Reed's partners from the GB 4-. Bourne-Taylor and Reed then finished the day by joining Acer Nethercott (Isis '02; BB '03, '04, '05) in the British 8+ to win gold by a comfortable margin.

The second day of racing took place over 500m, and Hodge & Reed again won gold in the 4-. They then raced as a pair in the 2-, and similarly took gold in that. Bourne-Taylor was second to them in that event, before switching straight in to the 8+ with Nethercott again and winning another gold for Great Britain.

These results helped Great Britain lift the overall FISA Team Cup, ahead of Spain and Germany. Rachel Quarrell's report for the Daily Telegraph can be accessed online by clicking on the address below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/02/19/sorow19.xml

In other international news, Tom Parker (BB '06) and Colin Smith (BB '04; Isis '05; BB '06) would both have raced for Great Britain but for injuries. Meanwhile, Scott Frandsen (BB '03) and ex-OUBC President Barney Williams (BB '05, BB '06) are both currently in training with the Canadian National Team. Similarly, Paul Daniels (BB '06) trains with the American Team and Gerritjan Eggenkamp (BB'02; Olympic Silver Medallist 2004) is in training with the Dutch Team, whilst Bastien Ripoll (BB '06) is training with his French compatriots. With Jamie Schroeder (BB '06), Chris Liwski (BB '05) and Luke Magee (BB '02) also intending to trial for the US Team this summer, Oxford Boat Race winners look certain to be out in force again come the World Championships this summer.

The boat that this year's Boat Race crew will race Cambridge in was recently launched and named "Palgrave Brown". Below is a transcript of the speech Dick Fishlock delivered before christening the new shell with the customary bottle of champagne:

"Alastair and Alan Palgrave-Brown were identical twins who came up to Oxford from Shrewsbury just before the outbreak of the Second World War, Alastair to Queens and Alan to Christ Church. Even then there was a muddle as to which one was meant to go where. They both spent the war in the Royal Navy, coming back to Oxford in 1946.

"Alastair was selected to cox the Blue Boat in 1947 and 1949. Alan missed out on the Blue Boat but coxed Isis. Richard Burnell, then Captain of Leander in Henley, felt sorry for Alan and invited him to cox Leander's Eight in the Grand Challange Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, 1949. Alan accepted, and steered them to victory. However, since they were identical, no one was ever entirely sure who coxed what!

"For the next 40 years both got on with their business interests in Africa and then Scotland. In 1989, when the club's land-training facilities were greatly overhauled, Alan made a major contribution to the building of the rowing tank and OUBC gym at the University's world-famous Iffley Road Track. This contribution was made in memory of his brother, Alistair, who had died shortly before. Alan was then on his own; in the words of Peter Cook, an Only Twin.

"At the Beetle & Wedge in 2005, Alan wrote another large cheque for the building of the new OUBC Boathouse in Wallingford. He saw the detailed plans for the project, and photos of the early construction work. He thought the building magnificent, and was incredibly pleased to be able to support the project.

"To our great sadness, Alan died last summer, before he could see the boathouse finished. But it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of their brother Ian, to name this boat PALGRAVE BROWN in memory of two great Oxford coxes.

"May the PALGRAVE BROWN and her crew of 2007 be faster than Cambridge, and carry Oxford to a memorable victory on 7th April!"

The shell the 2007 Oxford crew will use in this year's Boat Race was unveiled at the club's new boathouse in Wallingford last weekend. In addition, the occassion doubled up as a chance for the many Old Blues & Isis in attendance to take a look round the recently completed Fleming Boathouse. To a man, they marveled at the facilities on offer to the current generation of OUBC oarsmen.

The brand new Empacher 8+ race shell for the 2007 Blue Boat was christened the Palgrave-Brown, in honour of two OUBC coxes - identical twins - from yesteryear. As per tradition, this was followed by a fly-by exhibition sprint-race past the boathouse between the prospective 2007 Isis and Blue Boat crews and a crew of Old Blues & Isis oarsmen. This year the Old Boys crew comprised five members from each of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 Blue Boats, and it raced in the Philip Fleming (the boat in which Oxford overturned the biggest weight deficit of all time to win by a foot in 2003). The prospective 2007 Isis crew raced in the Dan Topolski, the victorious shell from the 2005 and 2006 Boat Races.

The day was rounded off with a buffet lunch in the Daniel Topolski Crew Room in the new Boathouse, overlooking the river Thames. Photos of the festivities can be seen (and purchased) on the Big Blade Photography website:

http://www.bigblade-photos.net/rowing/events/2007/oubc07/Page%201.html

The 153rd Boat Race will take place on 7th April this year at 16:30.

Once again the OUBC made its annual trip to Davos, Switzerland for a cross-country skiing training camp. Despite reports of green mountains and virtual tropical temperatures in most of the Alps, there was sufficient snow coverage for the majority of the classic cross-country tracks to be open. On the first day, Walter, an actively venerated guru of cross-country, met us for three hours of instruction. Within the first lesson, the majority of the squad had acquired some semblance of "zee gliding action". After perfecting its technique, the team turned its focus to getting some hard training done. Our intrepid president, Robin Esjmond-Frey, led the charge each day, guiding the team on multiple hour skies both morning and afternoon. Morning skies included the quintessential trip down to Glaris with lightening speed and agility. Each team ski was inevitably treated with the intense competition one comes to expect from putting rowers in a situation where ability is measured by time of completion. Breaks were only allowed for passing Canadian national team skiers.

In the afternoons the team broke up into smaller groups to attack various parts of the mountain. Despite different levels of ability, each team member found a way to exhaust themselves every day. On the penultimate day, the team took on the humbling Sertig climb. After the annual disputation addressing the potential advantages of red skies over blue skies and vice versa, the team set out towards the base of the ascent. The race up the mountain began with Robin leading the charge, followed closely by Andy "Syracuse" Wright despite being gripped by an exotic stomach virus last observed deep in Manchuria, and the lanky yet deceivingly quick George Hilton. This didactic trio was closely followed by Lucas Dalglish, Terence Kooyker, Magnus Fleming and Paul Kelly. Eventually, everybody made it to the peak. On the descent, the team paid homage to Johnny Mathews by taking some of the most spectacular falls since the grape lady (www.thatwasrandom.com).

During the entire camp, a stomach virus made its way through the team, effectively building character while inducing some much needed weight loss without sacrificing effective muscle. Altogether, the camp both built our endurance and team cohesion. The altitude training was invaluable, and the team, as always, resolutely looks ahead to 7th April.

After several weeks of deliberation over suitable names for the Trial VIIIs boats during which some unashamedly unsuitable names were suggested (thank you Mr Nelder!), a vote was taken with the result that Chuck Norris vs. Jack Bauer came out as the firm favourite. Unbeknownst to most of the team, this suggestion was actually blackballed several days beforehand by the powers-that-be, and, employing their own unique brand of vigilante justice, the Vice-Captains and President decided upon the names "Hammer" and "Sickle" for the two boats.

With some mixed pieces of work and consequent late swapping between the two crews, race day dawned with an air of uncertainty. Sickle, stroked by Croatian national team oarsman Ante Kusurin, won the toss and opted for the Surrey station. Both crews shot out off the start, rating around forty-six strokes a minute. Hammer, stroked by Harvard and US team oarsman Adam Kosmicki, took the early initiative on the Middlesex station, hoping to capitalize upon the imminent bend in their favour. Sickle however kept their heads about them, and by the end of the Fulham wall had pulled back the half-length deficit they lost at the start. Around the Middlesex bend both crews pushed hard, with Sickle moving gradually on Hammer to take a quarter-length lead approaching the Mile Post. Up past Harrod's Depositary, Sickle continued to rate thirty-six or above, whilst Hammer dropped down to around thirty-four; the difference in rate was telling as Sickle extended their lead to around three-quarters of a length approaching Hammersmith Bridge.

Around the corner both crews hit a wall of water and wind, but it was Sickle, three-quarters of a length up, who were able to capitalize on the start of their Surrey bend and deal with the water a little better. They broke clear of Hammer and moved out in front of them just as the crews passed St Paul's School. In conditions reminiscent of last year's Boat Race - perhaps worse indeed - Sickle battled hard to remain ahead of a gutsy Hammer crew, fighting off push after push and eventually crossing the line five lengths ahead of their team mates.

It may not have been the ideal race, but it was without doubt a trial by fire for those oarsmen unfamiliar with the grueling distance and conditions of the Boat Race. One oarsman indeed (who wished to remain anonymous, and so for the sake of this article shall pseudonymously be called "Lucas Dalglish") commented afterwards that the race was "the hardest thing" he has ever done. That's the hit of the whole fruit.

At this year's Fullers Fours Head of the River the OUBC boated five fours; one Elite Coxless Four (ISIS I), two Elite Coxed Fours (ISIS II & ISIS III), and two Senior Coxed Fours (ISIS IV & ISIS V).

ISIS III was the top finisher of these five crews, coming 23rd overall and 3rd in the Elite Coxed Fours event. The boat was coxed by Nicholas Brodie (Isis '05, '06) and contained Michal Plotkowiak (Polish U23), Ante Kusurin (Croatian International), Andrew Wright (Isis '05) and stroke Adam Kosmicki (Harvard '06). They finished behind the top Cambridge crew, and the Leander Four with members of the two time GB World Champion 4- including Peter Reed (Blue Boat '04, '05).

Close behind was ISIS II, who came in 32nd overall and 4th in the Elite Coxed Fours event. The crew from bow was President Robin Ejsmond-Frey, Matthew Brown (Yale '06), Terence Kooyker (Isis '06), Brodie Buckland (Harvard '06) and was coxed by Dane van den Akker (Yale '06). Despite several line-up changes ISIS I had a good showing, holding off Cambridge's top Coxless Four and coming in 36th overall and 2nd in the Elite 4- event. The line-up from bow was Paul Kelly (GB lwt U23), Magnus Fleming (Cal '03), Richard Chambers (GB World Class Performance Program) and David Knezevic (University of Western Australia '04).

ISIS V and ISIS IV finished overall in 79th and 95th, respectively.

Oxford competed at the Head of the Charles in Boston, USA, this past weekend - allegedly the biggest regatta in the world (or so our Colonial cousins tell us). As always, preparations for crushing the Tabs in the Boat Race take precedence over everything; and thus with the the Fours Head back in Britain looming, it was not a crew made up from current squad rowers who flew out to represented the oldest University in the English-speaking world against the best of the rest... rather, it was over to some recent Old Boys to don the Dark Blue of yore one more time, and for one last ride of glory!

This they did with relish - even if a year or so in the City had left the lycra fitting a tad more snuggly for some than it had when they'd barreled down the Thames on their way to victory over Cambridge in the Boat Race... But where the flesh and fitness were weak in places, the old fires still burned strong: anyone who had witnessed The Baron's victory roar under Chiswick Bridge at the end of his Boat Race would have been unconcerned at the thought that spirit and passion might have to be relied upon rather heavily to carry this crew down the Charles River track.

And so it was that (after a post- World Championships lay-off for those still rowing in their National Teams, and after a couple of ergs in the company gym for those long since retired from the sport) nine Dark Blue Boat Race winners gathered in Massachusetts to drink their fill of the sheer joy of racing together again. Oh, and to enjoy the excitement of racing once more the light green hue of Tab. Oh, yes: Cambridge were present too. And to spice things up still further this was not a crew of similarly recent Old Blues; oh no, this was the best the Other Place had to offer from their current Boat Race squad, all in full time training together since September, including a number of current Senior Internationals and recently-crowned World Champions. This Green Boat would be starting in second place, CUBC having won the race in 2005 and then finished second in 2006. This meant that the Oxford Old Boys were denied the pleasure of seeing the whites of their opponents' eyes, for as newcomers to the event the OUBC crew were starting at the back of the pack. Even if not within spitting distance though (let alone explicitly side-by-side) this was still very obviously a race against the old enemy, Cambridge.

Not that this would have been easy to discern from the preparations. How things have changed since these boys' Boat Race days: carbo-loading and early nights have been replaced by burgers, chips and beers (the finest of American cuisine), with collective memories reaffirmed and old adventures re-told until the wee hours of the morning; at times, it was almost as if The Rhino was present in the room once more. Then there were the couple of crew-members who decided to make a night of it with some of the ladies they'd made the acquaintance of along the way, and who weren't seen of again until breakfast the next morning back at the motel... all in all, ideal preparation for the race.

And so it was that after only three outings together in their borrowed boat amidst the chaos of the Head of the Charles weekend training sessions, the Oxford crew took to the water for their shot at glory. Determined to lay down a marker early-doors the crew went off hard, and began to close on the USA National Team Boat directly ahead of them. As they began to overtake the same crews the Americans were carving through, it was like these rowers' Boat Race days were only yesterday; however, as the race wore on fitness levels began to come into play... After three minutes the gap to the American National Team Boat ahead ceased to shrink, and with a crew Oxford were catching coming up on the Harvard Boathouse unsportingly refused to concede the racing line (leaving Oxford to row the outside of the long sweeping bend round to the Elliot Bridge), the blistering early-race speed was not maintained. The American National Team Boat moved away (and, come the collation of times at the end, were announced event winners). Still, in the Oxford boat the finish line was crossed with a mad-Frenchman-inspired flurry that drove the rate back up into the 40s; much fist-waving at the impeding crew (put firmly behind them - where they belonged - in the sprint for home); and big grins on the faces of friends who'd had the rare opportunity to race again in each other's company, for the sheer thrill and joy of it all.

At the front end of the race, the Tabs overtook Princeton early on, but were then overtaken back in turn and so finished where they started: second. On time however, things were a lot worse than that for the boys in light green... When the final standings were duly published, the Cambridge Green Boat were further down the pecking order... just BEHIND the Oxford Old Boys' Blue Boat in fact, by a margin of one and a half seconds. The Oxford Old Boys could not have dreamt up a more perfect end to a very special weekend had they tried. They laughed and laughed and laughed, and were reminded once more how good it is - how much FUN it is - to beat the Tabs!!

The trip was made possible by the generous help and support of the RBS group. Harvard University kindly allowed the Oxford crew to boat from its Boathouse and lent blades, whilst Hudson boats provided the shell in which the crew raced. The OUBC is extremely grateful to all for their help.

Oxford crew (from bow to stern):
Scott Frandsen [Blue '03]; Barney Williams [Blue '05, '06]; Jason Flickinger [Blue '05]; Joe von Maltzahn [Blue '05]; Chris Liwski [Blue '05]; Mike Blomquist [Blue '05]; Paul Daniels [Blue '06]; Bastien Ripoll [Blue '06]; Acer Nethercott (cox) [Isis '02; Blue '03, '04, '05].

On the 14th of September, Oxford sent an eight to Santander, Spain. Although most of our time was spent swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, we also participated in a spot of rowing with the local Spanish Tabs (Cantabria, a region in Northern Spain) and the even worse form of Tabs, those from the inferior university to the North East of Oxford. Although the current Vice-Chancellor of our University thinks the ancient rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge is a matter of the past and that we have now moved on to bigger and better things, we were feeling charitable. We offered to race the Tabs over two 750m pieces, but no more. We beat them by well over a length on the first 750m. In the second piece we paddled over the course, stopping occasionally to wave at the thousands of spectators that had come from all over the globe to cheer on Oxford. We then gave Cambridge a race in a coastal boat. They cheated by using a professional coastal steersman, leaving me at the helm of the Oxford boat. The race started off well for Oxford, we were a clear length up until I performed an intentional re-enactment of the 1987 boat race and headed for the wall. After the racing was over and we were done signing children's T-shirts, we were immediately whisked off by the Spanish Rowing Association to a beautiful six course meal at a Spanish restaurant. Interesting conversation and banter flowed freely from the Oxford table; Cambridge went to bed early.