THE BOAT RACE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 109, 9 May 1923, Page 5

THE BOAT RACE

OXFORD'S FINE VICTORY

A TRIUMPH OF STYLE

HALF-A-MILLION AT THE THAMES

SIDE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 28th March.

Conditions for the seventy-fifth 'Varsity Boat Race could scarcely have been better. There, was not a ripple on the water. A finer, keener struggle the river has not seen. It fell out as many good judges had foretold. If, said they, Oxford can establish an early lead, they will neutralise the stronger finish of the Cambridge crew and win. Oxford did, and they won, for the first time since the wai", ending the succession of Cambridge victories. It was a great race, of which almost to the very end nothing certain could be predicted. Cambridge in the general opinion were the .better crew in form and finish, but Oxford thi» year had that indefinable something which is beyond all technical excellences, and in the last resort wins the race in. sport and in life too. To say so much will not deny to the Cambridge crew the credit of a race pluckily rowed right through, and culminating in a very gallant climax. ' '

The call of spring was answered by a great multitude, which went streaming to the Thames by every way. Half-a-million watched the race. Across Putney Bridge there was one endless tide of omnibuses, motor-cars, and taxis, and many hours before the race began the towing paths.were densely packed. Above was a slate blue sky with fleecy clouds, and the sun shining through a thin haze. Oxford won the toss and chose th» Surrey side. They got no help from either wind or water by this position, but the b.endß in the river are mostly in favour of the southernmost craft. At 5.15 the race was started. The Cambridge blades were a trifle quicker into the water, and rowing 10-20-38 to Oxford's 10-19^-38, the Cambridge crew were just in front at the end of the first minute. A splendid struggle for the lead ensued to the mile post. Both crews rowed 34 in the second minute, and latfer. i dropped to 32. they were practically i level all the way to the Craven Steps. The coxswains steered a good course, and. Oxford drew slightly ahead until they led by a few feet at the mile post, in 4min 18sec. GRUELLING BACE. Rounding the turn at Harrod's, Oxford quickened slightly, but were still rowing a slower stroke than Cambridge, '■■ and went under the Hammersmith Bridge aljout one length to the good. Oxford I here dropped to 30, with Cambridge row- | ing 30 and 32. At the slower stroke Oxford continued to gain, and at the Doves there was about a quarter of a length daylight between the boats. Going .to Chiswick Steps, Mellen (Oxford's stroke) raised his stroke from 30 to 32, and increased his advantage to naif a. length. Cambridge here quickened to 34, in the hopes of gaining on their opponents. Oxford, however, held their own at the slower stroke, and only quickened opposite the Cambridge enclosure. Mellen here put in a determined spurt, raising his stroke to 34,. gained, .slightly on Cambridge, and had about threequarters of a length advantage 'befot* reaching Barnes Bridge. At this point Sanders (the Cambridge stroke) made a desperate effort, and began gaining considerably on the Oxford crew. There cannot have been much more than a quarter of a length between the boats underneath Barnes Bridge. Oxford were here rowing 32, and Cambridge 34. After shooting the bridge, Cambridge began to come up very fast, but Mellen increased the stroke, and was watching Sanders like a oat does.a mouse. Sanders continued to gain, closed up the gap, and overlapped O?ird about 200 or 30n y ar ds from the finish. Mellen then made his effort, and, increasing his rate of stroke to 35, more than held his own, and passed the winning-post three-quarters of a length to to the good, the time being 20min 54sec. ; A VICTORY OF STYLE. "The race was a victory of style,"' writes Mr. S." Earl, member of. the Oxford crew of 1920,. 1921, and 1922, in the "Express." "Despite the blind confidence of tha public in the Cambridgs crew, it would have been astonishing could they have won that race, and it was the astonishing gallantry with which *hey fought a losing fight that brought them so near to victory. "Gallery spurts have never been popular with rowing men, but it was no gallery spurt of the Cambridge crew; from Thornycroft's onwards, they made a determined bid for the last corner, and to spurt for seven minutes against a crew that is out of sight at the end of three miles in the way they did was a magnificent effort. It would not have paid them to do so round Chiswick bend. After failing at Hairod's, Sanders struck: where he had a chance of success. His men backed him up and worked as well as it was poseible for men to- do, but their rush forward would not allow their boat to run as it should have done, and though they looked the neater crew, half their efforts were wasted. .OXFORD'S BEAUTIFUL RHYTHM. "Neither crew was a great crew, although both were good. Cambridge rowed well together and raced.well, but never caught the boat sharply at the beginning or allowed her to run. Oxford, on the other hand, had beautiful rhythm, and were very sharp on the beginning, but they were not quite together. This showed up in the first minutel, and gave their supporters soma anxious moments at first, and explains j why they did not win by more. Nobody realised this more than Mellen, and the way in which he nursed hie crew over the course was delightful to watch. He would not Rustle them at Harrods, : and again he would not hustle them at the finiih. Had he done so there was always the risk they might begin to row as individuals and row without rhythm, as Cambridge did. Nevertheless, there was always the impression that had he been put to it he had a little in reserve with which to answer Sanders. _ He took no risks with iha men behind him, and gave them beautiful rhythm all over the course., and it is' undoubtedly largely due to his stroking, as well as their style, that Oxford won.' THE AMERICAN-STROKE. It is interesting to know that Mellen's father was at Brasenose when perhaps the most.famous of all strokes, Mr. C. W. Kent, went up to that college, and that he actually stroked the first college eicht that Mr. Kent rowed in. so | that even if Oxford had an American stroke, he learned his rowing at the college, where his father learned it before him. The other American in the boat was R. K. Kane (Balliol).

There were wild and merry scenes in the "West End in the evening. The streets were full of sinning undergraduates, some walkine. some on the roofs of taxicabs. All were rery hiipp.y—even the Cambridge men. They - had discovered a countercry to Oxford)'s challenginp "Aften ten years!" When they heard it they shouted : "America won the race."