OXFORD’S BOAT RACE

Grey River Argus, 1 April 1946, Page 3

OXFORD’S BOAT RACE

By Good Margin HEAVIER CAMBRIDGE CREW OUT-ROWED LONDON, March 3U. Oxford defeated Camoridge in the Varsity bopt-race by three lengths in nineteen minutes fifty-four seconds. Cambridge won the toss, ana chose the Surrey side. Oxford gained one yard in the first two seconds, and they were three-quarters of a length in front after two minutes. Oxford led’ by two and a-half lengths at Hammersmith Bridge. Then Oxford crossed to the Surrey side, and then had Cambridge rowing in their wake. Cambridge made up leeway in the next five minutes. They drew up to within one length of Oxford. But at Chiswick Church (two and’ threequarter miles), Oxford had again increased their lead to two lengths. Both crews at this stage were stroking thirty-two to the minute. Cambridge, at the beginning of the last mile, had reduced Oxford’s load to only one length, but, after shooting under Barnes Bridge, half a mile from the finish, Oxford again established a lead of two lengths. Cambridge tried to reduce the lead temporarily. Then Oxford spurted, and gained a lead of three lengths,'which they maintained to the end, where their stroking was thirty-six to Cambridge’s thirty-three. The boatrace crowds at many points along the river excelled prewar numbers, according to the police, eight hundred of whom were engaged in controlling the spectators. Some people waited four hours for the boat race. There were no apparent signs of ill effect from a new style of training enforced by food shortages when the eights passed the winning post. Oxford wpn against a crew averaging half a stone heavier by sheer speed, teamwork, .and the cox’s strategy, says the Press Association. The winning crew moved perfectly in a new boat. They shoe away from the start, and when two lengths ahead, after a mile, their cox made a decision which virtually finishes Cambridge. He took Oxford across their rival’s boat, and the handicap of trying to cope with Oxford’s wash was too much for Cambridge. The time was fifty-one seconds slower than Cambridge’s winning time in 1939, but it was faster “ian those of the preceding three years, fi’his was a ninety second official race. Cambridge has won forty-eight and Oxford forty-three, there was one dead heat.