UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 101, 30 March 1925, Page 5

UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE

WIN FOR CAMBRIDGE. OXFORD’S BOAT WATERLOGGED. LONDON, March 28. The weather was dull and showery for the boat race between Oxford and and Cambridge. The attendance was enormous. Tho water was rough, especially ori the Surrey side. Cambridge won. the toss and chose the Middlesex side. Cambridge led slightly at the start, rowing 34 strokes to tho minute to Oxford’s 33. At Duke’s Head, Oxford was just in front, but at Beverly Brook, Cambridge was leading by nearly a length. At the mile post this was increased to three lengths, the crew rowing steadily 28 to the minute. Cambridge was five lengths to the good passing Harrod’s, and six lengths at Hammersmith bridge, where both crews were stroking 28. The Cantabs continued to increase their lend, and were 120 yards ahead at the two miles. Oxford was then in difficulties. The boat was waterlogged and it was impossible to propel it. When opposite Harrod’s, it appeared to be sinking and went deeper and deeper into tho water, being more than half full. '(Wien 300 yards above Hammersmith bridge the crew stopped and pulled to the bank. The eight were taken back in a motor launch to Putney, soaked to the skin, smothered in borrowed garments. A little later the boat was brought back by a police launch. Cambridge completed the course in 21.50. Experts agree that the boat race was one of the most remarkable in the history of the eveut. Thousands of spectators did not even get a glimpse of the Oxford boat. The cry went along the crowded bank: “Oxford has sunk.” Oxford’s boat practically became a submarine, but the crew doggedly continued for some time alter they realised that the position was hopeless. A loud groan went up from thousands on the spot where Oxford stopped. Tlie crowd on the banks approaching the post did not know what to make of tlie extraordinary spectacle of Cambridge rowing a solitary race, pursued by the umpire’s launch. The spectators shouted plaintive inquiries about Oxford, and were answered by fingers pointing to tlie bottom of the river. Guy Nickalls, writing in the Sunday Times, says: “Unfortunately the umpire decided against tlie idea of starting both boats under tlie Middlesex ehore. This gave such an advantage to the Middlesex shore that the race was virtually over before it started. Cambridge went straight into the oalm water, Oxford into water in which it was impossible for any boat to live.” Nickalls expresses the opinion that when tlie umpire saw tlie impossibility of Oxford ever covering the distance," or even half, and when lie knew the race would not be a fair test of oarsmanship, the race should have been called off. The universities should get together and rewrite tho rules before a similar catastrophe occurs.—A. and N.Z. cable.