AQUATICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1852, 20 May 1887, Page 22

AQUATICS.

THE INTER-UNIVERSITY RACE.

The Daily News gives the following account of the Oxford and Cambridge boat race :— " Up to the last hour ' before the commencement of the race the time of starting remained unsettled. On Thursday 3 o'clock was fixed, but on Friday the time was changed to a quarter of an hoar earlier. Ultimately, however, when it was found that the tide made up more slowly than had been expected, the former hour was reverted to : and at 10 minutes to 3 Oxford, as the challengers, having launched their boat from the shed of the London Rowing Club, paddled

down to a slsiff moored on the Middlesex side of the river in a line with the ' Putney steamboat pier. Cambridge, who had won the toss, followed from the Leander Club boathouse five minutes later, and took , the Surrey station. Only a few minutes were, occupied in disposing of superfluous clothing, and at 3 o'clock preisely the men were ready, their hame3 arid weights being as follow :— OXFORD. 1. WFC Ho'land, Brasenose ... ... 10 9& 2. G Nickalls, Magdalen ... ;.. 12 2, 3. S Gf.Williamß, Corpus < ... ... 12 6 4. Hlt Parker, Brasenose ... ... 13 .4 5. H M'JLean, New ... ... ... 12 9 , 6. i Cr Wethered, Chriafc Church ... 12 ■■ 5 7. D H M'Lean. New ... 12 10 , A T?'Titherington, Queen's (stroke) ... 12 2£ JU J Clarke, JSxeter (coxswain) ... 7 9 CAMBRIDGE. , 1. RM'Kenna, Trinity Hall ... ... 10 6i 2. C T Barclay, Third Trinity ... ... 11 Of 3. P Landale, Trinity Hall ... ... 12 0* 4. J X Oxford, King T s ... ... ... 13 2 5. S Fairbairn, Jesus ... ... ... 13 6§ 6. S D Muttlebury, Third Trinity ... 13 8 7. O Barclay, Third Trinity ... ... 11 818 1 C J Bristowe, Trinity Hall (stroke) ... 10 ' 8 Q H Baker, Queen's (coxswain) ... 7 1 The wind was blowing across the river from the Surrey shore, and it was with some little difficulty that the two eights could be kept with the' tide; but at five minutes past 3 the pistol fired and the race began. Oxford had a trifle the best of the start, and for a time led the way by a few inches ; but Cambridge, who went off at '42 strokes a minute, soon came up again, and were leading in less than 100 yds. Breasting the creek in lmin 17sec, Cambridge were half a length ahead, and at the top of the concrete wall w'ere';riearly clear. The rate of rowing was now decreased, Cambridge rowing 37 strokes per ,' minute and Oxford 35, and the Grass wharf was reached in 4miri 9sec, when the Cambridge crew were more than clear, Proceeding steadily along, the Light Blues gradually improved their position, and at the Crab Tree they were a length and a-quarter to the good. Beyond here, however, they seemed to get somewhat wild, and the Oxonians rowing in good form, made up some of their lost ground, and at the soapworks they were not 'more than three-quarters of a length to, the rear: ' This encouraged their partisans on the steamers, but disappointment soon followed.. In pointing his boat for the centre arch of the temporary bridge at Hammersmith, the, Oxford coxswain lost all the advantage he h'ad'gained. Cambridge were ' soon more than clear, and, as they shot the tenantless Suspension Bridge in 7min 56sec, they were all but two lengths in front. Oxford reached the bridge ssec later. Passing by the oil mills at about the same distance apart, both boats seemed to feel the effect of the rough water in Corney Beach; but towards the top of Cbiswick Eyot, the Light Blues; who were rowing very well, slightly improved their position; and reached the church in 12min 30sec, Oxford's time to the same point being 12min 40sec. Rounding the bend both crews entered Horse Reach without any change in their relative positions, and it now became evident that the prospects of Oxford were 'all but hopeless. On Hearing the Bull's Head at Barnes the latter made an effort, and succeeded in slightly reducing their opponents' lead. Barnes' bridge, which was now in sight, was reached by Cambridge in 17min Bsec, and by Oxford in 17min 17sec, which would show that the former were about two lengths clear. After passing the bridge the Light Blues attempted ' to i take their opponents" water in order to save ground round the bend ; but the Oxonians made a determined and gallant effort. Increasing the pace to 40 strokes a minute, while Cambridge still kept to 35, Oxford materially lessened .the: distance between the boats ; but just as the spurt was dying away Mr D. H. M'Lean (No 7) broke his oar at the button, and the crew eased for a couple of strokes. The blade portion of the oar had come clean away, and the handlepart having been quickly extricated from the rigger and let go, the seven men resumed rowing,, and pluckily set off in pursuit of their opponents, who meanwhile had materially added to the advantage they had previously gained.' At the time ;of the mishap, however, Cambridge, who were leading by two lengths, had the race well in hand, and they ultimately reached the winning post nearly four lengths ahead in 20min 52sec from the start. This was undoubtedly very good time, as the tide was a slow one, and the wind' foul nearly the whole of the way. The race, however, was well fought from beginning to end; and although neither crew displayed such' good form as is usually to be seen in University Eights, it cannot be denied that Cambridge managed to travel at a faster pace than, from their style, might have been supposed possible. The main distinction in the rowing of the two boats was that,' while Oxford missed the beginning of the stroke and cut at the finish, the Cantabs caught the beginning and rowed the stroke well through, ending it with a smart and clean finish and a quick recovery." \