UNIVERSITY BOAT-RAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 20, 20 May 1893, Page 463

UNIVERSITY BOAT-RAGE.

OXFORD MAKES A RECORD. A good many athletes out here remember the good old days in the old country when they would not miss a boat race for worlds. For the benefit of these and many Oxford and Cambridge men who like to hear of the doings of the • Varsity,’ we give the following account of the race, accompanied by pictures of the two crews : — • Oxford made a record that will probably stand for many years. The Dark Blues lost the toss, and Cambridge chose the Surrey side. When this decision became known there were many shakes of the head, for at times a stiff breeze blew from the Middlesex shore, but near the start the force of the wind was hardly felt; in fact, when the pistol was fired the air seemed to have as little life in it as the water, and the wind at most was of assistance ; it certainly did not make the time any slower. Then a word about the tide. The race was rowed the best part of an hour before the flood, and simply rushed towards the finish. Few men who saw the race are better judges of such mat ters than Mr Guy Nickalls. He saw the race from the Umpire steamer, and immediately it was over I asked him what he thought of the time, 18min. 47sec., the fastest on record by 34sec., I added. • “ Fine time,” he said ; “ a swift tide, such a tide as I or any other Blue never rowed on, and a wind that was in the right place.” ‘ “ And the steering ?” I suggested. • “ Well, you saw it,” he said. ‘ “ Don’t you think Cambridge was worse than Oxford • He paused for a moment and replied, “ No, I can’t say that I do. The steering of both was bad.” • Well, it was, and Mr Nickalls was quite correct in saying so, though 1 think the Light Bines’ coxswain was most to blame and shoved his men at least a length behind ; and in such a race a length means a lot. However, it was a grand race in many respects. Oxford had everythingin their favour, except the Thames watermen, who said almost to a man they would win, a verdict on their part that is generally fatal. And a crew that can beat the record can walk along with their heads in the air and ask ordinary people to tread on the tails of their coats with impunity. And the crew that is second in a race that was rowed in thirty-four seconds less time than any of fifty-three races, ai d that was only beaten by a little more than two lengths can afford to be humble without fear of being imposed upon. •It was a race worth looking at. The thousands—the uncountable thousands—who saw it shouted themselves into every stage of apoplexy that is not immediately fatal, and into every colour of which a rainbow of the first-class can boast. • Almost as soon as the coin was tossed it was known to the multitude on the banks and on the river that Cambridge had won. They considered for a time, and then chose the Surrey side. Many thought this a mistake, as if they had

taken the other shore they would have been to windward. Still there was little in the choice, for there was no wind worth mentioning, and the water was as smooth as a milldam in the dog-days. There was the usual terrific roar when Cambridge at 4.16 took the water. Fourteen minutes later the Dark Blues appeared, coming from the London Rowing Club’s house. Cambridge had come from the Leander Rowing Club’s house. The little Aramis, with the umpire, Mr Willan, on board, shot into position. ‘At 4.30 tl.e boats were in position. At 4 32 Cambridge made a false start. A couple of minutes later the pistol was fired. Cambridge caught the water first, but the Dark Blues were only a shade of a second behind, and when the Daik Blue blades sank into the flashing tide they sank with a single motion, and the sharp-nosed shell flew for-

ward with a force that carried it, if only by inches, to the front. Then began the roar of the multitude, the roar that never ceases during a'Varsity boat race. The banks were lined with a multitude such as no other sporting event in the world is honoured by. Every spot from which a glimpse of the race could be caught was occupied. Where there was room for a steamer, a tug, or a wherry, the spot had its occupant. The front of every building seemed built of faces. Hammersmith Bridge might have bent under its weight without disgrace. Barnes Bridge was packed with railway carriages. These in their turn were packed with humanity, and whenever a face was visible, a yell was heard, and all the yells met and were blended into a roar that would have made Niagara feel small bad it been anywhere in the neighbourhood.

•T F 066 ELLIOT

‘ For a hundred yards the boats were almost level, Oxford having the best of it only by inches. Opposite the London Rowing Club house the Dark Blues were feet in front. At Craven Steps Oxford was a quarter of a length to the good. Both crews were hugging the Middlesex shore. Oxford did 21| strokes in the first 30sec., and 40 strokes in the first minute. Cambridge started at 37, and at the Ship were doing 36. The first mile was covered in 4mim. 6sec., Oxford being about seven-eighths of a length in front. Then the Dark Blue cox. made a mistake that might have been fatal. He hugged the Middlesex side instead of gradually nearing mid-stream, and in the next mile and a half lost nearly three lengths. At this point Cambridge looked to have a chance, but the Light Blue cox. had been wandering a bit also, and towards the finish of the third mile was so fond of the Surrey side that he gave his opponent a chance to pick up nearly all that he had lost. * At Rosebank the Dark Blues had put daylight between themselves and Cambridge. It was after this that the Oxford coxswain forgot his cunning. • Towards the end Cambridge couldn’t strike faster than 35 to the minute. Oxford was striking 34 at Chiswick Eyot and 36 at Barnes. Towards the finish the Dark Blues spurted to 37, and when the gun fired they were two lengths in front, having rowed the race in 18 min 47 sec., the best on record by 34 sec. Both crews were pumped out, and little wonder. The Light Blues were never in front during the race, and the time of the winners at the points mentioned was as follows : , Min. Sec. I Min. See. The Creek .. .1 6 Chiswick Church ..11 33 Craven Steps .. .2 23 Barnes Bridge .. ..15 37 The Mile 4 6 | Winning Post .. ..18 47 Hammersmith Bridge 7 20 j THE TIME. ‘ The time, as taken by Benson’s chronograph, was 18min. 47see. Time last year : I9min. 21sec.’