The Boat Race 2006

152nd Boat Race
Date 2 April 2006
Winner Oxford
Margin of victory 5 lengths
Winning time 18 minutes 26 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		 78–72
Umpire Simon Harris
(Oxford)
Other races
Reserve winner Goldie
Women's winner Oxford
← 2005 2007 →

The 152nd Boat Race took place on 2 April 2006. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford, whose crew contained the first French rower in the history of the event, won the race by five lengths which was umpired by former Oxford rower Simon Harris.

In the reserve race Goldie beat Isis and Oxford won the Women's Boat Race.

Background

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] First held in 1829, the race takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.[2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.[3][4] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 2005 race by two lengths,[5] while Cambridge led overall with 78 victories to Oxford's 72 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).[6] The race was sponsored by Xchanging for the second consecutive year,[7] and was umpired by former Oxford Blue Simon Harris.[8]

The first Women's Boat Race took place in 1927, but did not become an annual fixture until the 1960s. Until 2014, the contest was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but as of the 2015 race, it is held on the River Thames, on the same day as the men's main and reserve races.[9] The reserve race, contested between Oxford's Isis boat and Cambridge's Goldie boat has been held since 1965. It usually takes place on the Tideway, prior to the main Boat Race.[5]

Crews

The Oxford crew, whose average age was 24, comprised four Britons, two Canadians, two Americans and, in Bastien Ripoll, the first French rower to participate in the contest.[10] Cambridge's crew, with an average age of 26, consisted of three Britons, three Germans, an Australian, an American and a Canadian.

Seat Oxford
Cambridge
Name Nationality Age Name Nationality Age
Bow Robin Esjmond-Frey British 20 Luke Walton American 26
2 Colin Smith British 22 Tom Edwards (P) Australian 28
3 Tom Parker British 23 Sebastian Thormann German 30
4 Paul Daniels American 24 Thorsten Engelmann German 24
5 Jamie Schroeder American 24 Sebastian Schulte German 27
6 Barney Williams (P) Canadian 29 Kieran West British 28
7 Jake Wetzel Canadian 29 Tom James British 22
Stroke Bastien Ripoll French 25 Kip McDaniel Canadian 24
Cox Seb Pearce British 23 Peter Rudge British 24
Sources:[11][12]
(P) – Boat club president

Race

The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is contested

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station where they were afforded some shelter from the inclement conditions with strong winds creating choppy water.[11] Under cloudy skies, Oxford took an early lead but Cambridge came back into contention and held a half-a-length lead at Harrods.[13][14] As they crews passed under Hammersmith Bridge, "wind and waves engulfed the boats and both seemed to check".[15] Oxford drew level and their cox Seb Pearce called for a push; his crew responded, moving away from Cambridge in the rough water.[13] Extending their lead out to two lengths by the Bandstand, Oxford pulled further away winning by five lengths in a time of 18 minutes and 26 seconds.[13]

In the reserve race, Cambridge's Goldie beat Oxford's Isis. Earlier, Oxford won the 61st Women's Boat Race by half-a-length in a time of 5 minutes 54 seconds.[5]

Reaction

Cambridge coach Duncan Holland suggested "it's pretty hard to row with a boat full of water" while his cox Rudge claimed "Oxford were a little bit sheltered and it made a big difference".[16] His counterpart, Oxford cox Pearce, was jubilant: "It was awesome. I didn't expect it work out that way but it was great. All along we were the better crew. The bookies just got it wrong."[16] Cambridge Boat Club president Edwards said "They handled the conditions better than us and that was it ... There was no more we could have done."[16] Oxford's president Barney Williams said "We were pushed really hard" while his French crew-mate Ripoll claimed "the key moment was along the island, in a washing machine".[15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "TV and radio". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Boat Race sponsor Xchanging to end contract". BBC News. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  8. ↑ Wollaston, Sam (3 April 2006). "Men going backwards make a splash". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "A brief history of the Women's Boat Race". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Oxford include Frenchman Ripoll". BBC Sport. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  11. 1 2 "Oxford triumph in 152nd Boat Race". BBC Sport. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "2006 Oxford Crew". Oxford University Boat Club. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 Quennell, Rachel (3 April 2006). "Oxford the masters of tossing and turning". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "Boat Race photos". BBC Sport. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  15. 1 2 Dodd, Christopher (3 April 2006). "Oxford conquer the waves to win Boat Race". The Independent. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 Gough, Martin (2 April 2006). "Cambridge blame water for defeat". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
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