The Boat Race 2021

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The Boat Race 2021
Date 4 April 2021
Men's race
Winner Cambridge
Margin of victory Almost a length
Overall record
85–80
(Cambridge–Oxford)
Umpire Sarah Winckless
Women's race
Winner Cambridge
Margin of victory Almost a length
Winning time 16:29
Overall record
45–30
(Cambridge–Oxford)
Umpire Judith Packer
← 2020 2022 →

The Boat Race 2021 was a side-by-side rowing race that took place on 4 April 2021. The
Boat Race is contested annually between crews from the universities of Oxford and
Cambridge. Usually held on the traditional Championship Course in London, the 2021
race took place on the River Great Ouse near Ely, Cambridgeshire, between Queen
Adelaide Bridge and Sandhill Bridge, Littleport. This was the 75th women's race and the
166th men's race, with the 2020 race having been cancelled as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic in the United Kingdom. Cambridge led the longstanding rivalry 84–80 and 44–
30 in the men's and women's races, respectively.

The crews were announced on 25 March 2021. It was the first time in the history of the
event that both the women's and men's races were officiated by female umpires, in Judith
Packer and Sarah Winckless respectively. The reserve races are to be held at a later date
in Ely.

Cambridge's women's crew were considered strong favourites to win their race. Oxford's
women's crew took an early lead but Cambridge responded to win. Oxford's men were
slight favourites to defeat Cambridge, but failed to do so: Cambridge won the men's race
by just under one length.

Contents
  1 Background
 2 Coaches
 3 Trials
o 3.1 Women
o 3.2 Men
 4 Crews
o 4.1 Women
o 4.2 Men
 5 Races
o 5.1 Women's
o 5.2 Men's
o 5.3 Reaction
 6 References
 7 External links

Background

The 2021 race (course depicted) was held on the River Great Ouse.

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 has usually
taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course, between Putney and
Mortlake on the River Thames in south-west London.[2] The 2020 event was cancelled as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[3][4] For 2021, the race was
held behind closed doors along a section of the River Great Ouse in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
[5][6]
The organisers noted that the move to Ely was not only due to COVID-19, but also
safety concerns relating to Hammersmith Bridge.[7] It was the second time in the event's
191-year history that the race has taken place in Ely:[8] the previous occasion was an
unofficial wartime staging of the event, which Oxford's men won by three-quarters of a
length.[9] The 2021 course started at the stone marking the end of the 1944 race, and
proceeded along a 4,890-metre (5,350 yd) long course, from the Adelaide Bridge towards
Littleport.[10] For 2021, only the men's and women's races were scheduled to take place on
the same day, with the women's race to start around 3:50 p.m. and the men's race an hour
later. As of March 2021, the reserves races are yet to be scheduled.[11]

The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; the race is followed
throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.[12][13] Cambridge's men went
into the race as champions, having won the 2019 race by a margin of one length,[14] and
lead overall with 84 victories to Oxford's 80 (excluding the 1877 race, a dead heat).[15][16]
Cambridge's women were also victorious in 2019, winning by five lengths,[17][18] which
took the overall record in the Women's Boat Race to 44–30 in their favour.[14][17]

In May 2020, the University of Cambridge's three boat clubs, Cambridge University Boat
Club, Cambridge University Women's Boat Club and Cambridge University Lightweight
Rowing Club, agreed to merge into a single club under the Cambridge University Boat
Club (CUBC) name, with Callum Sullivan as the Men's President and Sophie Paine the
Women's President.[19] Alex Bebb is the Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) president
and Kaitlyn Dennis is the Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) president.[20]
The 75th women's race was umpired by international rowing judge Judith Packer, while
the 166th men's race was officiated by Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Winckless.[21]
Both had been selected for the aborted 2020 event, and it was the first time in the history
of the event that women oversaw both main races.[21]

The main races were streamed live on YouTube.[22] They were also broadcast on
television channels in the United Kingdom (BBC One), Canada (TSN2), Israel (Sport 3),
New Zealand (Sky Sport 9), Spain (Teledeporte) and throughout most of Africa
(SuperSport).[23]

The event was described as being "overshadowed" after allegation of sexual assault; the
women's crews intended to wear ribbons, to signify support for sexual assault victims.[24]
[25]

Coaches
Sean Bowden was the chief coach for OUBC, having been responsible for the senior
men's crew since 1997, winning 12 from the last 18 races. He is a former Great Britain
Olympic coach and coached the Light Blues in the 1993 and 1994 Boat Races. His
assistant coach is Brendan Gliddon, a South African who formerly coached under-23 and
FISU teams for both South Africa and Great Britain. Alex Bowmer is OUBC's physical
therapist.[26] The OUWBC chief coach was Andy Nelder, who previously worked with
Bowden and OUBC for eleven years. He was assisted by James Powell.[27]
The Cambridge men's crew coaching team was led by their chief coach, Rob Baker, who
had previously coached Cambridge's women to victories in both the 2017 and 2018 races,
and Cambridge's men to a win in 2019. Cambridge women's chief coach is Robert
Weber, who joined Cambridge University before the 2019 race from Hamilton College in
New York, where he was Head Rowing Coach and Associate Professor of Physical
Education. CUBC's assistant coaches were Paddy Ryan, Katy Knowles, Nick Acock and
Jordan Stanley.[28]

Trials
In order to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the trials took place on the
Great Ouse behind closed doors and featured no pre-race social media or marketing.
Cambridge trials took place on 17 December with Oxford's races being staged two days
later.[29] Because of restrictions imposed by the university, Oxford had been prevented
from practising on water until 11 December.[30] As a result of changes to the UK's
COVID-19 tier system, neither Winckless nor Packer were able to travel to Ely and both
of Oxford's trial races were umpired by Kath Finucane, the reserve race official.[30]

Women

The CUBC women's trial featured the boats Hakuna and Matata, named after the Swahili
phrase which approximates to "no worries" used in The Lion King film. In fine conditions
and umpired by Packer, Matata made the better start to lead by half a length at 500 m. At
the inlet from the River Lark, Hakuna's cox moved his boat into the middle of the river to
take advantage of the faster flowing stream. They took the lead around the 3,000 m mark
and pulled away to win in a time of 16 minutes 5 seconds, two lengths ahead of Hakuna.
[29][31]

OUWBC's trial boats were named after two of the pharmaceutical companies developing
COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer and AstraZeneca.[30][32] Pfizer took an early lead and held an
advantage of three-quarters of a length. Steering too closely to their opponents, Pfizer
clashed oars with AstraZeneca and were warned by Finucane. Five minutes into the race,
Pfizer held a two-length lead and moved to the centre of the river. They extended their
lead to three lengths before AstraZeneca reduced the deficit by half a length. As the
crews passed the finishing line, Pfizer won with a three-length lead over AstraZeneca.[29]

Men

CUBC men's trial featured boats named Henry I and 10,000 Eels to reflect Henry I's
annual order of lampreys from Ely. Officiated by Winckless, both crews started strongly
with Henry I holding a half-length lead after 500 m. They extended their lead by a quarter
of length by 750 m and their cox attempted to move across to the centre of the river,
receiving multiple warnings from Winckless. 10,000 Eels held their line and pulled back
to within half a length by 1,250 m and while both crews pushed for the final 500 m,
Henry I crossed the finishing line in 14 minutes 4 seconds, one third of a length ahead.[31]
The OUBC trial boats were named Track and Trace, after the NHS Test and Trace
system designed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Trace took an early lead in a
race which was initially dominated by oar clashes. Track began to reduce the deficit as
the crews passed the Lark, and following another clash, took the lead and held clear water
advantage with 1,000 m to go. Track went on to beat Trace by two lengths.[30]

Crews
The crews for both senior boats were announced on 25 March 2021, using a Zoom call.[33]
The Cambridge women were considered strong favourites to win their race while
Oxford's men were favoured to win.[34]

Women

Women's crews[33][35][36]
Oxford Cambridge
Seat
Name Nationality College Name Nationality College
Adriana
Katie
Bow British Brasenose Perez Spanish Newnham
Anderson
Rotondo
Anja Green Sarah
2 American British Newnham
Zehfuss Templeton Portsmouth
Megan
3 British St Peter's Abba Parker American Emmanuel
Stoker
Amelia Caoimhe
4 British St Anne's Irish Newnham
Standing Dempsey
Martha Anouschka Lucy
5 British Mansfield British
Birtles Fenley Cavendish
Georgina Harris Sophie Paine
6 British British/Bahamian Girton
Grant Manchester (P)
Julia Bronya Gonville
7 British St Cross British
Lindsay Sykes and Caius
Katherine Sarah Lucy
Stroke British St Hughs Australian
Maitland Tisdall Cavendish
Dylan
Cox Costi Levy British/Italian Exeter British King's
Whitaker
(P) – Boat club president; Kaitlyn Dennis was the non-rowing President of
OUWBC[37]

Men

Men's crews[33][38]
 Oxford Cambridge
Seat
Name Nationality College Name Nationality College
James Theo
Bow British Pembroke British St John's
Forward Weinberger
Alex Bebb Gonville
2 Canadian St Peter's Ben Dyer British
(P) and Caius
Martin Seb
3 Canadian Kellogg British Jesus
Barakso Benzecry
Lady
Felix Quinten
4 British Margaret Canadian Fitzwilliam
Drinkall Richardson
Hall
Tobias Garth St
5 Estonian/British Magdalen South African
Schröder Holden Edmund's
Jean-
6 Philippe Swiss/Canadian Lincoln Ollie Parish British/Canadian Peterhouse
Dufour
Joshua
Callum
7 Bowesman- British Keble British Peterhouse
Sullivan (P)
Jones
Augustin St Drew
Stroke Belgian American Clare
Wambersie Catherine's Taylor
Jesse Charlie
Cox American Pembroke British Trinity
Oberst Marcus
(P) – Boat club president

Races
Conditions on race day were reasonably clement with a temperature of 16 °C (61 °F),
clear skies but windy.[39]

Women's

Cambridge won the toss and elected to start on the west side of the river.[39] After a brief
delay while both coxes indicated they were ready to start, the race commenced at
3:53 p.m. Early on Oxford were warned by Packer for encroaching into Cambridge's
water and were instructed to steer away, while Cambridge took a slight lead. Both boats
were in close proximity to one another and four minutes in, Oxford held a slight
advantage, although Packer continued to warn the Dark Blue cox. After seven minutes,
Oxford were around a third of a length ahead as Cambridge started a push, taking a lead
with fourteen minutes of the race gone. The Light Blues held a length's lead a minute
later and although Oxford remained in touch, Cambridge passed the finishing line first.[34]
It was Cambridge's fourth consecutive victory and took the overall record in the event to
45–30 in their favour.[14]

Men's

Oxford took the west side of the river.[39] The men's race started at 4:53 p.m. with Oxford
rating slightly higher than their opponents, but falling behind. Within two minutes,
Cambridge were almost a length ahead but were warned several times by Winckless for
encroachment. Four minutes in, she issued a warning to both crews of potential debris in
the river ahead which both crews navigated without issue. Oxford then went for a push in
the sixth minute but Cambridge remained in the lead, although down to half a length. On
ten minutes, Cambridge pushed before Oxford reciprocated two minutes later and with
less than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) remaining, the Dark Blues began to reduce the deficit.
Cambridge passed the finishing line first, winning by almost one length.[34] It was
Cambridge's fourth victory in the last five races, and took the overall record in the event
to 85–80 in their favour.[14]

Reaction

According to tradition, both winning coxes were thrown into the river, however this year
they were followed by the victorious crews.[40] Sarah Tisdall, Cambridge's stroke, was
magnanimous in victory: "Awesome race, massive congrats to Oxford. That's the closest
boat race the females have had."[41] The Cambridge women's president Sophie Paine
received the trophy and noted that "I think this is absolutely historic for women. So many
of us have been training for this for two years now, and it means so much for us to have
that pay off."[39]

James Cracknell suggested that the Oxford men's cox should have "steered into those
reeds and forced a restart".[34] The bow for Cambridge men's boat, Theo Weinberger,
suggested that he would "dream of this moment ... it's two years' worth of training and
hard work ... there's anything you can quite compare it to."[42] Cambridge's men's
president Callum Sullivan described the season as "fantastically unique".[39]

The winning margin in both races was less than one length, which was the closest in the
men's race since 2003 and in the women's race since 2011.[39]

References
1.

 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Archived
from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide".
The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  "The Boat Race has been cancelled due to Coronavirus". ITV. 16 March 2020.
Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  Gold, Harry (16 March 2020). "Coronavirus updates as Boat Race 2020 between
Cambridge and Oxford is cancelled". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 1
April 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
 "The 2021 Boat Race to take place on 4 April 2021". The Boat Race Company
Limited. 3 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021. Retrieved 29
December 2020.