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

Reserves' races

Men's winners Goldie

Women's winners Blondie

 ← 2020 2022 →

The Boat Race 2021 was an event comprising two side-by-side rowing races 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; the 2020 race was cancelled as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Before the 2021 races,
Cambridge led the longstanding rivalry 84–80 in the men's race and 44–30 in the
women's.
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, Judith
Packer and Sarah Winckless respectively. 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 favourites to defeat Cambridge, but
failed to do so: Cambridge won by just under one length. The reserve races took place
three weeks later on 25 April 2021: Cambridge completing a clean sweep for a third
consecutive year after Goldie won the men's and Blondie won the women's reserves
race.

Contents

 1Background
 2Coaches
 3Trials
o 3.1Women
o 3.2Men
 4Crews
o 4.1Women
o 4.2Men
 5Races
o 5.1Women's
o 5.2Men's
o 5.3Reaction
o 5.4Reserves
 6References
 7Bibliography
 8External links

Background[edit]
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
usually takes 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] In
2021, the race was held behind closed doors along a section of the River Great
Ouse near 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 which
had been closed to pedestrians after cracks in the structure had deteriorated. [7] It was
the second time in the event's 191-year history that the race had taken place near Ely:
[8]
 the previous occasion was an unofficial wartime staging of the event in 1944, which
Oxford's men won by three-quarters of a length.[9] The 2021 course started at the stone
marking the end of that wartime race, and proceeded along a 4,890-metre (5,350 yd)
course, from the Queen Adelaide Bridge towards Littleport.[10] Only the main men's and
women's races were scheduled to take place on the same day — the women's race
around 3:50 p.m. and the men's an hour later.[11] The reserves races took place three
weeks after the main event, on 25 April 2021. [12]
The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; the race is followed
throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide. [13][14] Cambridge's men went
into the race as champions, having won the 2019 race by a margin of one length,[15] and
led overall with 84 victories to Oxford's 80 (the 1877 race was a dead heat).[16]
[17]
 Cambridge's women were also victorious in 2019, winning by five lengths, [18][19] which
took the overall record in the Women's Boat Race to 44–30 in their favour.[15][18]
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.[20] Alex Bebb held the position of Oxford University Boat
Club (OUBC) president for the race while Kaitlyn Dennis was the Oxford University
Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) president.[21] 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.[22] Both had been selected for the cancelled
2020 event, and it was the first time in the history of the event that women oversaw both
main races.[22]
The main races were streamed live on YouTube.[23] 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).[24]
The event was described as being "overshadowed" after an allegation of sexual assault:
a female member of OUWBC claimed to have been ignored by both the club and
university authorities after submitting a complaint of sexual assault against a male
athlete.[25][26]

Coaches[edit]
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 was Brendan Gliddon, a South African who formerly coached under-23
and FISU teams for both South Africa and Great Britain. Alex Bowmer was OUBC's
physical therapist.[27] The OUWBC chief coach was Andy Nelder, who previously worked
with Bowden and OUBC for eleven years. He was assisted by James Powell. [28]
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 was
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.[29]

Trials[edit]
Each year before Christmas, each squad stages a race between two of their own eights
over the Boat Race distance called Trial VIIIs. Normally, these are held on the
Championship Course. In order to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the trials
took place on the Great Ouse behind closed doors and there was no pre-race social
media or marketing. Cambridge trials took place on 17 December 2020 and Oxford's
races were staged two days later.[30] Because of restrictions imposed by the university,
Oxford had been prevented from practising on water until 11 December 2020. [31] 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.[31]
Women[edit]
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, Angela Harper, moved
her boat into the middle of the river to take advantage of the faster flowing
stream. Matata 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.[30][32]
OUWBC's trial boats were named after two of the pharmaceutical companies
developing COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer and AstraZeneca.[31][33] Pfizer took an early lead
and held an advantage of three-quarters of a length, but steering too close to their
opponents, they 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 by three lengths.[30]
Men[edit]
The 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.[32]
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, eventually beating Trace by two lengths.[31]

Crews[edit]
The crews for both senior boats were announced on 25 March 2021, on a Zoom call.
[34]
 The Cambridge women were considered strong favourites to win their race while
Oxford's men were favoured to win.[35]
Women[edit]
Women's crews[34][36][37]
 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

6 British British/Bahamian Girton
Grant Manchester Paine (P)

Julia Bronya Gonville

7 Canadian St Cross British
Lindsay Sykes and Caius

Strok Katherine Sarah Lucy

British St Hughs Australian
e Maitland Tisdall Cavendish

Costi Dylan
Cox British/Italian Exeter British King's
Levy Whitaker
 (P) – Boat club president; Kaitlyn Dennis was the non-rowing President of OUWBC [38]

Men[edit]
Men's crews[34][39]

Oxford Cambridge

Seat

Name Nationality College Name Nationality College

Theo
James
Bow British Pembroke Weinberge British St John's
Forward
r

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 Fitzwillia
4 British Margaret Canadian
Drinkall Richardson m
Hall

Tobias Estonian/ Garth St

5 Magdalen South African
Schröder British Holden Edmund's

Jean-
Ollie British/
6 Philippe Swiss/Canadian Lincoln Peterhouse
Parish Canadian
Dufour

7 Joshua British Keble Callum British Peterhouse

 Bowesman Sullivan
-Jones (P)

St
Strok Augustin Drew
Belgian Catherine' American Clare
e Wambersie Taylor
s

Jesse Charlie
Cox American Pembroke British Trinity
Oberst Marcus

(P) – Boat club president

Races[edit]
Conditions on race day were reasonably clement with a temperature of 16 °C (61 °F)
and clear skies with a westward crosswind.[40]
Women's[edit]
Cambridge won the toss and elected to start on the west side of the river. [40] After a brief
delay before 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, and 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.[35] It was Cambridge's fourth consecutive victory and took the overall record in
the event to 45–30 in their favour.[15]
Men's[edit]
Oxford took the west side of the river.[40] The men's race started at 4:53 p.m. with Oxford
falling behind despite a slightly higher stroke rate than their opponents. 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. At the ten-minute mark, 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.[35] 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. [15]
Reaction[edit]
According to tradition, both winning coxes were thrown into the river, however this year
they were followed by the victorious crews.[41] 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."[42] 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."[40]
James Cracknell suggested that the Oxford men's cox should have "steered into those
reeds and forced a restart".[35] 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." [43] Cambridge's men's
president Callum Sullivan described the season as "fantastically unique". [40]
The winning margin in both races was less than one length, which was the narrowest in
the men's race since 2003 and in the women's race since 2011.[40]
Reserves[edit]
Both reserves races were held along the same section of the River Great Ouse three
weeks later, on 25 April 2021. CUBC's Blondie beat Oxford's Osiris in the 49th women's
reserve boat race by seven lengths. In the 56th men's reserve race,
CUBC's Goldie secured a six-length victory over OUBC's Isis.[12]