102-621: The Scullers Head of the River Race is a rowing race held annually on the River Thames Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney , open to single scullers only. The race is held in November or early December each year on a week usually to suit the mid-morning or mid-afternoon timing of the ebb tide. The Scullers Head was first raced in 1954 when it was won by John Marsden . It now admits entries of over 500 scullers and
204-552: A coxswain , called eights . There are a wide variety of course types and formats of racing, but most elite and championship level racing is conducted on calm water courses 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long with several lanes marked using buoys. Modern rowing as a competitive sport can be traced to the early 17th century when professional watermen held races ( regattas ) on the River Thames in London , England. Often prizes were offered by
306-612: A blue to 2006 and 2007 Cambridge oarsman Thorsten Engelmann , as he did not complete his academic course and instead returned to the German national rowing team to prepare for the Beijing Olympics. This has caused a debate about a change of rules, and one suggestion is that only students who are enrolled in courses lasting at least two years should be eligible to race. According to British Olympic gold medallist Martin Cross , Boat Race crews of
408-408: A crew had won the boat race without an official recorded winning time. After the end of the race Oxford's bow man, Alex Woods, received emergency treatment after collapsing in the boat from exhaustion. Because of the circumstances, the post-race celebrations by the winning Cambridge crew were unusually muted and the planned award ceremony was cancelled. Like other sports events, the 2020 boat race
510-408: A full blue, whereas the men's boat receives a half-blue. Boat race became such a popular phrase that it was incorporated into Cockney rhyming slang , for "face". In the stories of P. G. Wodehouse , several characters allude to Boat Race night as a time of riotous celebration (presumably after the victory of the character's alma mater ). This frequently sees the participants in trouble with
612-441: A great advantage from the use of expensive materials or technology. Smaller sculling boats are usually steered by the scullers pulling harder on one side or the other while larger boats often have a rudder , controlled by the coxswain, if present, or by one of the crew using a cable attached to one of the shoes. With the smaller boats, specialist versions of the shells for sculling can be made lighter. The riggers in sculling apply
714-490: A lone protester, Australian Trenton Oldfield, entered the water from Chiswick Eyot and deliberately swam between the boats near Chiswick Pier with the intention of protesting against spending cuts, and what he saw as the erosion of civil liberties and a growing culture of elitism within British society. Once he was spotted by assistant umpire Sir Matthew Pinsent , both boats were required to stop for safety reasons. Once restarted,
816-422: A magnificent spurt at 40 strokes to the minute, with a view of catching their opponents before reaching the winning-post. Thus struggling over the remaining portion of the course, the two eights raced past the flag alongside one another, and the gun fired amid a scene of excitement rarely equalled and never exceeded. Cheers for one crew were succeeded by counter-cheers for the other, and it was impossible to tell what
918-639: A policeman's helmet one year; the beginning of the first episode of the television series Jeeves and Wooster shows his court appearance on this occasion. In the short story Jeeves and the Chump Cyril , he describes having to repeatedly bail out of jail a friend who is arrested every year on Boat Race night. In Missee Lee by Arthur Ransome (one of the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books) Captain Flint (who had dropped out of Oxford) tells Missee Lee he
1020-487: A quarter or half of the slide at a high rating with a full press. It sharpens quick catches and emphasizes coordination during the recovery phase. The Square-Wide-6 drill, conducted in groups of 6 or 4, requires rowers to take a wide grip on the oar handle, emphasizing a specific body position during the recovery. This encourages proper body positioning and enhances body flexibility Feet-out rowing, performed either collectively by all rowers or in smaller groups, involves
1122-453: A single shot of around a minute, it was the first film to be commercially screened in the UK outside London. The event is now a British national institution, and is televised live each year. The women's race has received television coverage and grown in popularity since 2015, attracting a television audience of 4.8 million viewers that year. BBC Television first covered the men's race in 1938,
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#17330860601301224-399: A tactile sense of how each phase should seamlessly flow into the next. The reverse pick drill, executed in groups of 4 or 6, isolates different aspects of the drive sequence. With the boat ‘’checked-down’’ (the boat has no speed), rowers initiate the drill with leg-only strokes, gradually adding the back and arms. The emphasis is on maintaining proper body position and sitting tall throughout
1326-494: A targeted approach to improving coordination, body positioning, and teamwork. The forward pick drill, often used as a standard warm-up for rowing crews in groups of 4 or 6, focuses on isolating different components of the recovery and drive sequence. Starting with arms-only strokes and gradually incorporating the back, ½ slide, and full slide, rowers gain a nuanced understanding of the interplay between these elements. The drill aims to enhance body preparation, providing rowers with
1428-496: A time of 24 minutes and 8 seconds in bad weather. The verdict of the race judge, John Phelps, is considered suspect because he was reportedly over 70 and blind in one eye. Rowing historian Tim Koch, writing in the official 2014 Boat Race Programme, notes that there is "a very big and very entrenched lie" about the race, including the claim that Phelps had announced "Dead heat ... to Oxford by six feet" (the distance supposedly mentioned by Phelps varies according to
1530-470: A very distinct myrtle and gold, began as a women's club, but eventually allowed the admittance of men in 1901. The first international women's races were the 1954 European Rowing Championships . The introduction of women's rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal increased the growth of women's rowing because it created the incentive for national rowing federations to support women's events. Rowing at
1632-529: A women's race in 1984. Both races are currently held on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake, although they previously formed part of the Henley Boat Races , along with various other rowing races between the two universities including the openweight women's Boat Race until 2015. Competitors in the event have gone on to compete at international and Olympic levels, as well as represent their universities at openweight level. For
1734-718: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sport rowing Rowing , often called crew in the United States , is the sport of racing boats using oars . It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using rowlocks , while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is divided into two disciplines: sculling and sweep rowing . In sculling, each rower holds two oars, one in each hand, while in sweep rowing each rower holds one oar with both hands. There are several boat classes in which athletes may compete, ranging from single sculls , occupied by one person, to shells with eight rowers and
1836-592: Is a way to train technique and strength by going through the same motions as rowing, with resistance(usually a large tank of water). Indoor rowing is helpful when there are no rowable bodies of water near by, or weather conditions don't permit rowing. A rowing tank is an indoor facility which attempts to mimic the conditions rowers face on open water. Rowing tanks are used primarily for off-season rowing, muscle-specific conditioning and technique training, or simply when bad weather prevents open-water training. Ergometer rowing machines (colloquially ergs or ergo ) simulate
1938-774: Is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club , traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England . It is also known as the University Boat Race and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race . The men's race was first held in 1829 and has been held annually since 1856, except during the First and Second World Wars (although unofficial races were conducted) and
2040-651: Is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia . Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States . The member clubs are all on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, mostly on the historic Boathouse Row . The success of the Schuylkill Navy and similar organizations contributed heavily to the extinction of professional rowing and
2142-545: Is limited to the basic body position and movements. However, this action can still allow a workout comparable to those experienced on the water. Indoor rowing has become popular as a sport in its own right with numerous indoor competitions (and the annual World Championship CRASH-B Sprints in Boston) during the winter off-season. There are several formats for rowing races, often called " regattas ". The two most common are side by side and head races . Most races that are held in
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#17330860601302244-508: Is the largest sculling race in the UK for a single class of racing shell . The race gains enough entries to organise the greatest number of marshalls for any singles event on the Thames and it draws considerably more overseas single scullers than the same race held in reverse usually three to four weeks before, the Wingfield Sculls , which dates to the middle of the 19th century. In 2014 were
2346-519: The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The first women's event was held in 1927, and the Women's Boat Race has been an annual event since 1964. Since 2015 , the women's race has taken place on the same day and course, and since 2018 the combined event of the two races has been referred to as "The Boat Race". The Championship Course has hosted the vast majority of the races. Covering a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) stretch of
2448-629: The Goldie Boathouse is named). The women's reserve crews are Osiris (Oxford) and Blondie (Cambridge). A veterans' boat race, usually held on a weekday before the main Boat Race, takes place on the Thames between Putney and Hammersmith. The two universities also field lightweight men's and women's crews. These squads race each other in eights as part of the Lightweight Boat Races . The first men's race took place in 1975, being joined by
2550-492: The University Boat Race Stones on the south bank. The clubs' presidents toss a coin (the 1829 sovereign) before the race for the right to choose which side of the river (station) they will row on: their decision is based on the weather, the speed of the flood tide, and how the three bends in the course might favour their crew's pace. The north station (' Middlesex ') has the advantage of the first and last bends, and
2652-403: The business process outsourcing company Xchanging for a few years until 2012. Since 2010 the deal has included the crews agreeing to wear the logo on their race kit for more funding. Prior to this, all sponsorship marks had been scrupulously discarded on boating for the competition, on amateurist , 'Corinthian' values but perhaps also as before televised races a single sponsor for both crews
2754-404: The finish or release , when the rower removes the oar spoon from the water. After the oar is placed in the water at the catch, the rower applies pressure to the oar levering the boat forward which is called the drive phase of the stroke. Once the rower extracts the oar from the water, the recovery phase begins, setting up the rower's body for the next stroke. At the catch, the rower places
2856-542: The 1912 race , run in extremely poor weather and high winds, both crews sank. Oxford rowed into a significant early lead, but began taking on water, and made for the bank shortly after passing Hammersmith Bridge to empty the boat out: although they attempted to restart, the race was abandoned at this point because Cambridge had also sunk while passing the Harrods Depository. Cambridge also sank in 1859 and in 1978 , while Oxford did so in 1925 , and again in 1951 ;
2958-521: The 1951 race was re-rowed on the following Monday. In 1984 the Cambridge boat sank after colliding with a barge before the start of the race, which was then rescheduled for the next day. In 2016, at Barnes Bridge, Cambridge women began to sink but gradually recovered to complete the race. From the first women's event in 1927 , the Women's Boat Race was run separately from the men's event until 2015 . There
3060-558: The 19th century these races were to become numerous and popular, attracting large crowds. Prize matches amongst professionals similarly became popular on other rivers throughout Great Britain in the 19th century, notably on the Tyne . In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race. Amateur competition in England began towards
3162-581: The 2012 Summer Olympics in London included six events for women compared with eight for men. In the US, rowing is an NCAA sport for women but not for men; though it is one of the country's oldest collegiate sports, the difference is in large part due to the requirements of Title IX . At the international level, women's rowing traditionally has been dominated by Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Russia, and Bulgaria, although other countries such as Germany, Canada,
Scullers Head of the River Race - Misplaced Pages Continue
3264-412: The 4x and 8x, but most rowing clubs cannot afford to have a dedicated large hull which might be rarely used and instead generally opt for versatility in their fleet by using stronger shells which can be rigged for either sweep rowing or sculling. The symmetrical forces also make sculling more efficient than sweep rowing: the double scull is faster than the coxless pair, and the quadruple scull is faster than
3366-477: The 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) Boat Race . Two traditional non-standard distance shell races are the annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge and the Harvard-Yale Boat Race which cover courses of approximately 4 miles (6.44 km). The Henley Royal Regatta is also raced upon a non-standard distance at 2,112 meters (1 mile, 550 yards). The Boat Race The Boat Race
3468-484: The Americans and claimed Topolski wrote True Blue in order to justify his own actions. River and Rowing Museum founder Chris Dodd described True Blue as "particularly offensive" yet also wrote "[Oxford] lacked the power, the finesse—basically everything the pre-mutiny line-up had going for it." In the 2012 race , after almost three-quarters of the course had been rowed, the race was halted for over 30 minutes when
3570-593: The BBC having covered it on radio since 1927. For the 2005 to 2009 races, the BBC lost the television rights to ITV , after 66 years, but it returned to the corporation in 2010. Ethnographer Mark de Rond described the training, selection, and victory of the 2007 Cambridge crew in The Last Amateurs: To Hell and Back with the Cambridge Boat Race Crew . Many notable individuals have participated in
3672-1113: The Boat Race, including those of an Olympic standard. Four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Matthew Pinsent, rowed for Oxford in 1990, 1991, and 1993. Olympic gold medallists from 2000 – James Cracknell (Cambridge 2019), Tim Foster (Oxford 1997), Luka Grubor (Oxford 1997), Andrew Lindsay (Oxford 1997, 1998, 1999) and Kieran West (Cambridge 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007), 2004 – Ed Coode (Oxford 1998), and 2008 – Jake Wetzel (Oxford 2006) and Malcolm Howard (Oxford 2013, 2014) have also rowed for their university. Other famous participants include Andrew Irvine (Oxford 1922, 1923), Lord Snowdon (Cambridge 1950), Colin Moynihan (Oxford 1977), actor Hugh Laurie (Cambridge 1980), TV presenter Dan Snow (Oxford 1999, 2000, 2001) and Conspicuous Gallantry Cross recipient Robin Bourne-Taylor (Oxford 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005). Oxford University does not offer sport scholarships at entry; student-athletes are not admitted differently to any other students and must meet
3774-613: The Gemini Boat Race. Although the Boat Race crews are the best-known, the universities both field reserve crews. The reserves race takes place on the same day as the main race. The Oxford men's reserve crew is called Isis (after the Isis , a section of the River Thames which passes through Oxford), and the Cambridge reserve men's crew is called Goldie (the name comes from rower and Boat Club president John Goldie , 1849–1896, after whom
3876-455: The London Guilds and Livery Companies . Amateur competition began towards the end of the 18th century with the arrival of "boat clubs" at British public schools . Similarly, clubs were formed at colleges within Oxford and Cambridge on the programme for the 1896 games, racing did not take place due to bad weather. Male rowers have competed since the 1900 Summer Olympics . Women's rowing
3978-587: The Netherlands, Great Britain and New Zealand often field competitive teams. The United States also has had very competitive crews, and in recent years these crews have become even more competitive given the surge in women's collegiate rowing . Now there is usually the same number of girls and boys in a group. While rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing toward the stern and uses the oars (also interchangeably referred to as "blades"), which are held in place by oarlocks (also referred to as "gates"), to propel
4080-553: The Olympics and the World Rowing Championships is 2 kilometres (1.24 mi) long. In the United States, some scholastic (high school) races are 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), while many youth races are the standard 2 kilometres. Masters rowers (rowers older than 27) often race 1,000m. However the race distance can and does vary from dashes or sprints, which may be 500 metres (1,640 ft) long, to longer dual races like
4182-487: The Oxford coach ("He wanted us to spend more time training on land than water!", lamented Lyons ), led to the crew walking out on at least one occasion, and resulted in the coach revising his approach. A fitness test between Clark and club president Donald Macdonald (in which Clark triumphed) resulted in a call for Macdonald's removal; it was accompanied with a threat that the Americans would refuse to row should Macdonald remain in
Scullers Head of the River Race - Misplaced Pages Continue
4284-476: The Thames in West London, from Putney to Mortlake , it is over three times the distance of an Olympic race. Members of both crews are traditionally known as blues and each boat as a " Blue Boat ", with Cambridge in light blue and Oxford in dark blue . As of the 2024 race , Cambridge has won the men's race 87 times to Oxford's 81 times, with one dead heat , and has led Oxford in cumulative wins since 1930. In
4386-829: The United Kingdom, the Australian Rowing Championships in Australia, the Harvard–Yale Regatta and Head of the Charles Regatta in the United States, and the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in Canada. Many other competitions often exist for racing between clubs, schools, and universities in each nation. An Egyptian funerary inscription of 1430 BC records that the warrior Amenhotep (Amenophis) II
4488-541: The Women's Boat Race was usually held on a 2000-metre course as part of the Henley Boat Races . However, in 2013 the entire Henley Boat Races were moved to Dorney Lake due to rough water at Henley. In 2021, the race was held on the River Great Ouse from Ely, Cambridgeshire, along with the men's race. The race first appeared in a short film of the 1895 race entitled The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race , directed and produced by Birt Acres . Consisting of
4590-633: The academic requirements of the university, with sport having a neutral effect on any application. Likewise, bursaries and scholarship opportunities for athletes at the University of Cambridge are only open to those students who have already been admitted to the university on academic merit. In order to protect the status of the race as a competition between genuine students, the Cambridge University Blues Committee in July 2007 refused to award
4692-425: The arms towards his or her chest. The hands meet the chest right above the diaphragm. At the end of the stroke, with the oar spoon still in the water, the hands drop slightly to unload the oar so that spring energy stored in the bend of the oar gets transferred to the boat which eases removing the oar from the water and minimizes energy wasted on lifting water above the surface (splashing). The recovery phase follows
4794-468: The authorities. In Piccadilly Jim , it is mentioned that Lord Datchett was thrown out of the Empire Music Hall every year on Boat Race night while he was an undergraduate. Bertie Wooster mentions he is "rather apt to let myself go a bit " on Boat Race night and several times describes being fined five pounds at "Bosher Street" (possibly a reference to Bow Street Magistrates' Court ) for stealing
4896-410: The boat forward (towards the bow ). Rowing is distinguished from paddling in that the oar is attached to the boat using an oarlock or a rowing gate, where in paddling there is no oarlock or attachment of the paddle to the boat. The rowing stroke may be characterized by two fundamental reference points: the catch , which is placement of the oar spoon in the water, and the extraction , also known as
4998-428: The boats clashed and the oar of Oxford crewman Hanno Wienhausen was broken in half with the blade snapped off. The race umpire John Garrett judged the clash to be Oxford's fault and allowed the race to continue. Cambridge quickly took the lead and went on to win the race. The Oxford crew entered a final appeal to the umpire which was quickly rejected; and Cambridge were confirmed as winners in the first race since 1849 that
5100-553: The boats were essentially level with each surging forward during the stroke cycle. With no clear way to determine who had surged forward at the exact finish line, Phelps could only pronounce it a dead heat. Koch believes that the press and Oxford supporters made up the stories about Phelps later, which Phelps had no chance to refute. Oxford, partially disabled, were making effort after effort to hold their rapidly waning lead, while Cambridge, who, curiously enough, had settled together again, and were rowing almost as one man, were putting on
5202-430: The body action in sculling is more anatomically efficient (due to the symmetry). The spoon of oars is normally painted with the colours of the club to which they belong. This greatly simplifies identification of boats at a distance. As many sports teams have logos printed on their jerseys, rowing clubs have specifically painted blades that each team is associated with. Indoor rowing (on indoor rower , or rowing tank )
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#17330860601305304-497: The colours." In 1959 some of the existing Oxford blues attempted to oust president Ronnie Howard and coach Jumbo Edwards. However, their attempt failed when Cambridge supported the president. Three of the dissidents returned and Oxford went on to win by six lengths. Following defeat in the previous year's race , Oxford's first in eleven years, American Chris Clark was determined to gain revenge: "Next year we're gonna kick ass ... Cambridge's ass. Even if I have to go home and bring
5406-519: The coxless four. Many adjustments can be made to the equipment to accommodate the physiques of the crew. Collectively these adjustments are known as the boat's rigging . Oars, sometimes referred to as blades, are used to propel the boat. They are long (sculling: 250–300 cm; sweep oar: 340–360 cm) poles with one flat end about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called the spoon. Classic blades were made out of wood , but modern blades are made from more expensive and durable synthetic material,
5508-487: The crew, including the stroke, were from Christ Church, then Head of the River, whose colours were dark blue. The second race was in 1836, with the venue moved to a course from Westminster to Putney. Over the next two years, there was disagreement over where the race should be held, with Oxford preferring Henley and Cambridge preferring London. Following the official formation of the Oxford University Boat Club , racing between
5610-539: The crew. As boat club president, Macdonald "had absolute power over selection", and when he announced that Clark would row on starboard, his weaker side, Macdonald would row on the port side and Tony Ward was to be dropped from the crew entirely, the American contingent mutinied. After considerable negotiation and debate, much of it conducted in the public eye, Clark, Penny, Huntington, Lyons and Fish were dropped and replaced by members of Oxford's reserve crew, Isis. The race
5712-404: The drive. The recovery starts with the extraction and involves coordinating the body movements with the goal to move the oar back to the catch position. In extraction, the rower pushes down on the oar handle to quickly lift the spoon out of the water and rapidly rotates the oar so that the spoon is parallel to the water. This process is sometimes referred to as feathering the blade . Simultaneously,
5814-549: The early 1980s were viewed as "a bit of a joke" by some international-level rowers of the time. However, their standard has improved substantially since then. In 2007 Cambridge were entered in the London Head of the River Race , where they should have been measured directly against the best crews in Britain and beyond. However, the event was called off after several crews were sunk or swamped in rough conditions. Cambridge were fastest of
5916-638: The end of the 18th century the age before technology. Documentary evidence from this period is sparse, but it is known that the Monarch Boat Club of Eton College and the Isis Club of Westminster School were both in existence in the 1790s. The Star Club and Arrow Club in London for gentlemen amateurs were also in existence before 1800. At the University of Oxford bumping races were first organised in 1815 when Brasenose College and Jesus College boat clubs had
6018-712: The event was subsequently officially held along the Thames, mostly the Championship Course , except the 2021 race which was moved to the River Great Ouse due the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns under Hammersmith Bridge . Unofficial races were held during the Second World War at various locations. The Championship Course is 4 miles and 374 yards (6.779 km) from Putney to Mortlake , passing Hammersmith and Barnes , following an S shape, east to west. The start and finish are marked by
6120-399: The exercise. This drill aids in isolating and understanding the distinct elements of the drive sequence and their interconnectedness. The cut-the-cake drill typically involves the entire boat. Rowers execute the drill collectively, starting with a normal stroke and transitioning into the subsequent recovery. During this process, the entire crew pivots forward with their bodies, swings back to
6222-427: The eyes-closed rowing drill, performed by the whole boat, rowers execute the rowing motion with closed eyes and heightened auditory awareness. Rowers row with eyes closed, relying solely on their sense of touch and careful listening to the boat motion and the coxswain . This drill is designed to enhance rowers' ability to feel the subtle movements of the boat and synchronize seamlessly with their teammates. By eliminating
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#17330860601306324-444: The few crews who did complete the course. The Boat Race has been sponsored since 1976, with the money spent mainly on equipment and travel during the training period. The sponsors do not have their logos on the boats, but now tend to have their logo on kit during the race. They also provide branded training gear and have some naming rights. Boat Race sponsors have included Ladbrokes , Beefeater Gin , Aberdeen Asset Management , and
6426-408: The finish (without letting the oars drop in the water), then swings forward again to reach the catch position. The swinging motion, referred to as "cutting the cake," involves coordinated movements by all rowers, creating a unified and synchronized exercise aimed at improving boat balance, swing, and recovery timing. Designed for the entire crew or smaller groups, this drill involves rowing using only
6528-704: The first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley-on-Thames to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839. Founded in 1818, Leander Club is the world's oldest public rowing club. The second oldest club which still exists is the Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club which was founded 1836 and marked the beginning of rowing as an organized sport in Germany. During the 19th century, as in England, wager matches in North America between professionals became very popular attracting vast crowds. Narragansett Boat Club
6630-471: The first admissions of categories for adaptive rowing for athletes with disabilities, in TA and LTA adaptive rowing classifications . The race is organised by Vesta Rowing Club , Putney, London. This article related to sport in London is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This racing -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This rowing -related article
6732-505: The first annual race while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827. Brasenose beat Jesus to win Oxford University's first Head of the River; the two clubs claim to be the oldest established boat clubs in the world. The Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University first took place in 1829, and was the second intercollegiate sporting event (following the first Varsity Cricket Match by 2 years). The interest in
6834-449: The forces symmetrically to each side of the boat, whereas in sweep oared racing these forces are staggered alternately along the boat. The sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle these unmatched forces, so consequently requires more bracing and is usually heavier – a pair (2-) is usually a more robust boat than a double scull (2x) for example, and being heavier is also slower when used as a double scull. In theory, this could also apply to
6936-409: The men's race the average weight of the crew must be 70 kilograms (154.3 lb; 11 st 0.3 lb), with no rower weighing over 72.5 kilograms (159.8 lb; 11 st 5.8 lb). For the women's race no rower can exceed 59 kilograms (130.1 lb; 9 st 4.1 lb). At Oxford, both the men's and women's lightweight boats are awarded a full blue . At Cambridge the women's boat is awarded
7038-460: The most common being carbon fiber . An 'oar' is often referred to as a blade in the case of sweep oar rowing and as a scull in the case of sculling. A sculling oar is shorter and has a smaller spoon area than the equivalent sweep oar. The combined spoon area of a pair of sculls is however greater than that of a single sweep oar, so the oarsman when sculling is working against more water than when rowing sweep-oared. They are able to do this because
7140-420: The oar in the water and applies pressure to the oar by pushing the seat toward the bow of the boat by extending the legs, thus pushing the boat through the water. The point of placement of the spoon in the water is a relatively fixed point about which the oar serves as a lever to propel the boat. As the rower's legs approach full extension, the rower pivots the torso toward the bow of the boat and then finally pulls
7242-521: The official list: During its early years (1927 to 1976 with several gaps) the Women's Boat Race alternated between The Isis in Oxford and the River Cam in Cambridge over a distance of about 1,000 yards. On two occasions, in 1929 and 1935, the race was held on the Tideway in London. Unlike the men's race, the official women's race continued in most years through the Second World War. From 1977 to 2014,
7344-516: The oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement. FISA first organized a European Rowing Championships in 1893. An annual World Rowing Championships was introduced in 1962. Rowing has also been conducted at the Olympic Games since 1900 (cancelled at the first modern Games in 1896 due to bad weather). Women row in all boat classes, from single scull to coxed eights, across
7446-520: The professional watermen in the United Kingdom that provided ferry and taxi service on the River Thames in London . Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. The oldest surviving such race, Doggett's Coat and Badge was first contested in 1715 and is still held annually from London Bridge to Chelsea . During
7548-409: The race on television. The tradition was started in 1829 by Charles Merivale , a student at St John's College, Cambridge , and his Old Harrovian school friend Charles Wordsworth who was studying at Christ Church, Oxford . The University of Cambridge challenged the University of Oxford to a race at Henley-on-Thames but Oxford won easily. Oxford raced in dark blue because five members of
7650-421: The recovery, the rower squares the oar spoon into perpendicular orientation with respect to the water and begins another stroke. Rowing technique drills are essential components of a rower's training routine, focusing on specific aspects of the rowing stroke to refine skills and enhance overall performance. These structured exercises, whether performed individually (on the erg ), in groups, or whole boat provide
7752-414: The removal of feet from the shoes and placement of feet on top of the shoes. This drill helps rowers maintain continuous pressure on the footboard, especially during oar release. Despite challenges like early leg finishing or excessive layback, feet-out rowing reinforces improved leg connection and more reasonable layback, translating on-the-water skills to the erg for a more efficient rowing experience. In
7854-406: The rest of the stroke, which affords the rower a moment to recover, and allows the boat to glide through the water. The gliding of the boat through the water during recovery is often called run . A controlled slide is necessary to maintain momentum and achieve optimal boat run. However, various teaching methods disagree about the optimal relation in timing between drive and recovery. Near the end of
7956-591: The result was until the Press boat backed down to the Judge and inquired the issue. John Phelps, the waterman, who officiated, replied that the noses of the boats passed the post strictly level, and that the result was a dead heat. Because of World War I and II, the race was not held in 1915–1919 and 1940–1945. On 12 January 1915, The Daily Telegraph announced that the annual race was cancelled due to men leaving for war, "for every available oarsman, either Fresher or Blue, has joined
8058-421: The rower pushes the oar handle away from the chest. The spoon should emerge from the water perpendicular or square and be feathered immediately once clear of the water. After feathering and extending the arms, the rower pivots the body forward. Once the hands are past the knees, the rower compresses the legs which moves the seat towards the stern of the boat. The leg compression occurs relatively slowly compared to
8160-454: The rowing action and provide a means of training on land when waterborne training is restricted, and of measuring rowing fitness. Ergometers do not simulate the lateral balance challenges, the exact resistance of water, or the exact motions of true rowing including the sweep of the oar handles. For that reason ergometer scores are generally not used as the sole selection criterion for crews (colloquially "ergs don't float" ), and technique training
8262-464: The same age ranges and standards as men, from junior amateur through university-level to elite athlete. Typically men and women compete in separate crews although mixed crews and mixed team events also take place. Coaching for women is similar to that for men. The world's first women's rowing team was formed in 1896 at the Furnivall Sculling Club in London. The club, with signature colors
8364-582: The shared shingle of the two boat clubs in Chiswick, a few metres west of Chiswick Bridge. Here, shortly after the race, the Boat Race trophy is presented to the winning crew. It is traditional for the winning side to throw their cox into the Thames to celebrate their achievement. In addition, there were four unofficial boat races held during the Second World War away from London. None of those competing were awarded blues, and these races are not included in
8466-408: The south (' Surrey ') station the other, longer bend. During the race the coxes compete for the fastest current, which lies at the deepest part of the river, frequently leading to clashes of blades and warnings from the umpire. A crew that gets a lead of more than a boat's length can cut in front of their opponent, making it extremely difficult for the trailing crew to gain the lead. For this reason
8568-446: The sport's current status as an amateur sport. At its founding, it had nine clubs; today, there are 12. At least 23 other clubs have belonged to the Navy at various times. Many of the clubs have a rich history, and have produced a large number of Olympians and world-class competitors. The sport's governing body, Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron , was founded in 1892, and is
8670-415: The spring and summer feature side-by-side, or sprint racing; all the boats start at the same time from a stationary position, and the winner is the boat that crosses the finish line first. The number of boats in a race typically varies between two (which is sometimes referred to as a dual race ) to eight, but any number of boats can start together if the course is wide enough. The standard length races for
8772-413: The tactics of the race are generally to go fast early on, and it is unusual for the leading crew to change after halfway (though this happened in 2003, 2007 and 2010). Save for three Victorian instances, each race is rowed westwards, but starts during the incoming (known as flood) tide, so that the crews are rowing with, not against, the fast stream. At the conclusion of the race, the boats come ashore at
8874-409: The telling). Phelps's nickname "Honest John" was not an ironic one, and he was not (as is sometimes claimed) drunk under a bush at the time of the finish. He did have to judge who had won without the assistance of finish posts (which were installed in time for the next year's race). Some newspapers had believed Oxford won a narrow victory but their viewpoint was from downstream; Phelps considered that
8976-476: The two universities resumed in 1839 on the Tideway and the tradition continues to the present day, with the loser challenging the winner to a rematch annually. Since 1856, the race has been held every year, except for the years 1915 to 1919 due to World War I , 1940 to 1945, due to World War II , and in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic policy. The race in 1877 was declared a dead heat . Both crews finished in
9078-890: The visual element, rowers focus on developing a heightened sense of touch and teamwork, fostering a deeper understanding of the rowing experience. This drill enhances the overall coordination and sensitivity to the dynamics of the boat, contributing to improved synchronization and a more nuanced rowing performance. Broadly, there are two ways to row, sometimes called disciplines: Within each discipline, there are several boat classes. A single regatta (series of races) will often feature races for many boat classes. They are classified using: Although sweep and sculling boats are generally identical to each other (except having different riggers ), they are referred to using different names: Sweep boat classes: Sculling boat classes: Racing boats (often called shells ) are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag in
9180-543: The water. There is some trade off between boat speed and stability in choice of hull shape. They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to increase the effectiveness of the rudder. Originally made from wood , shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually a double skin of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic with a sandwich of honeycomb material) for strength and weight advantages. World Rowing rules specify minimum weights for each class of boat so that no individual team will gain
9282-402: The whole US squad with me." He recruited another four American post-graduates: three international-class rowers ( Dan Lyons , Chris Huntington and Chris Penny ) and a cox (Jonathan Fish), in an attempt to put together the fastest Boat Race crew in the history of the contest. When you recruit mercenaries, you can expect some pirates. Disagreements over the training regime of Dan Topolski ,
9384-443: The women's race, Cambridge has won the race 47 times to Oxford's 30 times, and has led Oxford in cumulative wins since 1966. A reserve boat race has been held since 1965 for the men and since 1966 for the women. In most years over 250,000 people watch the race from the banks of the river. In 2009, a record 270,000 people watched the race live. The race is broadcast internationally on television; in 2014, 15 million people watched
9486-552: Was added to the Olympic programme in 1976 . Today, there are fourteen boat classes which race at the Olympics. In addition, the sport's governing body, the World Rowing Federation , holds the annual World Rowing Championships with twenty-two boat classes. Across six continents, 150 countries now have rowing federations that participate in the sport. Major domestic competitions take place in dominant rowing nations and include The Boat Race and Henley Royal Regatta in
9588-488: Was also renowned for his feats of oarsmanship, though there is some disagreement among scholars over whether there were rowing contests in ancient Egypt. In the Aeneid , Virgil mentions rowing forming part of the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father. In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others. The first known "modern" rowing races began from competition among
9690-595: Was cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic policy. The 2021 races were held on the Great Ouse at Ely in Cambridgeshire , over a shorter straight course of 4.9 kilometres (3.0 mi). This was due to the safety issues of Hammersmith Bridge , as well as restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic still being in force. The 2022 Boat Race returned to the Thames and the traditional course between Putney and Mortlake. In
9792-584: Was founded in 1838 exclusively for rowing. During an 1837 parade in Providence, R.I, a group of boatmen were pulling a longboat on wheels, which carried the oldest living survivor of the 1772 Gaspee Raid . They boasted to the crowd that they were the fastest rowing crew on the Bay. A group of Providence locals took issue with this and challenged them to race, which the Providence group summarily won. The six-man core of that group went on in 1838 to found NBC. Detroit Boat Club
9894-399: Was founded in 1839 and is the second oldest continuously operated rowing club in the U.S. In 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University . The Harvard–Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, having been contested every year since 1852 (excepting interruptions for wars and the COVID-19 pandemic ). The Schuylkill Navy
9996-472: Was in gaol once on Boat-race night. High spirits. A fancy for policemen's helmets. When Missee Lee says Camblidge won and evellybody happy he replies Not that year, ma'am. We were the happy ones that year . In the Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge the protagonist's teacher Mr Wilkins is a former Cambridge rowing blue. The 1969 film The Magic Christian features the Boat Race, as Sir Guy makes use of
10098-422: Was significant inequality between the two events. Changes in recent years, arising significantly from the sponsorship of Newton Investment Management , have made the two races more equal: both events have been held together on The Tideway since 2015, and there are new training facilities for the women, comparable to those of the men, since 2016. The 1st Boat Race took place at Henley-on-Thames in 1829 but
10200-551: Was the first to be sponsored by Newton Investment Management , a subsidiary of BNY Mellon. Previously the crews had no sponsorship and were self funded. Newton have remained the sponsor since then and increased the amount of funding significantly. The Boat Races In 2021, the Men's and Women's Boat Races came under the same sponsorship for the first time. Gemini , a cryptocurrency exchange founded by 2010 Oxford Blues Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss , took over as title sponsor and it became
10302-521: Was unlikely. The sponsor has extended to being a "title sponsor" (titular, official race name) since such a longer name of the race was founded in 2010, the first three of which thus becoming The Xchanging Boat Race . In 2013, the sponsor BNY Mellon took over and it became the BNY Mellon Boat Race. From 2016 to 2018, BNY Mellon and Newton Investment management donated the title sponsorship to Cancer Research UK . The Women's Boat Race 2011
10404-468: Was won by Oxford by four lengths, despite Cambridge being favourites. In 1989 Topolski and author Patrick Robinson 's book about the events, True Blue: The Oxford Boat Race Mutiny , was published. Seven years later, a film based on the book was released. Alison Gill, the then-president of the Oxford University Women's Boat Club , wrote The Yanks at Oxford , in which she defended
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