Honours Shared at the 2022 Boat Races

The Oxford Vs Cambridge Boat Races returned to their traditional course between Putney and Mortlake in London, United Kingdom, for the first time since 2019. While Cambridge maintained their title as winners of the Women’s Boat Race for the fifth consecutive year, the Oxford men broke Cambridge’s winning streak in the Men’s Boat Race.

With overcast, but dry conditions, hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the “Championship Course” on London’s River Thames to watch this year’s races, with millions more tuning in around the world.

The Women’s Race was first up and after a quick start, Cambridge established an early lead. As soon as the crew had got in front of Oxford, the Cambridge cox, Jasper Parish steered his crew across in front of the challenger boat, and into their water. It was a bold move which resulted in several warnings from umpire John Garrett, and an appeal from the Oxford cox at the end of the race. Oxford kept the pressure on Cambridge throughout the race, but the relaxed Cambridge crew, with Tokyo Olympians Imogen Grant and Grace Prendergast setting the rhythm in the stern, continued to lead, and crossed the line 2 ½ lengths in front of Oxford. Cambridge’s time of 18:23 broke the Women’s Boat Race record on this course by 8 seconds.

Speaking after winning the race, Cambridge Cox Jasper Parish said: “I took a risk early on to get ahead of them. It paid off as the race went on. Full credit to Oxford, they raced really well and pushed us right to the end. I’m so proud of what we’ve done.”

There were more celebrations for the Cambridge women shortly after when their reserve crew, “Blondie”, beat Oxford’s reserve crew, “Osiris” by 2 ¾ lengths. However, Oxford then began to turn the tide when they took a win in the Men’s Reserve Race, with “Isis” beating “Goldie” by 3 ½ lengths. It was the first time that Isis had won since 2017.

The Men’s Boat Race was the last of the day and, based on previous form, the Oxford crew was looking to break Cambridge’s string of five previous wins. The “Dark Blue” crew was stacked full of talent including Roman Roeoesli (Switzerland), Angus Groom and Charlie Elwes (Great Britain), and backed up by further international medalists, although the Light Blues from Cambridge also boasted a strong international squad.

Oxford was the fastest away from the stakeboats and by Hammersmith Bridge had already established a strong lead. Although Cambridge continued to challenge, the strength and experience of the Oxford crew was just too much and they crossed the finish line 2 ¼ lengths ahead in a time of 16:42, equalling the time of their winning crew in 2005, a time which hasn’t been matched since.

Tobias Schroder, who won gold in the Great Britain eight at last year’s World Rowing U23 Championships, and was in the losing Oxford Blue Boat in 2019 and 2021, said after the race; “A lot of years trying, a lot of years failing. I’m just so proud of what we did there.”

Whilst the Boat Race is the major focus for the student rowers at Oxford and Cambridge, many of them will go on to race at other events later this season and we are likely to see some representing their nations at World Rowing events.