The dark blues of Oxford beat the light blues of Cambridge in the 152nd University Boat Race on the Thames. Oxford have now won the race 4 out of the last 5 times and 2 times in a row.
It's now one of the world's biggest sporting events, and the world's biggest amateur sporting event, with an estimated annual audience of half a billion.
Oxford completed the race of just over 4 miles in 18 mins and 43 seconds, making it the second-longest time of the last ten years, 4 seconds quicker than 2004.
Oxford Power to Boat Race Win
Oxford powered through the wind and the choppy water on the River Thames to win the 152nd University Boat Race.
Cambridge, the favourites with a pull in experience, failed to cope as well with the difficult conditions and were well beaten.
Barney Williams, the Oxford president and the only returning rower from last year's victorious dark blue crew, won the toss and elected to row on the Surrey side - and his boat capitalised on it.
It was a double disappointment for five Cambridge rowers in the crew beaten by Oxford's heaviest ever line-up last year.
The winning time of 18 minutes 43 seconds was well outside the course record of 16 minutes 19 seconds set by Cambridge in 1998 - but that was inevitable considering the conditions.
Oxford made a good start, rowing at 44 strokes a minute, and stole the early advantage despite several warnings from umpire Simon Harris for edging Cambridge over.
Cambridge led by a fraction for the only time in the race passing Fulham's Craven Cottage football ground and the boats were neck and neck approaching Hammersmith Bridge.
But Oxford held their line as they turned into the teeth of the wind and spray from the white-horse waves on the Thames.
Urged on to 'attack' by cox Seb Pierce, Oxford used the power of Williams and Jake Wetzel - members of Canada's coxless four beaten at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in the race which saw Matthew Pinsent win his fourth gold medal - to establish their supremacy.
They were helped by the fact that - unlike Cambridge - they had a pump in their boat while the Light Blues shipped water.
The raw power of Oxford, with Frenchman Bastien Ripoll in the number eight seat, outmatched the technically-favoured light blue boat.
Oxford held a two-length lead going under Barnes Bridge and they dominated the later stages to fulfil the ambitions of Williams, who had predicted "something special''.
But afterwards the Canadian said: "I want to give every credit to our coach.''
It was Sean Bowden's ninth year in charge of Oxford and his fifth victory, while Duncan Holland suffered defeat in his first year after taking over as Cambridge coach from the long-serving Robin Williams.
aolsport.com
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Some quick and easy fun facts about The Boat Race.
Heaviest and Lightest
The heaviest oarsman ever was Christopher Heathcote, 17 stone 5lbs (110.22 kilos) - Oxford 1990
The lighest oarsman ever was Alfred Higgins, 9st 6.5lbs (60.1 kilos) - Oxford stroke 1882
The heaviest ever crew is the 2005 Oxford Crew. They weighed in on March 22nd 2005 at an average of 98.35kg per man (excluding the cox). That"s 15st 16 lbs and 13 ounces per man. Cambridge were held the previous record with an average weight of 14 st 13 3/8 lbs (94.9 kgs) in 1998
The lightest ever coxes were Francis Archer (Cambridge 1862) and Hart Massey (Oxford 1939) - both weighed in at 5 stone 2 lbs (32.66 kilos). There is now a 55kg weight limit for coxes in The Boat Race.
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Youngest and Oldest
The youngest oarsman ever was Matthew Brittin, 18 years - Cambridge 1987 and one of the youngest winning oarsman ever was Matthew Smith, 18 years - Oxford 2000. He went on to victories with Oxford in 2002 and 2003 (as President). The youngest winner of all-time was John Wiggins in 1976, aged 18 years and eight months exactly on Race Day.
The oldest oarsman ever was Donald Macdonald, 31 and three months - Oxford 1987 but the oldest ever to compete was Andy Probert, 38 years - Cambridge cox 1992.
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Tallest
The tallest oarsman ever is Josh West 6" 9.5" (2 metres 7 cm) - Cambridge 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002
The tallest ever crew was Cambridge with an average height of 6ft 6 9/32" in 1999
---------------------------
Winning margin
The smallest winning margin on record is just one foot, which was the winning margin in 2003. In 1980 it was just a canvas - approximately four feet - to Oxford. In 1952, when Oxford also won by a canvas, the boats were bigger and a canvas was approximately six feet.
-----------------------------
Course Record
The current Course Record is 16 mins 19 secs - set by Cambridge in 1998
-------------------------------
Sinkings
There have been six sinkings but the race result has only been determined by a sinking on three occasions: Cambridge twice (1859 and 1978) and Oxford once (1925). On 31 March 1912, both boats sank and the race was held again on 1 April. On 24 March 1951, Oxford sank and the race was rescheduled for 26 March, when Cambridge won
----------------------------------
First Race
The first Boat Race was held in 1829 at Henley on Thames. The first Boat Race on the current course from Putney to Mortlake took place in 1845. This year's is the 152nd Boat Race as there were no races held during both World Wars and several years in the 1830s
----------------------------------
Women
In 1981 Sue Brown (Oxford cox) became the first woman to participate in the Boat Race. 1989 was the first year both Blue Boats were coxed by women
----------------------------------
The Boats
The international class eights boats weigh 96kg (211lbs) and are 19.9m (62ft) long
-----------------------------------
Training
Every member of The Boat Race crews trains for approximately two hours for every stroke in The Race. It takes about 600 strokes to complete the course
----------------------------------
theboatrace.org
It's now one of the world's biggest sporting events, and the world's biggest amateur sporting event, with an estimated annual audience of half a billion.
Oxford completed the race of just over 4 miles in 18 mins and 43 seconds, making it the second-longest time of the last ten years, 4 seconds quicker than 2004.
Oxford Power to Boat Race Win
Oxford powered through the wind and the choppy water on the River Thames to win the 152nd University Boat Race.
Cambridge, the favourites with a pull in experience, failed to cope as well with the difficult conditions and were well beaten.
Barney Williams, the Oxford president and the only returning rower from last year's victorious dark blue crew, won the toss and elected to row on the Surrey side - and his boat capitalised on it.
It was a double disappointment for five Cambridge rowers in the crew beaten by Oxford's heaviest ever line-up last year.
The winning time of 18 minutes 43 seconds was well outside the course record of 16 minutes 19 seconds set by Cambridge in 1998 - but that was inevitable considering the conditions.
Oxford made a good start, rowing at 44 strokes a minute, and stole the early advantage despite several warnings from umpire Simon Harris for edging Cambridge over.
Cambridge led by a fraction for the only time in the race passing Fulham's Craven Cottage football ground and the boats were neck and neck approaching Hammersmith Bridge.
But Oxford held their line as they turned into the teeth of the wind and spray from the white-horse waves on the Thames.
Urged on to 'attack' by cox Seb Pierce, Oxford used the power of Williams and Jake Wetzel - members of Canada's coxless four beaten at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in the race which saw Matthew Pinsent win his fourth gold medal - to establish their supremacy.
They were helped by the fact that - unlike Cambridge - they had a pump in their boat while the Light Blues shipped water.
The raw power of Oxford, with Frenchman Bastien Ripoll in the number eight seat, outmatched the technically-favoured light blue boat.
Oxford held a two-length lead going under Barnes Bridge and they dominated the later stages to fulfil the ambitions of Williams, who had predicted "something special''.
But afterwards the Canadian said: "I want to give every credit to our coach.''
It was Sean Bowden's ninth year in charge of Oxford and his fifth victory, while Duncan Holland suffered defeat in his first year after taking over as Cambridge coach from the long-serving Robin Williams.
aolsport.com
--------------------------------
Some quick and easy fun facts about The Boat Race.
Heaviest and Lightest
The heaviest oarsman ever was Christopher Heathcote, 17 stone 5lbs (110.22 kilos) - Oxford 1990
The lighest oarsman ever was Alfred Higgins, 9st 6.5lbs (60.1 kilos) - Oxford stroke 1882
The heaviest ever crew is the 2005 Oxford Crew. They weighed in on March 22nd 2005 at an average of 98.35kg per man (excluding the cox). That"s 15st 16 lbs and 13 ounces per man. Cambridge were held the previous record with an average weight of 14 st 13 3/8 lbs (94.9 kgs) in 1998
The lightest ever coxes were Francis Archer (Cambridge 1862) and Hart Massey (Oxford 1939) - both weighed in at 5 stone 2 lbs (32.66 kilos). There is now a 55kg weight limit for coxes in The Boat Race.
------------------------
Youngest and Oldest
The youngest oarsman ever was Matthew Brittin, 18 years - Cambridge 1987 and one of the youngest winning oarsman ever was Matthew Smith, 18 years - Oxford 2000. He went on to victories with Oxford in 2002 and 2003 (as President). The youngest winner of all-time was John Wiggins in 1976, aged 18 years and eight months exactly on Race Day.
The oldest oarsman ever was Donald Macdonald, 31 and three months - Oxford 1987 but the oldest ever to compete was Andy Probert, 38 years - Cambridge cox 1992.
-------------------------
Tallest
The tallest oarsman ever is Josh West 6" 9.5" (2 metres 7 cm) - Cambridge 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002
The tallest ever crew was Cambridge with an average height of 6ft 6 9/32" in 1999
---------------------------
Winning margin
The smallest winning margin on record is just one foot, which was the winning margin in 2003. In 1980 it was just a canvas - approximately four feet - to Oxford. In 1952, when Oxford also won by a canvas, the boats were bigger and a canvas was approximately six feet.
-----------------------------
Course Record
The current Course Record is 16 mins 19 secs - set by Cambridge in 1998
-------------------------------
Sinkings
There have been six sinkings but the race result has only been determined by a sinking on three occasions: Cambridge twice (1859 and 1978) and Oxford once (1925). On 31 March 1912, both boats sank and the race was held again on 1 April. On 24 March 1951, Oxford sank and the race was rescheduled for 26 March, when Cambridge won
----------------------------------
First Race
The first Boat Race was held in 1829 at Henley on Thames. The first Boat Race on the current course from Putney to Mortlake took place in 1845. This year's is the 152nd Boat Race as there were no races held during both World Wars and several years in the 1830s
----------------------------------
Women
In 1981 Sue Brown (Oxford cox) became the first woman to participate in the Boat Race. 1989 was the first year both Blue Boats were coxed by women
----------------------------------
The Boats
The international class eights boats weigh 96kg (211lbs) and are 19.9m (62ft) long
-----------------------------------
Training
Every member of The Boat Race crews trains for approximately two hours for every stroke in The Race. It takes about 600 strokes to complete the course
----------------------------------
theboatrace.org