Boat race

[Geoffrey S]

It's that time of year again. Tomorrow, 17.15, in London, Cambridge and Oxford once again face each other along the Thames in one of the classics of sports events. The Boat Race (http://www.theboatrace.org/). Accusations of elitism and curious selection are frequent, but when it comes down to it it's eighteen people (thirty-six counting reserves) who are going to show us just how great a sport rowing can be.

Anyone watching on tv or actually going to see? Any predictions?

[Martok]

Anyone watching on tv or actually going to see?
Depends. Any idea if it airs over here in the Sates at all?

[Geoffrey S]

The site mentions ESPNU, and I assume BBC World Service should be available.

[Banquo's Ghost]

I hope Oxford fulfils their billing as this year's favourites - especially as the light blues have had to replace their stroke - but I suspect it will be a close run thing. We've gone for sheer brawn again, whereas Cambridge are still ahead in technique.

These days, I watch on the eejit's lantern rather than the banks. The weather looks as if it will be awful, too.

[Adrian II]

[..] eighteen people (thirty-six counting reserves) who are going to show us just how great a sport rowing can be.Agreed. And how **** good they are at it. These guys used to be the envy of every oarsman during my student rowing days.

[Geoffrey S]

These days, I watch on the eejit's lantern rather than the banks. The weather looks as if it will be awful, too.
Yeah. I'd wager Oxford will get more of an advantage out of that, but can lead to unpredictable things. I'd guess Cambridge taking an early lead, but losing it to Oxford over the course of the race.

Agreed. And how **** good they are at it. These guys used to be the envy of every oarsman during my student rowing days.
Heck, they still are!

[Banquo's Ghost]

Well, Oxford pulled it off, despite a brave effort from Cambridge. The weather and our power made all the difference, I think.

Not a classic by any means, but quite a feat to stay afloat in those conditions.

[Geoffrey S]

Interesting race. Cambridge clearly only had a chance if they got an early lead, and they didn't - but they surprised me with their tenacity. Their higher rate clearly took its toll their, and it looked like the bow pair in particular struggled when they crossed into bad water, showing clear exhaustion. That broke the team.

Impressed with Oxford though. They rowed a very, very steady race and showed their class and experience in the rough water.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Do you think the high rate early on was simply due to the replacement stroke or their game plan? I got the impression they were trying to break Oxford very early, which was an odd tactic even if having the lead early was important - after all, they did have Surrey.

[Craterus]

Perhaps someone can clear this up.

Why were nearly all of them so old? Do they both now resort to offering post-graduate places to a select team of already-established rowers just to win the race?

[Geoffrey S]

Do you think the high rate early on was simply due to the replacement stroke or their game plan? I got the impression they were trying to break Oxford very early, which was an odd tactic even if having the lead early was important - after all, they did have Surrey.
I think it was their game plan. They were lighter, more importantly had less experience onboard, sp it was clear they'd have trouble breaking Oxford at the end of the race, when raw strength and experience rather than technique carries a team. Let alone in rougher water and behind their opponent. If they were going to have a chance at the end of the race they had no choice but to push past Oxford before rough water and hog the perfect line and demoralize their opponents. It was the only way they could win, yet as was shown in the race it was risky: it exhausted the Cambridge team and despite their higher rate they couldn't push past, which in turn is demotivating. They kept up, but the rough water really broke the already tired bow pair since they are the first to hit waves - as they broke, the rest of the boat wasn't supported as well as it should have been and as seen bounced more than it should have. There was some very nice footage in the roughest parts showing the contrast between the two teams, with the lower rate being an advantage there to the heavier and more powerful Oxford, and Cambridge's rate suffering (untenable in those conditions). That's where Oxford pulled away.

I think the stroke did excellently. He kept Cambridge in the race for surprisingly long, more than anyone could have expected - possibly the lack of training sessions together showed most in the lagging start, for which his boat had to compensate excessively to push ahead to Surrey and for which they paid the price later. I don't think the regular stroke could have done much better, and I think the causes of the team falling apart can be found further back (partially number 7, certainly 1 and 2), though admittedly that was partially due to the inherent difficulties of a high rate in waves (difficuly to prepare the catch).

Why were nearly all of them so old? Do they both now resort to offering post-graduate places to a select team of already-established rowers just to win the race?
It's not that bad, is it? The vast majority of rowers was in their early twenties, with a handful over thirty - two of the more representative teams of the universities over recent years in my opinions. Though I find the accusations of offering scholarship places to lure great rowers taken too far in most cases anyway, since even outside the Boat Race there are plenty of students who study outside their regular uni for no more than a year.

Also makes sense given the context - it's pre-Olympics, so the very best rowers tend to be busy with those, leaving younger talents and older veterans to fill the boats. Will probably see more big names next year.

[Craterus]

So it's true then? At least to some extent.

[Geoffrey S]

No, not really. A quick check yields the information that in both of the main boats, six of the eight were under twenty-five - and even for the rest, their age is also well within the range of students who quite conceivably have had to delay their academic career by several years to accommodate international performances in what is arguably one of the most time-intensive sports there is. With the exception, perhaps, of Wherley.

For example in the Netherlands even at low-level student race rowing, universities often allow the special delays of studies to those students who sport intensively; in the case of even freshman eights this easily ratchets up to eight training sessions a week, which are rarely shorter than two hours apiece in total. For more experienced crews this can be even more, up to two a day. This isn't even accounting for the fact that every second weekend is completely filled with races.

[Craterus]

Yes but the sheer number of international competitors suggests to me that they were approached by Oxbridge to row. I'm sure the Americans could have pursued rowing just as easily at an American college. And likewise for the other students.

[Geoffrey S]

And? Regardless, the prestige of both the race and the universities involved is enough to draw excellent student rowers from around the world without needing them to be approached. There are plenty who aren't quite good enough for current national teams, good local Oxbridge rowers, or those who simply want a break from international rowing. Who wouldn't want to race in front of an audience of millions, or have Oxford or Cambridge on their cvs?

As I said, most are genuine students, and bright ones too - the scandal when Thorsten Engelmann dropped his study emphasizes that he was and still is considered an exception. As long as they complete at least one year of study I consider it acceptable. And personally, I don't think being British has anything to do with the spirit of the race.