Boat Race – Live Text
Action and build-up as it happens
1720: Delighted to say he’s survived his brush with hypothermia and I’m delighted to say I can finally head off for a bit of chocolate now. It’s been an absolute pleasure to bring you the 159th Boat Race and an even bigger pleasure to watch Oxford claim a dominant victory here in Chiswick. Keep your eyes peeled for the Tab’s final report on the race, it’s coming up shortly, thank you for spending the afternoon with us.
1713: Godzilla’s on his way for a cold swim courtesy of the rowers.
1712: And there’s the Champagne, those boys have a long night ahead of them and it’s a well deserved one. Quite a birthday for former president Karl Hudspith of St. Peter’s and quite a performance from our boys in Dark Blue.
1709: Alex Davidson is handed the trophy – disappointing lack of going nuts here especially from Godzilla who’s almost dwarfed when it’s his turn with it
1708: Oxford head up now to pick up their medals and their trophy but we all know their real prize is greatness
1707: Godzilla coming in for some shocking abuse on twitter – shame on you Tyrone
1706: Dr. Alex Woods standing up at the finish this time – great to see him able to enjoy a victory after giving us all a lesson in suffering last year
1704: I bet Malcolm Howard can pack a few pints away #lashbandicoot
1702: Both crews getting ready for the victory ceremony now, sure they’ll all be looking forward to tasting booze again
1701: Chin up Cambridge, one of your crews might win next year
1700: “Now is not the time to talk to losers” – bit cold from Clare Balding
1658: Geordie Macleod’s got the bloody sunglasses on again – surely OUBC have the money for a fashion consultant?? Kudos to him though, after racing in the spare pair in his first year and Isis in his second he has finally got his blue – and all that whilst managing the stunning workload of a geography degree.
1655: Stan Louloudis thanks his sister, bless ‘im
1654: Godzilla speaks – telling Clare Balding “It was tough, but that was what we expected”
1653: Hugs all round for the Dark Blues as they land – fantastic scenes after the horror that was last year
1652: Chants of “I’d rather be a leper than a tab” (yeah, I know) being heard here at the finish area – whoever you are, touche
1651: BBC commentator referring to “a very courageous Cambridge” – I’m calling bullshit
1650: Oxford make a splash (literally) as they cross the line comfortably in front and you can just about spot some grins beneath the pain masks being sported by the whole crew
1650: OXFORD HAVE WON OXFORD HAVE WON OXFORD HAVE WON OXFORD HAVE WON
1649: The crews go in front of a giant Budweiser (any chance of a freebie for the shout out?) billboard and they’ve certainly earned a beer with this
1648: WHERE ARE YOUR BELOVED UNI LEAGUE TABLES NOW CAMBRIDGE???
1647: Godzilla going wide but it’s probably not going to make much difference – yet again Cambridge have been humbled. Oxford are simply the original and the best.
1646: If there isn’t dancing on the streets of Oxford then there should be, this has been a hell of a performance from Oxford and they are three minutes away from what will be a comprehensive victory.
1646: Almost nothing Cambridge can do about this now
1645: OXFORD HAVE DONE IT, THEY HAVE CLEAR WATER, THEY HAVE CLEAR WATER
1644: Oxford look as if they’re moving across the light blues FANTASTIC STUFF
1643: A COX IS SWEARING… ON THE BBC
SHOCK AND OUTRAGE ACROSS BRITAIN
1643: Oxford roughly a length ahead, about to lose the benefit of the bend but SO CLOSE to getting clear water
1642: Ten minutes in and those boys will be firmly ensconced in the pain locker bynow
1641: Cambridge coming back, Oxford’s lead has been cut slightly
1640: Oxford look good, very good, very very good
1640: Gaining clear water allows the leading crew to take the fastest racing line and essentially ends the race as a contest – Oxford probably need another half a length to get in front of the tabs
1639: COME ON OXFORD GET CLEAR
1638: Oxford ahead by three quarters of a length and they will be confident of gaining clear water as we go round the Surrey bend
1637: Oxford put in a push and Godzilla is far and away the louder of the two coxes #everylittlehelps
1636: Oxford look calm and collected, rowing very clean, some big cheek puffing going on
1635: Oxford still quarter of a length ahead as we go through the first mile. This is big for them – Cambridge should be ahead after having the better side for the first bend.
1634: Oxford quarter of a length ahead but blades are clashing, ‘ooooohs’ going up around the press box and Dark Blue umpire Matt Pinsent hasn’t given us the break a loyal man would’ve done
1633: Oskar ‘Godzilla’ Zorilla already sitting next to the light blue 6 man, great start for Oxford and only roughly another 16 minutes to hold on
1632: Disappointing to see Macolm Howard in white sunglasses – he’d better win if he’s going to commit sins like that
1631: They’re up and running, Oxford have already stretched out to a canvas lead
1630: Come on coxes, get your shit together
1629: And we’re into the worst minute of the race – the one before it starts
1627: The crews are attached to their stakeboats, here we go
1626: Four minutes to go…
1623: With one more fixture (the Boat Race, duh) to go Oxford currently lead ‘Rowing Varsity’ 5-0 (courtesy of victories for women’s 1st eight, women’s 2nd eight, men’s lightweights, women’s lightweights and now Isis)
1621: YEAH ISIS HAVE BEATEN GOLDIE FUCK YOU CAMBRIDGE YEAH
1618: Everybody’s favourite Colombian Oskar ‘Godzilla’ Zorilla getting his moment in the sun courtesy of BBC 1.
1617: Here’s the course today for any of you unfamiliar with this part of London with Oxford (having won the toss) on the Surrey side of the river.
1615:
Happy to say the Tab’s ‘Trenton Watch’ is still coming up negative as the BBC gives us shots of scary army men on boats (that have engines, pussies) who presumably are there to defend elitism.
1611: Oskar ‘Godzilla’ Zorilla, the Oxford cox, is currently putting his crew through their warm-up ahead of inevitably shoeing the tabs
1609: Pithers has fled, one nil to Oxford on the riverbank
1608: Huge chat from the Cambridge Tab‘s correspondent Will Pithers:
“Thoroughly unimpressed by the fact that Matthew Pinsent – former Oxford rower, no less – is umpiring this race. He may have friendly rosy cheeks and curly hair, but he went to the Other Place – which means he’s dead to me.”
THE BLOODY CHEEK OF IT AFTER THEIR UMPIRE LAST YEAR WOULDN’T LET US GET A NEW OAR!!!!!
Rest assured I am stalking the press box to mete out some retribution.
1601: Recent rowing results have favoured the mighty Dark Blues with victories for the women’s 1st and 2nd eights, women’s lightweights and men’s lightweights in the Henley Boat Races last week. The one blip on the radar (and it’s just a blip, I promise) being the victory for Cambridge in yesterday’s Veteran Boat Race.
1600: THIS IS YOUR HALF HOUR CALL, 30 MINUTES UNTIL THE 159TH BOAT RACE
1559: No sight of Trenton yet, let’s hope he can behave himself this year.
1556: Here’s what it’s all about, the Boat Race trophy being tightly guarded by some men whose camouflage hasn’t managed to fool the cameras.
1553: Big man Tom Gibbs has reported that all crews have now boated, by the time they touch land again one of them (it’ll be Oxford) will have achieved greatness whilst the other (Cambridge) will be looking at a wasted six months.
1551: We’d love to hear from you if you’re out and about on the river today; send us your pictures, messages and predictions by tweeting (@TheTabOxford) or leave them on our facebook page.
1549: The wind is blowing with the tide producing calm conditions – good news for habitual sinkers Cambridge
1546: The crews are getting out onto the water now even though there’s still a while until the race. Delighted to report that Oxford 2 seat Geordie Macleod has ditched the horrendous white sunglasses and orange pogies he was sporting yesterday morning.
Isis and Goldie go off at 1600 with the Boat Race itself starting at 1630.
1540: Any of you suffering from a lack of rowing chat???? You can check out the Tab’s coverage of Trial Eights back in December, Meet the Crews or enjoy some EXCLUSIVE pictures and videos that I had to get up at five in the morning for.
1535: Former Oxford oarsman and Olympic gold medalist Andrew Triggs-Hodge is on hand to lend support to the cause.
1530: Hello and welcome to the Tab’s live Boat Race coverage brought to you from the media centre here in Chiswick. I’m Harry Hodges and I’ll be manning the keyboard whilst roving reporter Tom Gibbs is out and about bringing you the latest.
Word from Tom is that “it’s bloody cold” at the finish with snow falling and it’s been a good start for the Dark Blues with Oxford president Alex Davidson winning the toss and choosing the Surrey station and telling Clare Balding “there’s not much in it but you have to pick one.”