The Boat Race

[Brizzle]

I've been enjoying the build up to The Boat Race this year. I have joined a rowing club based on The Thames this season and have had the chance to watch some of the warm up races that take place ahead of the race.

Using these as a guide to go on, Oxford are in a very strong position.

2 weeks ago they beat the German VIII containing 5 of the crew who won gold at London 2012. They also beat University of London in a warm up (UL are pretty good themselves!).

In the same time, Cambridge have lost to University of Washington (admittedly a fantastic crew, but one you would hope Cambridge could match closer than they did).

Oxford have one of the greatest stern pairs in Boat Race history IMO. Howard who won Silver for Canada at 2012 and Louloudis who stroked the GB VIII to Bronze. Howard is 100kg and rumours suggest he broke the 5k world record a few weeks ago but results are being kept a secret until after the race.

I'll be watching from a friends flat that overlooks 500m finish straight. Can't wait! Anyone else watching?

 

[Spionkop69]

Posh twat 😉

 

[Jack D Rips]

.



I'll be watching from a friends flat that overlooks 500m finish straight. Can't wait! Anyone else watching?

Im up for it. Are you sure your friend wont mind?

 

[Holle]

How long can boats swim in The Thames before they dissolve?

 

[Red Astaire]

I've been enjoying the build up to The Boat Race this year. I have joined a rowing club based on The Thames this season and have had the chance to watch some of the warm up races that take place ahead of the race.

Using these as a guide to go on, Oxford are in a very strong position.

2 weeks ago they beat the German VIII containing 5 of the crew who won gold at London 2012. They also beat University of London in a warm up (UL are pretty good themselves!).

In the same time, Cambridge have lost to University of Washington (admittedly a fantastic crew, but one you would hope Cambridge could match closer than they did).

Oxford have one of the greatest stern pairs in Boat Race history IMO. Howard who won Silver for Canada at 2012 and Louloudis who stroked the GB VIII to Bronze. Howard is 100kg and rumours suggest he broke the 5k world record a few weeks ago but results are being kept a secret until after the race.

I'll be watching from a friends flat that overlooks 500m finish straight. Can't wait! Anyone else watching?

Fucking hell Si - Could you be anymore bourgeoisie? I suppose the innocence of youth and all that..... 😉

 

[Fabio]

I wish there was an equivalent up here.


Well not equivalent because I can't imagine anything more dull.

I'd prefer tramps racing each other in pedalos in Sefton park.

 

[Fabio]

With paintball guns!

 

[Judge Jules]

I've been enjoying the build up to The Boat Race this year. I have joined a rowing club based on The Thames this season and have had the chance to watch some of the warm up races that take place ahead of the race.

Using these as a guide to go on, Oxford are in a very strong position.

2 weeks ago they beat the German VIII containing 5 of the crew who won gold at London 2012. They also beat University of London in a warm up (UL are pretty good themselves!).

In the same time, Cambridge have lost to University of Washington (admittedly a fantastic crew, but one you would hope Cambridge could match closer than they did).

Oxford have one of the greatest stern pairs in Boat Race history IMO. Howard who won Silver for Canada at 2012 and Louloudis who stroked the GB VIII to Bronze. Howard is 100kg and rumours suggest he broke the 5k world record a few weeks ago but results are being kept a secret until after the race.

I'll be watching from a friends flat that overlooks 500m finish straight. Can't wait! Anyone else watching?

This wouldn't be the first time the pre-race favourites had come a cropper on the day. Let's just wait and see.

 

[doctor_mac]

Isn't it half about who gets the favourable draw? Middlesex or Surrey is it?

 

[Athens]

I wish there was an equivalent up here.


Well not equivalent because I can't imagine anything more dull.

I'd prefer tramps racing each other in pedalos in Sefton park.

A lot of sports could be livened up with the addition of tramps, especially if the winner gets alcohol.

Imagine Greco-Roman wrestling, but with tramps tussling over a bottle of white lightning 'cider'. It would be hilarious to watch.

 

[Judge Jules]

Isn't it half about who gets the favourable draw? Middlesex or Surrey is it?

Up to a point, Lord Copper, but less so than it used to be. On balance the Surrey station usually tends to be seen as the more favourable, but the winners have started from the Middlesex station more than once in recent years.

 

[Brizzle]

I read a stat somewhere that it is almost even on which side you start from actually. Over the course of the race, it events out. It is all about who has the stream on the bend at Barnes Bridge (about 3/4 of the way through). I don't think anyone has ever won from being behind at Barnes Bridge as the leading cox can pick the best line through the bridge and the faster stream is towards the outside of the bend so it is relatively easy to keep the leading boat in this from this point onwards.

I don't really have an allegiance to either club, but having watched the build ups quite closely I don't see Cambridge being anywhere near Oxford by the end unless they have transformed the rhythm of their boat in the past few weeks. This could happen though, as they have been hugely playing with the line up and you never know what will work on the day and they could fly out of the traps!

 

[Athens]

Do the currents change much in the Thames, or is it pretty much the same?

 

[Brizzle]

Do the currents change much in the Thames, or is it pretty much the same?

Do you mean by certain time of day or in different times of the day?

If by time of the day, then yes! It is very tidal and the level at low tide is (at a guess just from seeing it) about 5 or 6 metres lower than high tide. This happens each day.

In this race, they do it with the tide rising and the water is flowing the fastest in the deepest parts which are generally outside of centre on a bend. When you watch (or indeed, take part) in a rowing race, it seems counter intuative to take a longer line but it is very much quicker to do so.

 

[Athens]

Do you mean by certain time of day or in different times of the day?

If by time of the day, then yes! It is very tidal and the level at low tide is (at a guess just from seeing it) about 5 or 6 metres lower than high tide. This happens each day.

In this race, they do it with the tide rising and the water is flowing the fastest in the deepest parts which are generally outside of centre on a bend. When you watch (or indeed, take part) in a rowing race, it seems counter intuative to take a longer line but it is very much quicker to do so.

I meant generally if it changed enough to affect the race so that one year the outside line might be an advantage and the next the other lane has the advantage.

 

[Brizzle]

To give a rough idea, based on a quick google image search, check these out. I have seen the low tide lower and the high tide higher though!

(same railings!)

 

[Brizzle]

I meant generally if it changed enough to affect the race so that one year the outside line might be an advantage and the next the other lane has the advantage.

It wouldnt really work like that as the current would be equally strong to give a big advantage on one bend and then back to the other crew at the next bend. But a stronger current would definitely give an advantage to a crew who could then get ahead enough at the beginning to get clear water and from there remove the importance of sides (as they are then rowing bow to stern)

 

[Spionkop69]

The tides at the moment are even higher because of the spring tide. Twickenham was flooded yesterday afternoon by the riverside. Completely impassable.

Also there are two high tides a day, about 12 hrs apart.

 

[Athens]

That's quite a large difference in the tides, I'm surprised actually.

The Lagan (obviously a lot smaller than the Thames) in Belfast is tidal but they built a weir to stop the tide moving in and out as people were sick of the smell from the mudflats when the tide was out.

 

[FoxForceFive]

It amazes me that this is on telly.

There's some fucking amazing sports not televised, like K1, even English kickboxing, & UFC (perhaps the most exciting sport on at the moment) doesn't even get a highlights show on terrestrial tv.

I'd prefer to watch dogs chasing cars, at least you'd be able to look forward to the day one stops & the dog not having a clue what to do & legging it away.

 

[Judge Jules]

Tastes differ, Foxy. I actually won't be able to watch the Boat Race this year, but I do so whenever I can.

Like the sound of "Dog Chases Car" though. I'll see your "dog not having a clue", and raise you the car stopping really suddenly and the stupid dog barrelling straight into the back of it.

 

[Spionkop69]

It amazes me that this is on telly.

There's some fucking amazing sports not televised, like K1, even English kickboxing, & UFC (perhaps the most exciting sport on at the moment) doesn't even get a highlights show on terrestrial tv.

I'd prefer to watch dogs chasing cars, at least you'd be able to look forward to the day one stops & the dog not having a clue what to do & legging it away.

It's considered a sporting crown jewel.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Tastes differ, Foxy. I actually won't be able to watch the Boat Race this year, but I do so whenever I can.

Like the sound of "Dog Chases Car" though. I'll see your "dog not having a clue", and raise you the car stopping really suddenly and the stupid dog barrelling straight into the back of it.

Really? I always assumed it was just the posh that watched it, as I've never met anyone who's even remotely interested.

*wonders whether jj is wearing a smoking jacket & sitting in his study whilst he posts*

 

[Judge Jules]

Haha. Hardly, but as it happens I was lucky enough to go to Cambridge so I have a stake in the outcome. Incidentally, even in my day (the mid-1970s) the intake was nowhere near as uniformly posh as you might imagine, and it's still less so now.

 

[Brizzle]

Rowing as a sport received low air time so it is always nice for it to get some time on the TV. Hopefully watching the build up and the actual race encourages more children to find a local club. The sport is growing rapidly at the moment!

As I say, I have no allegience to either Oxford or Cambridge, but due to the high publicity around this race, they can get the top rowers from around the World to join their universities and benefit from their sponsored programmes. The standard sometimes isn't the highest in the country, and there are years when universities like Oxford Brookes, Newcastle and London could beat either of them, along with some of the 'club' teams in England like Leander, London, Molesey etc. This year though, the Oxford boat looks immense, and as I said, beat the German VIII that won gold at the Olympics in 2 training pieces (both half the length of the course).

My club also happens to be based about 200m past the finish, and directly opposite the club where they hold the celebrations so being able to be part of the atmosphere is quite appealing.

No sport is universally appealing, so if you don't like it, I'd suggest you simply don't watch it. I think most of us here want more of the sports we like to be televised, and for those who row, this is one of the few times outside of the Olympics that you can watch it at sociable hours.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Fair enough mate, & I know you're into your rowing, it just annoys me that it's on terrestrial tv when much more popular sports aren't.

 

[Brizzle]

Its only once a year though! I'd much rather they used similar slots (e.g. Sunday day time) to televise many of the other less popular sports. After the Olympics I would have thought there would be, for atleast a year or two, increased demand to watch more track cycling, swimming, canoe slalom, athletics, UK basketball etc. Nothing seems to have really changed other than the stars of the olympics appearing as guests on the usual shows!

 

[Brizzle]

I'd also suggest that rowing is a sport that looks a bit boring from the outside, as you only ever see the top crews and they make it look so simple. However, when you are actually learning and working your way up to races, there are so many intricacies that when multiplied down an 8 or 4 person boat make it very difficult to get that 'perfect stroke'.

I always describe the level of addiction to the sport as a crew experiencing one outing of rowing to a very high standard, when everything clicks and then spend the next 6 months training to try and replicate that! In lower level boats you get a lot more rocking from side to side which also adds to the difficulty as not only are you trying to row well, you are trying to balance the bloody thing!

 

[doctor_mac]

Haha. Hardly, but as it happens I was lucky enough to go to Cambridge so I have a stake in the outcome. Incidentally, even in my day (the mid-1970s) the intake was nowhere near as uniformly posh as you might imagine, and it's still less so now.

Yeah they can't be that posh; they've invited me to put in an application for a post there.

 

[Brizzle]

Great news Mac!