The Boat Races 2017 (also known as The Cancer Research UK Boat Races for the purposes of sponsorship) took place on 2 April 2017. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge along a tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London. For the second time in the history of the event, the men's, women's and both reserves' races were all held on the Tideway on the same day.
In the men's reserve race, Cambridge's Goldie were beaten by Oxford's Isis, their seventh consecutive defeat. In the women's reserve race, Cambridge's Blondie defeated Oxford's Osiris, their second consecutive victory. In the women's race, Cambridge won by a large margin following a disastrous start by the Oxford boat. Their second win in the past ten years, it took Cambridge's advantage in the overall standings to 42–30. The Oxford men's boat won their race after leading from the start, their fourth victory in five years and taking the overall record in the event to 82–80 in Cambridge's favour.
The races were watched by around a quarter of a million spectators live, more than five million domestic television viewers, and were broadcast around the world by a variety of broadcasters. The two main races were also available for the first time as a live stream using YouTube.
Background
The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). First held in 1829, the race takes place on the Championship Course, between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames in south-west London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide. Cambridge went into the men's race as champions, having won the 2016 race by a margin of two and a half lengths, and leading overall with 82 victories to Oxford's 79 (excluding the 1877 race, officially a dead heat though claimed as a victory by the Oxford crew).
It was the second time in the history of the Boat Race that all four senior races – the men's, women's, men's reserves' and women's reserves' – were held on the same day and on the same course along the Tideway. Prior to 2015, the women's race, which first took place in 1927, was usually held at the Henley Boat Races along the course. However, on at least two occasions in the interwar period, the women competed on the Thames between Chiswick and Kew. The Oxford women went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 2016 race by 24 lengths, with Cambridge leading 41–30 overall. For the fifth year, BNY Mellon sponsored the men's race, while Newton Investment Management, a Mellon subsidiary, sponsored the women's race. In January 2016, it was announced that the sponsors would be donating the title sponsorship to Cancer Research UK and that the 2016 event was retitled "The Cancer Research UK Boat Races". There is no monetary award for winning the race, as the journalist Roger Alton notes: "It's the last great amateur event: seven months of pain for no prize money".
The autumn reception was held at the Guildhall in London on 3 November 2016. As Oxford's women had won the previous year's race, it was Cambridge's responsibility to offer the traditional challenge to the Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC). To that end, Ashton Brown, President of Cambridge University Women's Boat Club (CUWBC), challenged Isabell Von Loga, her Oxford counterpart. Cambridge's victory in the men's race meant that Michael Di Santo, President of Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC), challenged Lance Tredell, President of Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC).
The men's race was umpired for the second time by the Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, who won the Boat Race himself with Oxford in the 1990 and 1991 races before losing (as President) in the 1993 race. Pinsent was the assistant umpire in the 2012 race and umpired the OUBC victory in the 2013 race. The umpire for the women's race was Sarah Winckless, who became the first woman to umpire a Boat Race on the Tideway. Winckless won a bronze medal in the women's double sculls at the 2004 Summer Olympics and umpired the men's reserve's race in 2016.
The event was broadcast live in the United Kingdom on the BBC, and received a viewership of 5.5 million. Numerous broadcasters worldwide also showed the main races, including SuperSport across Africa, the EBU across Europe, Sky México across Central America, TSN in Canada and Fox Sports in Australia. It was also streamed live on BBC Online. For the first time, the men's and women's races were streamed live on YouTube.
Coaches
The Cambridge men's crew coaching team was led by their chief coach Steve Trapmore. Trapmore, a gold medal-winning member of the men's eight at the 2000 Summer Olympics, was appointed to the post in 2010. He was assisted by Richard Chambers, silver medallist in the men's lightweight coxless four at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Donald Legget, who rowed for the Light Blues in the 1963 and 1964 races, acted as a supporting coach, along with coxing coach Henry Fieldman (who steered Cambridge in the 2013 race) and the medical officer Simon Owens. Sean Bowden was chief coach for Oxford, having been responsible for the senior men's crew since 1997, winning 11 from 17 races. He is a former Great Britain Olympic coach and coached the Light Blues in the 1993 and 1994 Boat Races. His assistant coach was Andy Nelder, who has coached the senior boat since 2006.
Ali Williams, the former Canadian international cox, was OUWBC's chief coach, a new role for her; she had been head coach at the University of Alberta. She was assisted by Jamie Kirkwood. Cambridge's women were coached by the former Goldie coach Rob Baker who was assisted by Paddy Ryan and Nick Acock, along with the former Light Blue cox Peter Rudge.
Trials Dates for the trials, where crews are able to simulate the race proper on the Championship Course, were announced on 16 November 2016. Oxford's two senior crews rowed on 30 November, while Cambridge's crews raced on 12 December.
Women
Oxford's women's trials took place on a section of the Championship Course on 30 November 2016, between the Oxford boats, Heather and Helen, named after the gold medal-winning British Olympic pairing of Heather Stanning and Helen Glover. In cold conditions, the women's race was overseen by Winckless, who soon warned Helen for encroachment after Heather took a slim early lead. Helen took the lead around Fulham before Heather accelerated away at the Mile Post, and were two lengths ahead by St Paul's boathouse. Both crews were warned by the umpire as they approached Barnes Bridge, and Helen began to narrow the gap. Closing in on Chiswick Bridge, the finishing line, the boats began to overlap and in a sprint finish, Helen won "a narrow victory".
Cambridge's women's trials were held on 12 December 2016, on a stretch of the Championship Course. The trial boats were named Hallam and Needs after former coaches Ed Hallam and Ron Needs, both of whom had died earlier in the year. Hallam took an early lead and were nearly a length up by Fulham. Both crews were warned for encroachment before Hallam extended their lead to two lengths by the time the boats passed below Barnes Bridge. Both Needs and Hallam increased their rate in the final 500 m of the race, but Hallam pulled further away to pass the finish line at the University Post by four lengths.
Men Oxford's men's trials took place on a section of the Championship Course on 30 November 2016, between the Oxford boats, Acer and Daniel, named after their former cox Acer Nethercott and their long-term coach Daniel Topolski, both of whom had died from cancer. The race was umpired by Pinsent. Acer took an early lead but Daniel was level by Barn Elms boathouse. Acer continued to pull away despite multiple warnings from Pinsent, and were almost a length up at Fulham. The gap narrowed as Daniel pushed on and by Hammersmith Bridge, the crews converged, and blades clashed. Daniel crew handled the situation the better and took a half-length lead by Chiswick Eyot. By Barnes the lead was three lengths, with Daniel crossing the finish line at the University of London boathouse four lengths ahead.
The Cambridge men's trial boats were named One T and Two G's in honour of their coach Donald Legget who had served the club for fifty years. One T took the lead and were length ahead by the end of the boathouses. Two G's pushed on and closed the gap to a quarter of a length by the time the crews passed below Hammersmith Bridge. In rough conditions, One T extended their lead to a length by Barnes Bridge. A sprint finish ensued, with Two G's closing the gap to half a length, before One T pulled away again to lead by lengths by the time the boats passed the finishing line at the University Post.
Build-up Women OUWBC faced a crew from Oxford Brookes University Boat Club (OBUBC) in two races along the Championship Course on 19 February. The first piece, from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge, saw OBUBC make the better start, but OUWBC took the lead at Craven Cottage. A length ahead at the Mile Post, the Dark Blues were comfortable winners. The second race, from Hammersmith to Barnes Bridge followed a similar pattern with OBUBC taking an early lead, and OUWBC pushing through for the win. On 19 March, the Dark Blues took on a crew from Molesey in two races on the Tideway. A tight start during which Winckless, the umpire, warned both crews, Molesey took a marginal lead. OUWBC were back on level terms by the Mile Post and in calmer conditions, pushed away from Molesey to be a length up by Harrods. Pulling further ahead, the Dark Blues won by three lengths. The second race saw Molesey take the lead once again, and were soon a length up. Oxford's attempts to reduce the deficit came to no avail and Molesey won by just short of one length.
Cambridge took on University of London Boat Club (UL) on 19 February along two sections of the Championship Course. CUWBC won the first piece, from Putney to Hammersmith, convincingly. Leading almost from the start, the Light Blues passed below Hammersmith Bridge more than three lengths ahead. The second race, from Chiswick Steps to the Finishing Post saw UL given a clear-water headstart. Despite that, CUWBC rowed strongly throughout to win by at least three lengths.
Men The first race in the build-up to The Boat Races for CUBC was against OBUBC on 29 January 2017 along two sections of the Championship Course. The first race was from Putney Bridge to Chiswick Eyot; OBUBC took an early lead before Cambridge led at Hammersmith. A final push from OBUBC resulted in a drawn race. The second race, from Chiswick Eyot to the University Post, was a one-sided affair with OBUBC leading from the start and gradually pulling away to win by two lengths. Goldie also faced an Oxford Brookes crew over two pieces, losing them both. Cambridge faced an Italian national crew on 18 March in two pieces on the Championship Course. The first race saw the Italians make the better start, and despite steering off-course, they maintained their lead in rough weather under Hammersmith Bridge. CUBC pushed hard but were unable to catch the Italians, losing by one quarter of a length. The second piece was conducted in blustery conditions between Chiswick Eyot and Chiswick Bridge. A close start saw both crews level after a minute, but the Light Blues pulled away after Barnes Bridge, and won by four lengths.