The Boat Race 1991

The 137th Boat Race took place on 30 March 1991. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford, whose crew contained one of only two men to have rowed for both universities, won by four-and-a-quarter lengths.

In the reserve race, Cambridge's Goldie defeated Oxford's Isis, while Oxford won the Women's Boat Race.

Background

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")^[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").^[1] First held in 1829, the race takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.^[2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.^[3][4] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1990 race by two-and-a-quarter lengths,^[5] with Cambridge leading overall with 69 victories to Oxford's 66 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).^[6] The race was sponsored by Beefeater Gin.^[7]

The first Women's Boat Race took place in 1927, but did not become an annual fixture until the 1960s. Until 2014, the contest was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but as of the 2015 race, it is held on the River Thames, on the same day as the men's main and reserve races.^[8] The reserve race, contested between Oxford's Isis boat and Cambridge's Goldie boat has been held since 1965. It usually takes place on the Tideway, prior to the main Boat Race.^[5]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed 9.5 pounds (4.3 kg) per rower more than their opponents.^[9] The Oxford crew's average age was 22, while Cambridge were, on average, half a year younger.^[9] Richard Young, Oxford's bow, had rowed for Cambridge in the 1990 race, making him one of only two men to earn a rowing Blue for both Universities.^[10] Both crews contained former Blues; Cambridge saw Richard Staite, Guy Pooley and Adam Wright return, while Oxford welcomed Young, Calman Maclennan, Matthew Pinsent and Rupert Obholzer.^[9]

Seat	Oxford			Cambridge
	Name	College	Weight	Name	College	Weight
Bow	Richard C Young	St John's	12 st 12 lb	Richard A B Smith	Trinity Hall	12 st 10 lb
2	Joseph G Michels	University	13 st 1 lb	Richard J Staite (P)	St Catharine's	11 st 4 lb
3	Peter A J Bridge	Oriel	14 st 1 lb	Maximillian C J Justicz	Sidney Sussex	13 st 8 lb
4	Hamish P M Hume	Pembroke	13 st 7 lb	Guy R Pooley	St John's	13 st 3 lb
5	Calman A Maclennan	Keble	14 st 2 lb	Kieron St C Allen	Magdalene	13 st 2 lb
6	Matthew C Pinsent	St Catherine's	15 st 2 lb	David R Gillard	St Catharine's	14 st 6 lb
7	Robert W Martin	University	13 st 9 lb	Nicholas J Clarry	Jesus	12 st 11 lb
Stroke	Rupert J Obholzer (P)	St Catherine's	13 st 10 lb	Adam J Wright	Corpus Christi	13 st 6 lb
Cox	Neil Chugani	St Catherine's	7 st 13 lb	Andrew J L Bracey	Magdalene	7 st 12 lb
Source:[9] (P) – boat club president

Race

The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is contested

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station.^[11] Rating higher, Cambridge took an early lead under the guidance of experienced stroke Adam Wright, and were almost a length up after two-and-a-half minutes. By the Mile Post, the lead was just a second and the long bend around Harrods Furniture Depository, afforded Oxford the advantage, and by Hammersmith Bridge the Dark Blues were over two seconds ahead. Extending their lead to seven seconds by Chiswick Steps, Oxford took control of the race and passed under Barnes Bridge with a twelve-second advantage. Oxford passed the finishing post in a time of 16 minutes 59 seconds, the third-fastest time in the history of the Boat Race, winning their 18th race in 23 years.^[7] The Beefeater Gin Trophy was presented to the victorious Oxford Boat Club president Obholzer by the Princess Royal.^[7]

In the reserve race, Cambridge's Goldie won by four lengths over Isis, their fourth victory in five years.^[5] Oxford won the 46th Women's Boat Race by three lengths in a time of 7 minutes and 29 seconds, their second victory in four years.^[5]

Reaction

Oxford's finishing coach was surprised that Cambridge made such a good start, while his counterpart, Stephen Peel, had hoped that his crew would "rattle Oxford by breaking contact".^[11] Winning head coach Stephen Royle praised his stroke, Obholzer: "Rupert was brilliant. He took the race by the scruff of the neck."^[11] Despite Michels shouting "see you at the finish" as his boat pulled away from Cambridge, and a celebration considered "street-gang-style prancing" by the Oxford crew,^[7] Michels explained: "without Cambridge, there is no race. The beauty of the event is the personal conflict, and that is what it brings out in the crowds."^[7]

References

External links

• Official website

The Boat Race
	Oxford University Boat Club (crews) Oxford University Women's Boat Club Cambridge University Boat Club (crews) Cambridge University Women's Boat Club
	The Championship Course Results Blue Boat Goldie Stones
	Henley Boat Races OU Lightweight Rowing Club OU Women's Lightweight Rowing Club CU Lightweight Rowing Club CU Women's Lightweights
	The Boat Race 1829 1836 1839 1840 1841 1842 1845 1846 1849 1849 1852 1854 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
	Women's Boat Race 1927 1929 1930 1934 1935 1936 1939 1941 1973 1974 1975 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1993 1994 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
	The Boat Races 2015 2016 2017
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