A bit different to usual this year.

Bit dull no?

I was there last year, in the Pub, didn’t see much of it, atmosphere was ok, lot’s of girls all excitable and all that but this year.. dunno, lost it’s Kudos somewhat.

Missed it.
Just got back from a lovely swim though. 😀

There was a race? Lots of respect for Oxford.

Saw it on TV. Everything lining up for an absolutely cracking finish, then some asshat went and ruined it.

Made me quite angry to be honest, cant imagine how disappointed both crews are to have devoted the last 6 months of their lives to training so that one guy can get his 15 mins of fame.

Thought that BBC commentary guys did an excellent job in the circumstances though, particularly enjoyed:
Commentator 1: He’s unconscious. He needs a doctor.
Commentator 2: He is a doctor….

Agreed, crews must be gutted.
Was enjoying a close race.

just watched it. Tough but the right call. Reckon that if the swimmer hadn’t got involved Oxford would have edged it.

Good example of how import the only person who doesn’t actually power the boat is.

Have not seen anything yet that indicates if the swimmer was just a tool or a tool with a cause. Must be gutting for those involved who had trained so hard. Hollow victory for Cambridge all around I’d have thought.

Assuming also that the Oxford bow is going to be alright as no mention of ongoing issues.

I think its a shame that it hasn’t been modernised, where the boat race is actually a cup final of a competition that all university’s are eligible for.

Does anyone know if the oxbridge universities/colleges basically operate on an American system to entice the top rowers to study there?

There are other competitions that all unis race at.

The Oxford guy’s fine just knackered.

There was a period where people were getting (unofficial) oxbridge postgrad rowing scholarships but that’s not the case now and the rowers are genuinely academic though no doubt the rowing is what calls many there

Well, well I lived in Cambs many moons ago and all Colleges were populated by students from all over the world, it really is that international. You see most rowers in their Post Grad/MSc years and they often come from other world renound Uni’s. It just so happens that some of them are very good athletes, now’t wrong with that, rather good IMO, as to whether some Colleges actually “scout” for talent… unlikely.

Jesus Christ Trenton.

Yep the turd floating in the Thames has a cause. ‘This is not a gateway’ very Ben Elton’esque.
Looks like some of it’s members have based their ideals on the film ‘Enemy at the gates’
Thank you goodnight.

What was he protesting about?? State of the water??

he’s a self-loathing poshboy class warrior. Just a shame that he’s got the attention he wanted.

He was protesting against the transnational-corpo-aristocratic ruling class (invisible) as he is against tyranny and views people who row as enablers (visible) or somesuch.

no doubt the rowing is what calls many there

… although following today’s race, I suspect that the appeal may reduce

Not sure what the swimmer’s cause was, but given that he was wearing a wetsuit, it seems likely that it wasn’t just a drunken spur of the moment thing.

Cant they just have a rematch in say a weeks time and just put sharks in the water this time round?

lol. Thing is Oxford caused the clash and therefore it was a technically fair win for Cambridge

Ahhh I see, well I think he doth protest too much..

Phah.

I’da given him some respect if he’d been protesting at the state of the water, what with the Sewerage overflows slew-sing out carp (misspelt on purpose)
But I guess he’ll be in the Sunday Papers, which is what he wanted.

As for the race… hmmmm not really got the Kudos it once had IMHO.

it’s because it’s dull
this year seems to have been slightly less dull

It’s like lots of sports though. It can be interesting if you understand it and know what to look for or dull otherwise.

It’s also like lots of sports in that it’s dull.

It doesn’t come much more exciting than the first half of that race.

many ignorant people say riding bikes is dull 😉

many ignorant people say riding bikes is dull

Watching others doing it certainly is

many ignorant people say riding bikes is dull

Well they have never taken part in an enthralling discussion to decide the perfect tyres for riding around the Cannock chase car park.

so is incessant negativity or trolling but….

Thought that BBC commentary guys did an excellent job in the circumstances though, particularly enjoyed:
Commentator 1: He’s unconscious. He needs a doctor.
Commentator 2: He is a doctor….

Yes, he is a doctor. Got his DPhil and now converting to be a medical doctor. So will be a doctor twice over.

Made me quite angry to be honest, cant imagine how disappointed both crews are to have devoted the last 6 months of their lives to training so that one guy can get his 15 mins of fame

Though in Alex’s case he’s spent a lot more than 6 months to get this far. He came up the same year as me, I’ve raced against him a few times. He’ll have done 2 years at college level, 3 or 4 years beating the tabs at lighweight level? Then to make the step up was a big hurdle. I think he was in the squad on his first try, made Isis the 2nd year and now in the OUBC boat. And his race was ruined.

I hope noone gives that floating turd in a wetsuit (wetsuit? premediated) any airtime.

The Oxford guy’s fine just knackered.

Agreed. Probably. Knowing Alex he’s capable of hurting himself that much and despite the obvious loss will have pushed himself even harder for it.

I disappointed over the way the race was decided.

Yup he’s done 10 years as a student, time he got a real job and did just row! Yup Oxford and Cambridge do exactly operate like American colleges to entice the best rowers there, find a mickey mouse course (not all) and go there to “study” and row!!

Great day though, shame about the swimmer, the oar breaking was all fair and square, oxford cox was a muppet pushing a bit too hard for the better line ruined their race. Oh well they’ll all be back next year, I’mure Alex will be on his 11th year at uni.

The member of the now great unwashed was protesting about the hosepipe ban, thus he was having a wash.

Fred went swimming….

😉

It was good to see the Cambridge Blue John Garrett apply the rules to the letter after the clash of blades. Another 5 mins wait after 31 mins would have made all the difference, wouldn’t it? 😉

They should of scrapped the race IMO bit of an empty win for Cambridge, should of rescheduled the race if that would of been feasible.

Just tried to read his drivel. It is just that. Drivel.

Example –

If you clean the bathroom of someone that considers themselves elite or is an elite sympathiser, like a right wing professor, can you never put loo paper in their bathroom?

Yeah! Sticking it to the man! One wipe at a time, man!

Cock.

It was good to see the Cambridge Blue John
Garrett apply the rules to the letter after the
clash of blades. Another 5 mins wait after 31
mins would have made all the difference,
wouldn’t it?

on fb not a single person reckons it was the wrong decision. That’s from a good mix of non, light and dark blues, most of whom know racing and that course rather well…

I missed it, but heard about the fracas.

Heard it was to do with a betting syndicate where they bet on the race being interrupted.

Sad outcome, Oxford should have nailed it (I was born in Oxford).

Either way they should shoot the fecker, doctor or no.

first time there’s been three coxes in the race.

most of whom know racing and that course rather well…

That would mean that you suppose that I don’t, would it?

Nice to see so many experts on Oxbridge admissions procedures on here.

Are you a light or a dark blue CFH?

TBH – I’m struggling to give a shit about whether or not a bunch of serial students got to paddle their boats