Cambridge continue Boat Race dominance with famous double victory over Oxford

The men claimed a fifth trophy in six years, while the women cruised to a seventh straight triumph

Cambridge University women celebrate a seventh straight Boat Race win (Getty)

Cambridge extended their dominant run in the Boat Race with victory in both the men’s and women’s showdowns.

The men claimed a fifth trophy in six years, while the women cruised to a seventh straight triumph.

Crews were blessed with sunny conditions, with temperatures reaching the mid-teens and just a light breeze blowing ahead of launch time for the women’s race at 2:46pm.

Those pleasant conditions were in contrast to the news earlier this week that high levels of E coli, which can cause a range of serious infections and other side effects, had been found along the championship course.

All crews were issued safety guidance on a range of preventative measures, from covering up scrapes with waterproof plasters to ensuring rowers avoided swallowing any water splashing up from the Thames.

Oxford won both coin tosses but opted for different starting points, with the women choosing Middlesex on the Fulham/Chiswick side of the course and the men beginning their quest at Surrey station on the Putney/Barnes side.

Both dark blue Oxford boats were seen as favourites for the 78th women’s and 169th men’s races.

The latter, umpired by Matthew Pinsent – himself a two-time Boat Race champion with Oxford – saw Cambridge take an early lead before Oxford quickly drew level, the four-time Olympic champion having to dish out early warnings as the boats drew close.

Cambridge took a narrow lead which saw them ahead by half a length and 1.52 seconds at Hammersmith Bridge, but settled into a smooth rhythm that left Oxford even further behind.

Cambridge University men’s team president Sebastian Benzecry lifts the trophy (AFP/Getty)

Oxford, with just one returning crew member from last year’s loss, had fallen behind by more than 10 seconds by the time the crews reached the Chiswick steps, but it was not completely smooth sailing for the eventual victors.

Stroke Matt Edge was clearly flailing, his oar only just dipping in the water, but Cambridge’s lead proved too big an ask for Oxford as Edge’s crew rallied around their tiring teammate to claim another victory.

Bow and president Sebastien Benzecry paid tribute to Edge’s effort after the race, stating: “Credit to Matt, to go that deep, a lot of that margin was down to him.

“He was putting down a dynamic rhythm, it takes a lot out of you in the stroke seat. So proud of him, an amazing race.”

Oxford’s Leonard Jenkins revealed that the men’s team fell ill earlier in the day due to the E coli strain.

A general view as Cambridge lead Oxford during the men’s race (Action Images/Reuters)

“I don’t have any words,” he told BBC Sport. “We had a clear plan of what we wanted to do. We had a really good set-up, the last couple of days have been amazing. It didn’t come together on the day, that’s disappointing. But I couldn’t be prouder of the guys. It’s been a great battle.

“It’s a shame the result doesn’t suit that, Cambridge showed their class and did to us what we wanted to do for them. Maybe experience [was the difference]? I’m not sure.

“I didn’t expect it to be such a big difference. I will also say, it’s in no way to take away from Cambridge. We’ve had a few guys go down pretty badly with the E coli strain. This morning, I was throwing up and I really wasn’t sure there was a chance for me to be in the boat. I kept that quiet, that’s on my shoulders.

“I’m not sure if that was the right choice because I didn’t feel like I had much to give. But it would have been taking one of the top guys out of [reserve boat] Isis and ruining their chances.

“I felt like we needed to give them a fair fight. It would have been ideal to not have so much poo in the water. That’s not to take away from Cambridge, I don’t know if we would have had a chance to beat them even if we were all on form.”