15 April 2025
By Mel Brown and Tim Koch
Tim Koch and Mel Brown go P to M.
HTBS Types may be aware that some student boat races were run between Putney and Mortlake on Sunday, 13 April and it is likely that they will have watched the contests either in person or via the BBC’s broadcast. Thus there is no reason for HTBS to produce a stroke-by-stroke recall of the day and our usual practice is just to attempt to give some of the atmosphere of the occasion with the occasional comment. HTBS’ three-part coverage will focus on Putney pre-race, then on some of the on-the-water action and finally on the varying emotions at the Mortlake finish.
However, for those that would still like a brief summary of the day:
In the men’s race, Cambridge went out to a slight lead by the end of the Fulham Wall and continued to move away from Oxford. At the Mile Post, Cambridge had three-quarters-of-a- length lead when the crews got to Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge stretched out their lead to clear water and continued to row away from Oxford. They won by five-and-a-half lengths in a time of 16.56.
In the women’s race, there was a clash shortly before the end of the Fulham Wall. Umpire Matthew Pinsent stopped the race, considered immediately disqualifying Oxford, but restarted giving Cambridge a slight lead. Cambridge then drew away from Oxford throughout the rest of the race, winning by 2.5 lengths in a time of 19.25.
The Guardian’s take is here.
As the Dark Blues had a bit of a bad day, it would be irresponsible for HTBS not to consider the mental health of those readers of an Oxonian persuasion and, with the aid of some historical Prozac, to suggest that all is not lost.
Older Boat Race supporters whose memory is not as reliable as it once was and younger ones who have less experiences to recall should know that over the last two hundred years both Oxford and Cambridge have gone through periods when each have wondered if they will ever win a Boat Race again. Spoiler alert – they did.
Currently, the score in the men’s race since it started in 1829 stands at Cambridge 88 wins and Oxford 81. The numbers in the women’s race run since 1927 have been distorted by its checkered history but today it is Cambridge 49, Oxford 30. However, Dark Blues should gain some perspective and be buoyed by the fact that, in this century, the Oxford men and the Oxford women have won thirteen races each while the Cambridge men and the Cambridge women have won twelve each.
On The Embankment
The Kents are part of Boat Race history. In 1928, CW “Bill” Kent became the finish judge for the Boat Race, then only the fifth man to do this since amateurs took over from professionals in 1878. In 1952, CW Kent was succeeded as Boat Race finish judge by his son, John “Jack” de R Kent (OUBC 1932). Between 1968 and 1998 Jack’s son, John F Kent, was the finish judge and in 1999 he was succeeded by his nephew, BDJ (Ben) Kent (Isis 1987), who does the job today. Ben’s eldest son and Henley medalist, Josh, has been the finish flagman since 2021.
