The Boat Race 2012

The Boat Race 2012

The 158th Boat Race took place on 7 April 2012. It is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames in London. Until 2014, the contest was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but as of the 2015 race, it is held on the Thames Tideway, on the same day as the men’s main and reserve races. The race was eventually won by Cambridge by ​4 1⁄4 lengths, in a consolidated time of 17 minutes 23 seconds.

About The Boat Race 2012 in brief

Summary The Boat Race 2012The 158th Boat Race took place on 7 April 2012. It is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames in London. The race was eventually won by Cambridge by ​4 1⁄4 lengths, in a consolidated time of 17 minutes 23 seconds. The reserve race was won by Oxford’s Isis in a record time, while the Women’s Boat Race waswon by Cambridge. Until 2014, the contest was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but as of the 2015 race, it is held on the Thames Tideway, on the same day as the men’s main and reserve races. The trial crews competed against one another on 13 December 2011 on The Championship Course. Oxford’s boats were titled Hell and High Water, while Cambridge’s two crews rowed in Cloak and Dagger. The official crews were announced at the weigh-in, held on 5 March 2012 at a venue nearby the London 2012 Olympic Stadium. Cambridge won the toss and chose to start on the Surrey side of the river. Partway through, with the boats level, the race was temporarily halted to avoid injury to protester Trenton Oldfield, who swam in front of the two crews.

Oldfield was later jailed for six months for causing a public nuisance, and as a result of the disruption, security for subsequent Boat Races was increased. Despite Cambridge having the heavier crew, Oxford were pre-race favourites having had a successful preparation period, including a victory over Leander. The Oxford crew consisted of a British cox, four British oarsmen, two Americans, a German and a Dutch rower. Cambridge’s cox Ed Bosson outweighed Oxford’s Zoe de Toledo by 6 kilograms. Despite the fact that heavier Oxbridge crews were traditionally more successful, Oxford boat club president Hudspith downplayed the disparity, saying: “It’s a big difference but it’s a very long race and you have to have the power to carry that weight down the course”. The women’s race was held at the 66th meeting of Cambridge University’s Women’s Boat Club and Oxford University’s Boat Club on 25 March.