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1 April 2006: A very fast stream and a following breeze brought five record times at this year's races, but it was Oxford who made the best of the mixed weather, winning all bar one of the five races on the card. Cambridge prevented a Dark Blue clean sweep with a canvas win in the Women's Lightweight Boat Race - the most closely fought battle of the day.
The wind was both help and hindrance, especially to the lightweight men's reserves, Nephthys and Granta, who had difficulty getting onto, and then staying attached to the stakeboats. But when the race was finally started it was Nephthys on Bucks whose higher rate took them into an early lead to which Granta could make little response. Nephthys reached the Fawley signal in 3 mins 2 secs, breaking the previous record by 13 secs, and down the second half of the course they moved further away, winning by a record margin of 5 lengths in 5 mins 26 secs. Their time beat their own course record, set in 2002, by 7 secs.
The women's reserves race, Osiris v. Blondie, followed a similar pattern, with the heavier Oxford crew on Berkshire once again taking an early lead, as the form from the Women's Eights Head two weeks ago suggested. Osiris reached Fawley in 3 mins 22 secs, four seconds ahead of Blondie, who managed to hang on but not narrow the gap through the second 1000 metres. Osiris crossed the line eight seconds clear, in the record time of 5 mins 54 secs, to take the second Oxford win of the day by 2 1/2 lengths.
The closest race of the day came in the women's lightweight race in which Cambridge started as favourites, after their 15 sec advantage over Oxford in the Women's Head. But the Dark Blues, drawn on Bucks weren't going to give up that easily, and it was hammer-and-tongs all the way to Remenham Club, with umpire John Friend being kept busy as he warned Oxford repeatedly to get back on station. At Fawley it was Oxford who had a lead of about a canvas, equalling their own time record of 3 mins 25 secs set in 1999. But Cambridge came back strongly and moved through with 400 metres to go, crossing the line by a canvas in exactly 6 mins - the third new course record of the day.
After last year's defeat Oxford were keen for revenge in the Women's Boat Race but as the race got under way the heavens opened and hail descended on the crews as Cambridge moved into a narrow lead. But then the Oxford boat gathered momentum and began to come back, and not even a slight crab in the rough water off the enclosures could prevent the Dark Blues establishing a half length lead. Oxford reached Fawley 7 secs outside the record, but as the weather eased both crews could once again gather pace. Try as they might the Dark Blues could never quite break free from Cambridge whose tenacity failed to narrow the gap - Oxford reached the Finish half a length clear in 5 mins 44 secs, the first women's crew ever to break the six minute barrier at the Henley Boat Races.
If the weather was bad for the start of the women's race it was worse for the final race of the afternoon, the men's lightweights, in which thunder and lightning brought back memories of the 1987 Boat Race at Putney. Cambridge had revamped their coaching team in an attempt to reverse their recent fortune but the winning formula of the Oxford camp, once again coached by Andy Nelder, proved too strong. As the crews hugged the opposite banks in the driving rain Oxford forged ahead, beating the Fawley record by one second, and winning the race in 5 mins 18 secs - official verdict 2 1/4 lengths.
For many years Cambridge dominated the Henley Boat Races, and they still have the lead in every series except Nephthys v. Granta - the most recent addition to the card. But Oxford's form in recent years is closing the gap, and both Cambridge clubs have some serious work ahead if they are going to revert to the glory days of twenty years ago.
27 March 2006: The smallest ever weight difference between the crews was recorded at today's Weigh-In at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley. Just 0.9kg per athlete separates the two women's Blue Boats as they make final preparations in advance of Saturday's Boat Race. The Oxford crew equalled their own record set in 2002 with an average of 73.7kg per athlete (11st 8 1/2 lbs) while Cambridge weighed in at an average 72.8kg (11st 6 1/2 lbs).
Cambridge will take some comfort from the fact that the lighter crew often wins the Women's Boat Race - in only two of the five races since official weights were recorded has the heavier crew gone on to win, in marked contrast to the women's reserves race (Osiris v. Blondie) where the heavier crew has won four of the last five encounters.
13 March 2006: Oxford Women's Blue Boat took the honours when they finished 25 secs ahead of Cambridge in the Women's Head on 11 March. The event often provides a form guide to the Boat Race itself, which Cambridge won last year by more than two lengths! Click here for details of the race and results.
11 March 2006: Come and celebrate or commiserate with the crews after the Henley Boat Races at the exclusive Henley Boat Races party at Club Latinos in the heart of Henley-on-Thames! Tickets for this black tie event can be purchased up until Wednesday 22 March from any University Rowing Club at either Oxford or Cambridge. No ticket, no admission! Full details and postal order form here.
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