Oxford retained the Francombe Cup with wins in the Women's Boat Race as well as the women's lightweights, but Cambridge reversed long term trends by regaining both the men's lightweights and the women's reserves race.
On a glorious spring afternoon on Henley Reach it was all too easy to forget the wind and rain which had marred Race Day for the last few years, and with only a slight north-westerly breeze to cool the air record crowds turned out on the towpath to enjoy the sunshine and support the crews.
The programme kicked off with the third successive row-over for Nephthys to take the trophy for the lightweight men's reserve race. The Oxford crew had earlier beaten a Durham student eight by about three lengths and completed the course in their row-over in 6 mins 15 secs. The race now falls into abeyance after its short ten-year history and will hopefully be revived once agreement has been reached by the two participating clubs.
The women's reserve race saw Osiris, for Oxford, lead off the start as they attempted to continue a run of success which began as long ago as 2001. But Blondie, who had won the toss and chosen the Berkshire station, hung on grimly and when the Dark Blues began to falter they seized the advantage and clawed back the lead. Umpire Mike Williams was kept busy after a clash of blades at Fawley, by which time Blondie were already ahead, and Osiris could not get back their rhythm, going down by 1 1/2 lengths at the line.
Cambridge also won the toss in the women's lightweight race and again chose Berkshire, despite the shelter from the wind that the Bucks station might have provided. The Light Blues went off at 43 against Oxford at 41 but it was the Dark Blues' clean technique that gave them the early advantage and they were already five seconds clear at Fawley. Unlike their openweight counterparts the Cambridge lightweights could not make good the deficit, and Oxford widened the gap to win by a nine second verdict which was officially given as 2 1/2 lengths.
With honours even in the women's boat race for the last four years the form guide from the Women's Eights Head two weeks ago suggested that Oxford might draw ahead once more. This time they won the toss, again chose Berkshire, and eased ahead at 44 strokes a minute against Cambridge at 46. Oxford kept up the rate and the pressure, settling into a race pace of 35, three pips higher than the opposition, and once again the deficit at Fawley was five seconds. In the closing stages of the race Cambridge managed to get the rate back up to 36 to narrow the gap but to no avail - Oxford, also at 36, crossed the line 1 1/4 lengths clear in 6mins 24secs.
As Cambridge got attached at the start of the lightweight men's boat race the stakeboat man noticed the steering mechanism had come adrift! Rapid repairs were effected as the crew waited for a passenger vessel to clear the course, and when the umpire dropped his flag it was Cambridge who rocketed off the start at 50 strokes a minute. Technically superior throughout the course they kept up the pressure and the higher rate to finish nine seconds clear and secure their first victory in the event since 2001.
Prizes were presented to all the successful crews after racing by Annie Vernon, now one of many Henley Boat Race athletes who have gone on to world and Olympic class sporting endeavour. The final presentation was the Francombe Cup, the victor ludorum trophy, which was presented to the Oxford presidents for having won the afternoon's racing programme 3-2.