By Tom Ransley

First blood goes to Cambridge as the two rival university boat clubs clash across the pond. By the close of the Head of the Charles Regatta Oxford University Boat Club’s (OUBC) task of unseating the on-form Light Blues in the next Boat Race looks likely to be an uphill battle.

Famed for its autumnal beauty, the Head of the Charles Regatta is the world’s largest three day regatta and dates back to 1965. It is held annually in Boston, Massachusetts. This year, in a field stacked with Paris Olympians both Oxford and Cambridge tested their early season speed on the three mile course.

The Cambridge Men’s ‘A’ boat overhauled the crimson-clad, home-favourites to win the Men’s Championship Eights. They set off seventh but beat Harvard by almost three seconds, the locals finished in second place as they had last year. Cambridge’s second eight, which had several Blues on board, finished 19th.

OUBC Men’s ‘A’ secured a top ten finish, 17 seconds behind Cambridge in eighth place, albeit with a five second penalty for missing a buoy.

In the Women’s Championship Eights Cambridge ‘A’ set off behind the Ukrainian eight but managed to pass them en route to the finish. As did Yale, who started sixth and finished second, three seconds behind race winners Leander. Oxford’s women overtook the University of Rhode Island in the last 800 metres and placed eighteenth overall, almost half a minute slower than their Light Blue rivals.

“We’ve come away with plenty to think about and take into our training for the next six months. We’re not thinking too much about Cambridge, instead we’re focussing on how to make our boat go its fastest. A lot can happen between now and the Boat Race,” said OUBC Women’s President Annie Anezakis. “It’s been a whirlwind 48-hour trip to Boston.”

Cambridge ‘A’ placed seventh and their ‘B’ boat climbed three spots to finish 22nd. “The Charles is such a great atmosphere. It’s fun for us to experience another course and race against international crews, we’re learning and growing as a team,” said Paris 2024 USA Olympian Claire Collins, who stroked Cambridge ‘A’. “For many of our crew this was their first time down the course, so it was a solid performance. There are definitely things to work on and fitness to be gained.”

The Light Blues were successful in the alumni boats too. CUBC 2024 Men’s President Seb Benzecry reunited with his Boat Race teammates under the Crabtree banner to secure the Championship Men’s Alumni Four title. A Parish duo (Honor and Matthew) won the Director’s Challenge Parent/Child Doubles, and last year’s CUBC Women’s President Jenna Armstrong partnered her Blue Boat teammate, Carina Graf, to place second in the Women’s Masters Doubles.

Oxford University Boat Club alumni had three crews racing, their women’s eight finished sixth in the Women’s Alumni Eights.

It was not just Boat Race rowers in action. Matthew Holland and Caroline Lytton, who are established members of the Boat Race Umpire’s Panel, were on hand to help keep the rowers safe and the racing fair as members of the Head of the Charles umpiring team.

So it’s back to the books for the student-athletes as they board their flights back to London. The next time Oxford and Cambridge will (likely) face-off will be on more familiar waters: The Fours Head, on the Championship Course in London, on Sunday November 24, 2024.

Image Credits: Row360