Women's Boat Race 2012

The 67th Women's Boat Race took place on 26 March 2012. The race was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races and took place at Henley-on-Thames. In a race umpired by multiple Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, Cambridge won by one quarter of a length in a time of 6 minutes 38 seconds, their first win since the 2007 race. The victory took the overall record in the event to 41–26 in Cambridge's favour.

67th Women's Boat Race
Date26 March 2012 (2012-03-26)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory1/4 length
Winning time6 minutes 38 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		41–26
UmpireMatthew Pinsent
← 2011 2013 →

Background
Matthew Pinsent umpired the race.

The Women's Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) and the Cambridge University Women's Boat Club (CUWBC) that has taken place since 1927.[1] It was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, on the traditional straight course at Henley-on-Thames.[2] Oxford went into the race as champions, having won the 2011 race by one quarter of a length, and led 40–26 overall.[1] The race was sponsored by Newton Investment Management, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon, for the second successive year.[3]

Cambridge's head coach was Martyn Rooney.[4] The umpire for the race was Matthew Pinsent, gold medallist in the men's coxless pairs at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.[5][6]

Crews

Trials for the crews were held in December 2011. Cambridge's trial boats raced along the Adelaide Straight in Ely and were named Big Fish, Little Fish and Cardboard Box.[7]

Cambridge saw four rowers (Isabel Boanas-Evans, Anna Railton, Cath Wheeler and Fay Sandford) along with cox Kate Richards return to the crew, all of whom had participated in the 2011 race.[8]

Seat Cambridge
Oxford
Name College Name College
BowSarah Moir-PorteousDowningMary Foord-WestonMerton
2Caroline ReidJesusAlexandra Dix (P)Hertford
3Rebecca PoundTrinityCaitlin GossMerton
4Anna RailtonPembrokeEleanor DarlingtonKellogg
5Holly GameGirtonFlorence MortonWorcester
6Isabel Boanas-Evans (P)Murray EdwardsRebekah PawleyWadham
7Faye SandfordGonville and CaiusAnnika Malin BrugerLincoln
StrokeCath WheelerQueens'Charlotte TrigleTrinity
CoxKate RichardsQueens'Rebecca PreeceSt Edmund Hall
Sources:[8][9]
(P) – boat club president

Race

In conditions described as "perfect", Cambridge took an early lead, out-rating Oxford. Pinsent warned OUWBC who were forced to steer away from the CUWBC boat, allowing them to pull further away to lead by one and a half lengths, despite a series of pushes from Oxford. With 300 metres (330 yd) to go, Cambridge's number two Caroline Reid "caught a crab", bringing the Light Blue boat to a standstill and allowing Oxford to drastically reduce the deficit. Cambridge re-started and crept over the line just ahead.[6] Cambridge won by one quarter of a length in a time of 6 minutes 38 seconds, the slowest winning time since the 2008 race. The margin of victory was the narrowest since CUWBC won by 3 feet (91 cm) in the 2001 race. It was Cambridge's first win since the 2007 race, and took the overall record in the event to 41–26 in their favour.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  2. "History of the course". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  3. Morrissey, Helena (4 April 2015). "Helena Morrissey: 'Tide turns in favour of boat race women'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. "Rooney is excited by Boat Race equality". Cambridge News. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  5. "Matthew Pinsent, Bio, Stats and Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  6. "Henley Boat Races triumph for Cambridge women and lightweight men". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. "Trial VIIIs 2011". Cambridge University Women's Boat Club. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  8. "Izzi: Experience could be key for Cambridge". Cambridge Evening News. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  9. "Crews". Oxford University Women's Boat Club. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
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