This past Sunday, we went to the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, or, more commonly known as, “The Boat Race.” We got off at Putney Bridge station and walked down to the River Thames, where a large crowd had already developed. The women’s race began at 14:23, and we made sure to find a spot along the river. I was lucky enough to squeeze in between a couple people on the railing and Gen and I were able to cheer Cambridge on from what can only be considered front row seats. I can honestly say that I did not hear anyone cheering for Oxford for the duration of both the men’s and women’s matches. However, the rowers disappeared after an electric 30 seconds or so (I was amazed at how fast they were going), and we decided to move to the nearby park which displayed the remainder of the race on live screens.
The park was full of people talking, drinking, eating, sitting and watching, or all of the above, creating a chill atmosphere on a lovely day. The drinking culture and the young crowd was comparable to an American football tailgate; however, I would say the comparisons end there. American football pre-games are a much rowdier and active event; the people here were relatively calm and quiet. I was a bit shocked that neither match drew much applause or cheers even at the finish. However, if you look at the expectations on the tube in London and its quiet environment, it should not come as much of a surprise.
Cambridge won the women’s race by a slight margin while Oxford won the men’s race by a pretty wide gap. Cambridge’s women finished in 18 minutes and 23 seconds and Oxford’s men recorded 16 minutes and 42 seconds. For what is essentially a 2+ hour event for fans, there is little action that actually takes place. However, I think the tradition carries on because of the prestige of the two schools and the attention it garners from its reputation as a social event. It is essentially an excuse to go get pissed with your mates, which most definitely contributes to its popularity. We were able to witness the line to the beer tent in the park, which stretched for eons.
Although it is a social event, the history behind the race is fascinating. If you look up the first collegiate competition on google, the Harvard-Yale boat race that began in 1852 pops up. However, although it did not become an annual event until 1856, THE Boat Race was first held in 1829 when Oxford took home the trophy. The women’s race first took place in 1927 but became an annual event in 1964. It is the largest collegiate competition in England; that being said, college athletics are much different in the United States than in the United Kingdom.
The Boat Race was a very fun event and I enjoyed the social aspect of it. It was an interesting atmosphere to observe and be a part of and I enjoyed the differences between collegiate competitions of the United States and England. Although Cambridge only claimed 1 of the 2 possible victories, they still hold the majority all-time for both genders.
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