Cambridge University rows through Oxford

But the bald statistics fail to do justice to an epic race in which the winners only got their bow ball in front well after the halfway mark of the 6.8km race. Oxford made all of the early running, but Cambridge chose their moment and even when Cambridge took the lead, Oxford never allowed them to close the door completely.

Oxford President Robin Esjmond-Frey won the starting toss to choose the side of the river to begin on in this two-boat race. Esjmond-Frey’s choice of the Surrey Station side is considered the safer bet.

Followed by a flotilla of launches the two crews set off from the start with Oxford at 47 strokes per minute and Cambridge at 48. After the first minute the two boats were level as they settled down to race pace. Oxford then began a series of pushes to ease ahead, but Cambridge, consistently at a higher rate, always came back. Nearly seven minutes into the race Oxford tried to break free using a river bend to gain an edge, but coxswain Nick Brodie was warned for his steering and again they lost ground.

As the second half of the course began to open up, and with the crews still virtually level, both boats raised their stroke rate to 36. Then a minor lapse of concentration from the Oxford bowside gave Cambridge their chance.

Cambridge began to forge ahead for the first time in the race and within ten strokes they found a new rhythm and had a 2/3 length lead. By the last timing post the margin was a full length and Cambridge still had the energy left to increase the rate to 37 strokes per minute around the final bend to cross the line first in a time of 17 mins 49 secs.

It was only the third Cambridge win this century and for their President Tom James, who won his first Boat Race after three defeats, victory was especially sweet.

"It was hard all the way and they just hounded us for 13 or 14 minutes. Our coach told me that there was going to be a decision point – you don't know when it's going to happen but when it comes you've got to put your foot down. You can feel the line getting closer but it's not getting close enough quick enough!" James said.

Their German stroke, World Champion from Germany, Thorsten Engelmann, was confident of a Cambridge win as the second half of the race unfolded.

"I was pretty certain we would win after Hammersmith (Bridge) because we held them round the outside of the bend and hit a good rhythm" he said.

But double Olympic Champion for Great Britain James Cracknell was less impressed with the style of the Cambridge victory.

"It was a great race. Oxford can be incredibly proud of the way they raced,” said Cracknell. “Cambridge under a lot of pressure raced well but I don't think they rowed well – their boat wasn't running exceptionally smoothly but they got the win they needed. They had the opportunity to lay themselves down as one of the great Cambridge crews and they didn't do it."

Cambridge now lead the series by 79 wins to Oxford's 73, with one dead heat in 1877. Earlier in the afternoon the reserves race was also won by Cambridge, with their crew crossing the line four lengths ahead of the Oxford reserves.

By Robert Treharne Jones