:00:10. > :00:14.The University of Cambridge hereby challenges the University of Oxford,
:00:15. > :00:23.to row a match. One of the greatest finishes of all time.
:00:24. > :00:26.There is a man swimming. This is some contest. Both using every bit
:00:27. > :00:42.of lung power they have. . Now it is down to guts and
:00:43. > :00:52.determination. Now #24er starting to make it count. Dig deep. Big man's
:00:53. > :00:56.work here. -- now it's starting to make it count. For Cambridge, all
:00:57. > :01:00.about celebration Oxford are the winners.
:01:01. > :01:06.Good afternoon, welcome to the banks the River Thames for a sporting
:01:07. > :01:11.event that was first contested in 1829. This the 160th running of the
:01:12. > :01:15.Boat Race. And this is an event that is so physically demanding, so
:01:16. > :01:21.mentally tortuous that, honestly, you wonder why on earth people do it
:01:22. > :01:25.at all? Eight men, verses eight men. One cox each and they take on four
:01:26. > :01:28.and a quarter miles of the River Thames. There is no second place,
:01:29. > :01:33.you either win or lose. For the winner, all the glory. For the
:01:34. > :01:40.loser, all the pain. Welcome to a very traditional, historic, British
:01:41. > :01:44.event. And being a British event, it has all the quirks we like to
:01:45. > :01:49.associate with our major events. Big crowds gathering in Putney and all
:01:50. > :01:55.along the river to Mortlake on the four and a quarter mile course.
:01:56. > :01:59.Lovely dogs. I like to see that. There is no dress code or tickets to
:02:00. > :02:02.be bought. They are fighting for this trophy, delivered by the Royal
:02:03. > :02:08.Marines. Everyone choosing if they are a light blue or dark blue, if
:02:09. > :02:12.they have affiliation for Oxford or Cambridge or picking which colour
:02:13. > :02:16.they like best if they have no affiliation at all? Around 250,000
:02:17. > :02:22.people expected on the banks and in all the pubs, they will be packed.
:02:23. > :02:28.It is a very late boat race. Due off at 5. 55pm. It hasn't been that late
:02:29. > :02:37.for ten years. The crews arrived early this afternoon in their
:02:38. > :02:41.liveried minibuses. This year the Cambridge crew taller, heavier. But
:02:42. > :02:46.this year Oxford are favourites. They have four Olympic medals. There
:02:47. > :02:50.is Mike Thorp and Steve Dudek, the Cambridge President. They will have
:02:51. > :02:56.been staying lobely. They went out for a paddle this morning. --
:02:57. > :03:02.staying locally. It was more eventful than they hoped. The
:03:03. > :03:09.President, there, Malcolm Howard. The Oxford cox at the rear, Laurence
:03:10. > :03:13.Harvey. So, it's overcast. At the moment it is not raining. There is
:03:14. > :03:20.rain due later. We are expecting it to be choppy on the river, the 2014
:03:21. > :03:23.BNY Mellon Boat Race. It is the last of the great amateur events. It is
:03:24. > :03:27.free for everybody who comes to watch it. If you want to see it live
:03:28. > :03:31.and you are not too far away, there is still time to get down to the
:03:32. > :03:37.bank. There is some spa.s you will get a good view. Over -- some space.
:03:38. > :03:41.Over the next hour-and-a-half we aim to keep you entertained and
:03:42. > :03:46.informed. This is how. Hard work, dedication and sacrifice,
:03:47. > :03:50.is the least you need earn a seat on one of these boats. It's not been
:03:51. > :03:55.plain sailing for all the President's men Someone comes up to
:03:56. > :03:59.me - why am I not getting a shot in the Blue boat? I have to straight up
:04:00. > :04:05.with them. 100 years since the start of World
:04:06. > :04:09.War I and the history man, Dan Snow, looks at the role the great river
:04:10. > :04:14.played in winning the Great War. What goes up must come down. The
:04:15. > :04:18.tide is high and we are having fun with Jon Culshaw. How is it that the
:04:19. > :04:23.moon, our natural satellite can create the tides?
:04:24. > :04:29.He is the smallest guy, with the biggest voice? Madness or mental
:04:30. > :04:33.toughness? Motivation is all part of the mindset when you are barking out
:04:34. > :04:38.the orders. The cox there, when we had the
:04:39. > :04:42.swimmer in the river. Katherine Grainger alongside me. Olympic champ
:04:43. > :04:46.gron London 2012. You think back two years -- champion. You think back
:04:47. > :04:50.two years and all the recent events at the Boat Race. You think it is a
:04:51. > :04:55.straight-forward race, two boats. It is never like that. Always something
:04:56. > :04:58.happens weird. Outdoor sport. Weather can play a part. Obviously
:04:59. > :05:01.as we saw, people can get in the way. Clashes, injuries andp
:05:02. > :05:05.accidents happen. Never dull. It will be choppy out there. What
:05:06. > :05:10.difference will that make to the rowers and to the coxs actually? It
:05:11. > :05:14.is quite blustery. The winds are unpredictable. It is a twisty-turny
:05:15. > :05:20.route. Around different parts of the corners of the bend. The crews on
:05:21. > :05:24.differ sides of the river will face different conditions every time they
:05:25. > :05:28.turn a bend which throws up the unknown. We can seat conditions
:05:29. > :05:33.there and rather different vehicles on the river. I should call you Dr
:05:34. > :05:37.Katherine Grainger. You have completed your PhD in criminal law.
:05:38. > :05:42.Is there any chance at all of you considering going back to university
:05:43. > :05:46.to study at either Oxford or Cambridge? I ask this because this
:05:47. > :05:51.time next year will be the first women's race on The Tideway. You
:05:52. > :05:55.could be part of that. I could be in many different ways. I haven't
:05:56. > :06:01.thought of a fourth degree. I don't think I can afford T it is expensive
:06:02. > :06:07.being a student. It is hard work to get in the Boat Race It is. But for
:06:08. > :06:11.women's rowing, it'll transform it. A lot of people will talk about it
:06:12. > :06:15.around Cambridge now. A lot of people will talk about the history
:06:16. > :06:21.and how it will be made next year. Let's look at the course with our
:06:22. > :06:28.commentator, Andrew Cotter. Four miles, 374 yards of the winding
:06:29. > :06:33.Thames upstream with you with the in-coming tide, a very slight bend
:06:34. > :06:37.worth about a quarter of a length to the boat on the right. Then under
:06:38. > :06:42.Hammersmith Bridge, the large bend favouring the Surrey side. Past half
:06:43. > :06:46.way, over two miles n a brief straight down Chiswick Reach, past
:06:47. > :06:51.the island there, Chiswick eighth. Then the crossing as the two boats
:06:52. > :06:58.come. The bend favouring the Middlesex side. Bass the Bandstand,
:06:59. > :07:02.they go through the central arch at Barnes bridge as they had to do at
:07:03. > :07:07.Hammersmith Bridge and 1,000 meeteders or so. Of course, cover --
:07:08. > :07:12.1,000 metres. Of course covered by Cambridge, in
:07:13. > :07:16.the past in a record time of 16 minutes and 19 seconds.
:07:17. > :07:20.We look there at Barnes bridge. The tide is still to come in a little
:07:21. > :07:24.bit. The race is raced an hour-and-a-half before high tide. It
:07:25. > :07:28.is the fastest tide coming N it might not be the fastest sighed
:07:29. > :07:32.today. We have water down off the land T may not be the fastest race
:07:33. > :07:38.this year. It is the deepest channels in the river, if you look
:07:39. > :07:43.down from above, that the coxes have to find. The deepest water is the
:07:44. > :07:46.fastest shallow water is slower. And looking down there from the
:07:47. > :07:50.embankment and the houses and the people there and this is' where the
:07:51. > :07:54.crews will come out. Before the main event we have Ises against Goldie,
:07:55. > :07:59.the Oxford and Cambridge reserve boats. That's before the main event.
:08:00. > :08:02.Given the conditions today - I have moved further down towards the start
:08:03. > :08:05.- lots of people here leaning over the rails. Given the conditions
:08:06. > :08:11.today, it is unlikely the record time will be broken. It is going to
:08:12. > :08:15.be very difficult. We suspect quite choppy. The interesting thing about
:08:16. > :08:18.the Boat Race is this isn't just an amateur convenient for rowers at
:08:19. > :08:22.university. It is also very much the place where international rowers are
:08:23. > :08:29.made and amongst the victorious rowers at the 2012 Olympics, no less
:08:30. > :08:36.than six Blues were among Team GB's medallists. That's how important a
:08:37. > :08:43.training ground it is. But the big blue riband event is the men's 8.
:08:44. > :08:48.That's the one where the international coaches are walking
:08:49. > :08:55.and an important marker was laid down last summer. It is also
:08:56. > :09:00.fascinating. Energy comes along. It is just great. They are a gold medal
:09:01. > :09:04.or nothing kru. That's what he is about. If we are not reaching that
:09:05. > :09:08.top standard. We are not achieving the goal We are away with the final
:09:09. > :09:12.of the men's eight. This is an event we have never won at the World
:09:13. > :09:16.Championships. It is a good start from the British. We thought it was
:09:17. > :09:22.going to be close here but the intrish had an outstanding second
:09:23. > :09:28.500 and these guys "no" fear. Heads up. They are rising to the
:09:29. > :09:35.occasion. Great Britain have got it to the line. Jurgen's boys have done
:09:36. > :09:41.T we have made history in the men's 8 at the World Championships. Great
:09:42. > :09:48.Britain World Champions in the men's 8. And that is the aim, perhaps, for
:09:49. > :09:53.the next Olympics in Rio. Well Tom James and Matthew Pinsent is here.
:09:54. > :09:59.You have won Olympic gold medals galore between you. Six in tote A
:10:00. > :10:05.both in coxless 4s. How big a deal is the men's 8? -- in total. It is
:10:06. > :10:09.the blue riband event often at the end of the Olympics. It is
:10:10. > :10:12.aggressive. It is fun to be in. It is a very powerful event. When you
:10:13. > :10:16.are competing in it, it is just very, very dominant.s is something
:10:17. > :10:21.that a lot of coaches and teams want to win. -- it is something. It is a
:10:22. > :10:25.flagship event for a lot of nations. Matt, what is our history in the
:10:26. > :10:31.men's 8? We have won an Olympic gold medal. . More than one, most
:10:32. > :10:39.recently in Sydney 2000. Before that you have to go back nearly 100 years
:10:40. > :10:43.for another Olympic 8 for Britain who won a gold and World
:10:44. > :10:49.Championships last summer in Korea. Presumably to have success in the
:10:50. > :10:54.8s, Tom, you have to have in incredible strength and depth. You
:10:55. > :10:57.have to have 16 decent rowers. It is definitely a numbers game. The more
:10:58. > :11:01.people you have, the more you can compete. Competition is massive in
:11:02. > :11:04.driving things forward. The 8 is a tough convenient to get right. It is
:11:05. > :11:08.hard to get everyone in the boat competing on the day together. It is
:11:09. > :11:12.much more about the mood and momentum leading up to it. I think
:11:13. > :11:17.they are fickle compared to other rowing boats. The relationship is
:11:18. > :11:23.key in a 4. The balance is important. Yes, but also, 8 or 9
:11:24. > :11:27.brains, it is a difficult unit to get right. They can come good for
:11:28. > :11:31.inexplicable reasons and equally they can go off the boil as well.
:11:32. > :11:35.Lots of countries in the past have gone into a Championships favourite
:11:36. > :11:40.or the Olympics and come fourth or fifth. At Sydney when we won the
:11:41. > :11:44.gold, it was unexpected. It was. In fairness to the British crew then,
:11:45. > :11:48.they would have said -- look, we went into that with a positive
:11:49. > :11:52.attitude, we set our stall out especially for the final. They said,
:11:53. > :11:57.we are going to believe we can win from start to finish. Tom, how
:11:58. > :12:00.important is the Boat Race in terms of providing a springboard to
:12:01. > :12:04.international competition? Has proven to be very, very important.
:12:05. > :12:07.We see a lot of Olympic medals - probably about half of the boats
:12:08. > :12:11.have been someone who has been through the Oxbridge system. There
:12:12. > :12:18.is quite a legacy there. The nature of the event, it is a big occasion.
:12:19. > :12:22.Both clubs have very good set-up facilities and the coaching is
:12:23. > :12:26.internationally recognised, so you will produce good athletes who are
:12:27. > :12:30.used to racing 8s. As Matt says, they are fickle boats, it is
:12:31. > :12:34.difficult to get right. If you have been through that system, you are
:12:35. > :12:39.naturally placed to go and compete. You are watching here today and
:12:40. > :12:45.maybe some people may compete in Rio. The British rowers were at a
:12:46. > :12:50.training camp in Portugal. Last week they were here on the river and
:12:51. > :12:53.rowing in redifferent and complicated-look looking boats. --
:12:54. > :13:01.in rather different. This is in support of the RNLI who
:13:02. > :13:05.have saved hundreds of lives around the British coast. You can see there
:13:06. > :13:10.part of the Cambridge crew who won in 2010. If you want to get into
:13:11. > :13:13.rowing, you can go on to the Get Inspired website. There are links
:13:14. > :13:18.and opportunities to get in a boat and give it a go. It doesn't matter
:13:19. > :13:23.whether you rowed early in your childhood or whether you take it up
:13:24. > :13:28.late, there is still a chance you could become a top level competitor.
:13:29. > :13:33.Well, the boat race is as much an event as it is a sporting spectacle.
:13:34. > :13:38.Bringing you the atmosphere at the riverside is Helen skeleton, at a
:13:39. > :13:42.pub near the Hammersmith Bridge, I hope getting a round in
:13:43. > :13:46.Unfortunately, I have forgotten my purse. That happens to me a lot!
:13:47. > :13:50.Thousands lining the river. Lots focussing their attention on the
:13:51. > :13:54.pubs. We know this race attracts attention from all over the world.
:13:55. > :13:58.It also attracts visitors from all over the world. I was talking to
:13:59. > :14:05.these guys earlier. We are from Germany, Switzerland and Russia. And
:14:06. > :14:10.Australia An article crowd. What made you -- an international crowd.
:14:11. > :14:14.What made you want to come and watch Boat Race. We saw on the TV that it
:14:15. > :14:18.is a very big, important event in the British calendar and we are
:14:19. > :14:23.excited to be here Enjoying it so far? Absolutely. We have having a
:14:24. > :14:30.great time and enjoying Who are you cheering for, Oxford or Cambridge?
:14:31. > :14:35.Cambridge. Yes. I think you have your mascot. This young lady is
:14:36. > :14:41.cheering for Cambridge. Why? Because I live there. I'm really going for T
:14:42. > :14:46.They are slightly the underdogs. You are going to have to cheer loud. Can
:14:47. > :14:53.you manage that? Yes. Whatever your reason for cheering for Cambridge or
:14:54. > :15:00.Oxford, you can let us know on the BBC Facebook page or you can tweet
:15:01. > :15:05.us at BBC Sport or use the hashtag BBC boat race. None of the action
:15:06. > :15:16.can get under way until the all-important coin toss.
:15:17. > :15:23.can get under way until the of the coin toss.
:15:24. > :15:28.Mitchell Harris from our title sponsors BNY Mellon is here.
:15:29. > :15:32.Mitchell has a sovereign from 1829, the year of the very first Boat
:15:33. > :15:37.Race. That will be handed to Malcolm Howard who will make the coin toss.
:15:38. > :15:49.Steve Dudek will make the call as the challenging team.
:15:50. > :15:53.Malcolm and the call is? Tails. It's landed heads.
:15:54. > :15:59.So heads Malcolm, you have the choice? Surrey. How are things in
:16:00. > :16:02.the Oxford camp this morning, this afternoon? How are you feeling ahead
:16:03. > :16:04.of the race? Good. Anything Emms you would like to say?
:16:05. > :16:09.No. Excellent!
:16:10. > :16:14.Steve Dudek, how are you? Well, how are you? Very good. All these people
:16:15. > :16:20.gathered here ahead of the race. What would you like to say to them?
:16:21. > :16:27.Not much. Always my favourite bit. Good luck. Richard phlegms, what are
:16:28. > :16:32.you hoping for today -- Phelps? Good, fast, good wind, two good
:16:33. > :16:41.crews, it will be a great day. Richard, thank you. My pleasure.
:16:42. > :16:44.Richard Phelps luckily having something to say. Surrey is the
:16:45. > :16:50.South Bank and Middlesex the north bank. He chose Surrey. Oxford will
:16:51. > :16:53.be on the south side and they won from Surrey Station last year.
:16:54. > :16:57.Cambridge won from Surrey for the disrupted race the year before. The
:16:58. > :17:01.last three have all in fact been won by the crew starting on the south
:17:02. > :17:08.side of the river. Overall, it's very close. Surrey 74 and Middlesex
:17:09. > :17:11.fractionally ahead with 75. Today, given the choppy conditions, is
:17:12. > :17:16.there a significant advantages to be the side closest to us, as we look
:17:17. > :17:23.down the river it's the left side? I spoke to Matthew about it. He's had
:17:24. > :17:27.more more experience, and it's mainly the conditions that will play
:17:28. > :17:31.a part, but also the bends. You want the biggest bends ideally and they
:17:32. > :17:34.are on the left side. It's a tradition that the Presidents on
:17:35. > :17:43.that stage should say absolutely nothing! ? Monosyllabic. It's
:17:44. > :17:48.difficult because they are just ready to go out on the water. The
:17:49. > :17:52.Presidents are under pressure because this is the cull ination not
:17:53. > :17:55.just of their rowing year but this is their organisation, their set up.
:17:56. > :17:59.The Presidents are the key men in the boat club, almost, not more than
:18:00. > :18:05.the coaches but they are very much hand in glove with the coaches and
:18:06. > :18:09.so they are under a lot of pressure. Talking about Malcolm Howard and
:18:10. > :18:13.Steve Dudek, they have had a long journey to this point and they are
:18:14. > :18:17.more than just captains of this boat. They are expected to be
:18:18. > :18:20.leaders, role models, father figures. This is how they've got
:18:21. > :18:29.their charges to this point in the journey.
:18:30. > :18:33.Two universities, two Presidents. Chosen by my team-mates to be
:18:34. > :18:37.President and it's almost given me a men date, I know that they believe
:18:38. > :18:41.in me and it gives me confidence. Yes, you are their leader but it's a
:18:42. > :18:45.play between the coach and the coaching staff, trainers and the
:18:46. > :18:50.athletes themselves. I always want to know what the coaches are
:18:51. > :18:53.thinking. Steve Dudek's first task is to issue the challenge. You are
:18:54. > :18:58.interacting with the Oxford guy force the first time, sizing them
:18:59. > :19:04.up, of course -- Oxford guys for the first time. I challenge Oxford
:19:05. > :19:08.University boat club to a race. Everyone will leave a bit more
:19:09. > :19:16.motivate and train a little harder tomorrow because of it. The squad
:19:17. > :19:26.had returning blues. A man who never lost the Boat Race... , lo
:19:27. > :19:34.Constantine Louloudis -- lost the Boat Race. I want to leave never
:19:35. > :19:40.having lost. Team-mates would become rivals in the pursuit of a seat in
:19:41. > :19:48.the Blue Boat. Trial 8s are looking for people to step upment. Up. Both
:19:49. > :20:02.boats want to prove themselves and two out there and win. The marker
:20:03. > :20:05.boy was steered... We have frustrated Coxon and they need to be
:20:06. > :20:10.picked up and reminded that it's just a trial and it's time to move
:20:11. > :20:16.on. At least Cambridge had competed. Thanks to illness, Oxford never even
:20:17. > :20:19.got on the water. Their Tideway trial would have to wait until
:20:20. > :20:24.France where hard decisions would have to be made. Any time we had a
:20:25. > :20:28.selection, we are going to get stressed and there'll be emotions.
:20:29. > :20:33.There'll be guys upset not to have made the blue boat. That's the real
:20:34. > :20:40.sport. This was a time to test combinations and with Storm URU
:20:41. > :20:44.injured, Dawson took his place alongside Watson, three times a
:20:45. > :20:48.trialist but never a blue. It's great to be considered for the top
:20:49. > :20:54.boat. I've been in a position where I've been able to row in the boat
:20:55. > :20:59.before and I know what I need to do. In Spain, Cambridge found that
:21:00. > :21:05.success in trial 8s guaranteed nothing. Gupta was losing ground to
:21:06. > :21:11.Middleton at Cox, while Luke Juckett who, tasted defeat in Putney was
:21:12. > :21:19.drive driving -- thriving in the squad. I'm going to beat you.
:21:20. > :21:22.We have a huge challenge. We are massive underdoings this year.
:21:23. > :21:29.Hopefully, come race day, we are in a position to put up a good fight.
:21:30. > :21:33.-- underdogs. Alongside Andrew in the commentary
:21:34. > :21:39.box will be the winning President of 2004, lovely to see you here again.
:21:40. > :21:43.What did you make of Steve Trapmore describing Cambridge as massive
:21:44. > :21:47.underdogs? It's intention. He's trying to put the pressure on Oxford
:21:48. > :21:52.and say, we have nothing to lose, you have everything to lose, put the
:21:53. > :21:56.pressure on you. Cambridge went out for a paddle and Ian Middleton got a
:21:57. > :22:01.shock because, as they were rowing along, there was a problem. I think
:22:02. > :22:05.they must have hit something under underneath? Yes, I think they hit a
:22:06. > :22:08.log and it knocked the fin off the boat. You can see the boat's not
:22:09. > :22:09.going straight any more, it's fallen off and they are wondering what is
:22:10. > :22:30.going on. You can hear Ian Middleton
:22:31. > :22:35.explaining to the boat what's happened. They had to replace the
:22:36. > :22:38.fin. Is that a practical problem or does it affect you psychologically?
:22:39. > :22:41.No physical damage to the boat. If they had to change boats, that would
:22:42. > :22:45.have been a big problem, they change the fin, no big deal. But
:22:46. > :22:48.psychologically, their last row before the race got cut short as a
:22:49. > :22:53.result of that. That could have a little effect on them. That is the
:22:54. > :22:58.Cambridge Boat House looking quiet at the moment. What do you make of
:22:59. > :23:03.it in terms of the race? Oxford are heavy favourites. The crew normally
:23:04. > :23:10.have an advantage as a heavy crew. Oxford seem so experienced though?
:23:11. > :23:14.Yes, three Olympians versus none, five internationals versus none.
:23:15. > :23:18.It's a big e mismatch on paper than we have seen, so very interesting.
:23:19. > :23:22.Do conditions and the fact that it's choppy out there bring things closer
:23:23. > :23:27.together? They could and Cambridge is as the heavier crew might be able
:23:28. > :23:31.to blast through the water, but Oxford have been more clean in the
:23:32. > :23:35.rough water. Again maybe that's advantage Oxford. Thank you so much
:23:36. > :23:39.for joining us, look forward to hearing from you in the commentary
:23:40. > :23:46.box later. Great Britain and this stretch of
:23:47. > :23:51.water was affected by the Great War, 16 million were killed, including
:23:52. > :23:56.the great oarsmen who rode in this race. 100 years ago, two crews took
:23:57. > :24:01.to the river for the 1914 Boat Race, but within a few short months, the
:24:02. > :24:05.world was turned on its head. The Great War had begun. The war changed
:24:06. > :24:10.this city and this river. The Boat Race was suspended, the #19ed 14
:24:11. > :24:16.race the last time it was rode until 1920, but in the meantime, this
:24:17. > :24:21.river continued to play a vital parks as it has down through the
:24:22. > :24:26.centuries in our nation's history -- vital part. This is where food would
:24:27. > :24:28.arrive. It would have been packed with barges, supplies travelling
:24:29. > :24:36.from factories up river? Absolutely. It would have been a very, very
:24:37. > :24:40.industrial, arterial route. The Thames was crucial in keeping the
:24:41. > :24:43.lights on and the population fed. It also played a key part in the
:24:44. > :24:48.military conflict with the first aeriel attacks on the city. It's not
:24:49. > :24:56.like the Second World War blitz, but hundreds of people are killed are
:24:57. > :25:00.killed and injured and there is lots of damage done. They would have used
:25:01. > :25:04.the Thames to navigate their way in? Absolutely. The National Portrait
:25:05. > :25:08.Gallery has an exhibition of the images of the men and women who
:25:09. > :25:12.served during the First World War. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
:25:13. > :25:18.crews of 1914 virtually all served. We are able to find war records for
:25:19. > :25:24.17 out of the 18 oarsmen. That's Cambridge crew. Was this all
:25:25. > :25:30.blissful naivety or have they been reading between the lines when
:25:31. > :25:39.reading the newspapers? Ritson and Livingston. He makes it, he doesn't.
:25:40. > :25:44.He dies in the war, aged 23. He's dead slightly a year after the Boat
:25:45. > :25:50.Race. Of the 18 men who rode on that March day, five would not be coming
:25:51. > :25:53.home. In all, 42 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race rowers died
:25:54. > :26:01.during World War I. Perhaps the one that's left the most lasting legacy
:26:02. > :26:06.was a man who won a gold medal at the Olympics in 1912 and then wrote
:26:07. > :26:13.the most beautiful piece of music for the war poet, his friend, who
:26:14. > :26:22.was killed at Gallipoli. Kelly died in the Somme in 1916. Why do we see
:26:23. > :26:26.such high casualties for those who rode in the Boat Race? It was in the
:26:27. > :26:30.title, the university Boat Race, strong, well-educated young,
:26:31. > :26:34.talented men. They are not the senior officers, these are the
:26:35. > :26:38.young, keen men who have to show that they are willing to put their
:26:39. > :26:44.necks out in front of their ranks and that cuts a swathe through them,
:26:45. > :26:49.inevitably. The Oxford and Cambridge rowers killed during the First World
:26:50. > :26:53.War were a tiny handful of the hundreds of thousands of young men
:26:54. > :26:58.who gave their lives in Britain's bloodiest war. This time, spring 100
:26:59. > :27:02.years ago, they, like many other millions of people around the world,
:27:03. > :27:06.were a carefree group of young people focussed on sport with little
:27:07. > :27:11.inkling of the tragedy that was about to engulf them and their
:27:12. > :27:16.world. Fascinating stuff from Dan. Familiar
:27:17. > :27:21.territory this for you because you are a historian but also a rower? It
:27:22. > :27:24.brings it back. I start to get deeply nervous this time of year.
:27:25. > :27:28.Nothing's changed. 15 years ago now I was out here on this river. Three
:27:29. > :27:34.times in the Boat Race you were, once as President? Yes. Mixed
:27:35. > :27:40.fortunes? Yes, lost and won, but lost twice and won one. In terms of
:27:41. > :27:43.looking back at the history, and connecting it, were you surprised at
:27:44. > :27:48.how many were involve and how many died? I was really surprised. I was
:27:49. > :27:52.lucky enough to do some research on this. I could only find one member
:27:53. > :27:58.of the group, I couldn't find his war record, doesn't mean he didn't
:27:59. > :28:02.serve, but apart from that, they all served, five out of the 18 served,
:28:03. > :28:06.extraordinary. It's an amazing story. This river played a really
:28:07. > :28:11.key part, didn't it? Well, we forget London was a big industrial city at
:28:12. > :28:14.the time so this river would have been absolutely packed, there would
:28:15. > :28:19.have been so much going on. As we saw in the film, this river was fate
:28:20. > :28:22.NFL a way because the German navigators could follow the river in
:28:23. > :28:26.from the Thames Estuary and they knew when they were in Central
:28:27. > :28:31.London so it's as if the river was a mixed blessing for London. Where are
:28:32. > :28:36.you watching the race from? Standing there amongst all my Oxford buddies
:28:37. > :28:45.going grey and getting fat. Do you feel the rivalry? Not now. I think
:28:46. > :28:51.it's great fun and I'm a forest man but I don't want to kill Derby fans
:28:52. > :28:56.any more, you calm down a bit. I'm always surprised how tribal people
:28:57. > :29:00.are. The two camps, you can see it, when the coin toss was taking place?
:29:01. > :29:03.You spend the whole year doing this, and you don't even race anywhere
:29:04. > :29:09.Emms. I've got nothing to show for the years I lost, the #kubed is bare
:29:10. > :29:13.cupboard is bare, but it means so much. You are going to be heavily
:29:14. > :29:17.involved in the centenary programmes marking the 100 year since World War
:29:18. > :29:23.I, and this is going to be the BBC's biggest, most ambitious project ever
:29:24. > :29:27.they commissioned, 25010 hours of programming, already planned across
:29:28. > :29:33.television, radio and online. In terms of rowing history, it will
:29:34. > :29:39.be rewritten here next year on this stretch of the Thames because 2015
:29:40. > :29:44.will see the very first women's race taking equal billing on this
:29:45. > :29:45.Championship course. It's a fight for equality and it's taken a long,
:29:46. > :30:00.long time. Henley-on-Thames has been the home
:30:01. > :30:04.of the women's race. But this year will be the last time they'll race
:30:05. > :30:08.here N 2014 they'll move to race in the centre of London on The Tideway.
:30:09. > :30:12.It's taken 150 years. The announcement the women will have
:30:13. > :30:16.parity with the men was made back in 2012. Behind the scenes, there has
:30:17. > :30:21.been a lot to do. We learned a lot about how to fit together the puzzle
:30:22. > :30:26.pieces that come with varied academic schedules and where to
:30:27. > :30:31.train and when to train and when we can push and when we need to rest
:30:32. > :30:35.the athletes. The first thing we are trying to do is get our squad rowing
:30:36. > :30:42.to the best standard and run our team to a performance standard and
:30:43. > :30:46.then we can take it on to the Tideway Both clubs have had to make
:30:47. > :30:50.changes, there is more money, media sponsors, and the prospect of a
:30:51. > :30:56.trickier course We try to make the women as fit as we can. Whether it
:30:57. > :31:01.is a 2,000 metre race or a 6 k race. There will be alterations. We will
:31:02. > :31:04.take it in our stride. Of course we will be aware of the heightened
:31:05. > :31:08.expectations and the public eye. But, we know it is going to come. So
:31:09. > :31:13.we can prepare for it and focus on what we need to do.
:31:14. > :31:18.Tradition is a key part of the Boat Race. So it has not been an easy
:31:19. > :31:22.change for everyone. Have you been aware of any resistance to the fact
:31:23. > :31:31.that women are now joining the men, so to speak? Yes, I have. Within the
:31:32. > :31:35.university? Yes. A range? Definitely not from within the university. I
:31:36. > :31:42.think it comes from a pride and a tradition that has always been held
:31:43. > :31:46.very tightly, within a small, select group of athlete. Some people I have
:31:47. > :31:50.probably worked with in the men's team before were a little resistant.
:31:51. > :31:54.I think that's changing quickly. I would like it to be the case that
:31:55. > :31:58.when people say, Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, people think of
:31:59. > :32:02.both genders and it is not just the men and - oh, the women have one as
:32:03. > :32:08.well? We are starting to see that. I think there is a general trend to
:32:09. > :32:12.parity across sport in Britain in general, I'm excited that our club
:32:13. > :32:17.gets to be an integral part of that. And in what was the last women's
:32:18. > :32:23.Boat Race at Henley, it was the dark Blues who were in dominant foorm. --
:32:24. > :32:27.the Dark Blues who were in dominant form.
:32:28. > :32:32.Oxford crossed the line a full 10 lengths ahead of Cambridge. Oxford
:32:33. > :32:37.have really owned the women's Boat Race in the last several years,
:32:38. > :32:40.winning six out of seven. It will be a different challenge next year.
:32:41. > :32:45.Katherine Grainger is with me and joined by your Olympic
:32:46. > :32:49.gold-medal-winning pal, Anna Watkins who is making the trophy
:32:50. > :32:54.presentation this year. I'm excited. It is the champagne every time. How
:32:55. > :32:59.different a challenge will this be? It is about three times the length.
:33:00. > :33:04.Normally at the Henley race it is a six-minute race. Here it is closer
:33:05. > :33:08.to 20. It is a very, very different physical challenge for the athletes.
:33:09. > :33:12.Also, when you look around, the crowd - there are great crowds at
:33:13. > :33:15.Henley but the media attention, the sponsorship, the crowds, it is a
:33:16. > :33:22.different set-up. How significant is it, Anya, for women's rowing? The
:33:23. > :33:25.impact you and Catherine have made, means we have more talent in women's
:33:26. > :33:29.rowing than there ever has been We have a good groundswell and the
:33:30. > :33:32.Olympics has made a huge difference but this is a big piece of the
:33:33. > :33:36.puzzle which has to fall into place. We are happy it has finally got to
:33:37. > :33:41.this stage. Everybody watching, well the young girls watching, that's who
:33:42. > :33:45.it needs to watch out to. We are seeing Cambridge now taking their
:33:46. > :33:51.boat to the river. You need to seat faces and learn about them and care
:33:52. > :33:56.about them -- to see the faces. Talent-wise is a race is a race, you
:33:57. > :33:59.want it to be competitive or close. Nobody will be wondering,
:34:00. > :34:05.necessarily how fast they rowed today, it is whether they win or not
:34:06. > :34:10.Thisries is special. It is 9 local -- this race is special. It is the
:34:11. > :34:15.local derby of. Two football teams training in the same down. Whether
:34:16. > :34:20.people watch or not, these athletes put their heart and souls into this
:34:21. > :34:28.and do it in their spare time. I was trying to persuade Katherine to do
:34:29. > :34:32.another PhD so she can row in the race. Would you be tempted?
:34:33. > :34:39.International row something over for you. I'm tempted. Everyone who has
:34:40. > :34:44.rowed it, will be thinking - for the women's showcase next year, who
:34:45. > :34:50.wouldn't want to be a part? Listen, they would have you back in a
:34:51. > :34:54.heartbeat, wouldn't it be amazing? With the baby and everything? I have
:34:55. > :34:58.my own challenges. I can't wait to see it happen for real. You said
:34:59. > :35:02.earlier - you smiled when I said you are making the trophy presentation.
:35:03. > :35:06.Are you honoured to be doing so? I am. I think it is a sign of the
:35:07. > :35:14.times T wouldn't have happened with a female rower so long ago.
:35:15. > :35:20.Katherine did it last year. I follow in your footsteps a bit. It is great
:35:21. > :35:23.to have you here and wonderful to have you alongside each other again.
:35:24. > :35:27.Out on the river, the wind is picking up a bit. You saw the crews
:35:28. > :35:31.carrying their boats out. There is no glamour in rowing. It is not like
:35:32. > :35:35.you have a team of people to do that for you. If you are a rower, you do
:35:36. > :35:43.your own donkey work, out there on the river. We will be hearing from
:35:44. > :35:50.Sir Matthew Pinsent. Let's find out from him now, what it is like out
:35:51. > :35:56.there, Matt? I'm out on theory. It is benign at the moment when we are
:35:57. > :36:01.here. The rumour is further down the river, it is bumpy. We are expecting
:36:02. > :36:07.this wind to be against the tide when the crews are down Chiswick
:36:08. > :36:12.Eyot. It could be testing for both these crews further down the course,
:36:13. > :36:19.maybe 10 or 12 minutes into the race. And now it is time for the
:36:20. > :36:23.crews to take to the water. And there is plenty of people
:36:24. > :36:28.waiting here expectantly. That is the shot from Putney Bridge, looking
:36:29. > :36:32.down the river. And look at those crowds building up. That's
:36:33. > :36:38.Hammersmith Bridge in the background. A stretch of pubs and
:36:39. > :36:42.places to hang out and enjoy the afternoon's entertainment.
:36:43. > :36:45.Well,ing ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the crew -- well,
:36:46. > :36:51.ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the crews to take to the water.
:36:52. > :36:59.Emerging from their respective boathouses, these are the 18 men who
:37:00. > :37:07.will challenge for this year's race. He is 20, and studying for a degree
:37:08. > :37:11.in physics at St Hugh's. The Oxford objection is Laurence Harvey.
:37:12. > :37:15.-- the Oxford cox. His Cambridge counterpart is
:37:16. > :37:19.younger, at 18 but was the cox for the Great Britain 8 that finished
:37:20. > :37:23.fourth at the 2014 Junior World Championships. He is in his first
:37:24. > :37:31.year of a geography degree at Queens college, the Cambridge cox is Ian
:37:32. > :37:36.Middleton. At bow for Oxford an Olympic bronze medallist from London
:37:37. > :37:39.2012 and former World Champion in the lightweight double skulls.
:37:40. > :37:46.Hailing from the New Zealand and doing an MBA at Keble, it is the
:37:47. > :37:50.wonderfully named, Storm Uru. Cambridge's bow is in his fifth
:37:51. > :37:55.season. The third time he has competed in the boat Boat Race with
:37:56. > :38:01.one win and one degreet. Studying for his Masters and nicknamed
:38:02. > :38:06.Thorpedo, it's Mike Thorp. At two, for Oxford this Canadian has
:38:07. > :38:10.represented his country at the under-23 World Championships. He
:38:11. > :38:14.took up rowing as both his parents learned to row whilst at Cambridge
:38:15. > :38:21.University. Promoted from the reserve boat after stroking three
:38:22. > :38:27.wins. He is at brace nose. It's Tom Watson.
:38:28. > :38:35.-- brment razenose. -- Brazenose. In the two Saturday,
:38:36. > :38:40.an American, now at St Edmund's reading natural sciences. It is Luke
:38:41. > :38:44.Juckett. Competing in his fourth Boat Race
:38:45. > :38:49.with a record of two wins and one defeat, this former Oxford
:38:50. > :38:55.University Boat Club President has represented Team GB at senior
:38:56. > :39:11.levels, studying for a PhD at St Peter's College we have Karl
:39:12. > :39:17.Hudspith. And we have the youngest oarsman on either crew, study
:39:18. > :39:22.studying engineering, it is Ivo Dawkins. Into the middle of the boat
:39:23. > :39:30.and there is a Dark Blue Boat Race debutante for Oxford, hailing from
:39:31. > :39:36.America and a Yale graduate, it's Tom Swartz.
:39:37. > :39:39.Facing him at number four for Cambridge is their President and
:39:40. > :39:44.another American who is also the heaviest member of their crew.
:39:45. > :39:46.Returning for a third race and studying land economy at St Edmund's
:39:47. > :39:57.it's Steve Dudek. In the number five seat for Oxford
:39:58. > :40:01.is their President this year, the heaviest and oldest man on either
:40:02. > :40:04.crew. He has won Olympic gold and silver medals for can darks reading
:40:05. > :40:14.a mafters in clinical medicine actorle, it is Malcolm Howard. -- --
:40:15. > :40:24.won silver medals for Canada, reading a Masters in clinical
:40:25. > :40:34.medicine, at Oriel. And we have, a xet for from mag la
:40:35. > :40:38.lane. We have Helge Gruetjen. Now to the sixth seat and the former
:40:39. > :40:43.Harvard rowing captain who represented the USA at the World
:40:44. > :40:48.Championships last year, studying for a Masters at Trinity. It is
:40:49. > :40:53.Michael Di Santo. His counterpart for Cambridge, is a
:40:54. > :40:59.fellow American who studried at the University of Pence vainia, reading
:41:00. > :41:08.land economy at St Edmund's we have Matthew Jackson.
:41:09. > :41:13.This returning Blue helped Oxford win the Boat Race last year. Part of
:41:14. > :41:17.a New Zealand 8 that were crowned world junior Championships back in
:41:18. > :41:22.2006. This former Harvard graduate is at Chrish Church working towards
:41:23. > :41:27.a Masters in engineering science, it's Sam O'Connor.
:41:28. > :41:33.At number seven for Cambridge, is an Australian who has been promoted
:41:34. > :41:38.from the Goldie boat. Another of the Cambridge crew studying land economy
:41:39. > :41:43.at St Edp moneyed's, we have Joshua Hooper.
:41:44. > :41:50.-- at St Edmund's. And finally, we have the two strokes
:41:51. > :41:55.for Oxford, a if he no Nantly talented rower, aiming for a had
:41:56. > :42:00.trick of wins, aged just 22. -- a if he no Nantly talented. He is a
:42:01. > :42:07.classics student at Trinity. It is Constantine Louloudis. And at stroke
:42:08. > :42:12.for Cambridge, an American, competing in his first Boat Race. A
:42:13. > :42:22.former student of Georgetown university. Reading geography at
:42:23. > :42:28.Hughes Hall, it's Henry Hofstot. They train for, at least three hours
:42:29. > :42:32.a day, six days a week, for seven months to take part in this. Ladies
:42:33. > :42:43.and gentlemen, the two crews for the 2014 boat race take to the water.
:42:44. > :42:48.They are in the water and still 45 minutes to G where do they go now?
:42:49. > :42:52.They go beyond Putney Bridge towards Wandsworth Bridge. What do they do
:42:53. > :42:59.there are this time? -- 45 minutes to go. They run through a pre-race
:43:00. > :43:04.routine. The coxes run them through it. They are warming-up,
:43:05. > :43:09.physiologically and psychologically, getting to their rate at race pace
:43:10. > :43:15.when they are ready to go and come up to Putney Bridge and latch on to
:43:16. > :43:19.the start votes A familiar voice missing from our commentary, Dan,
:43:20. > :43:24.not 100% at the moment. We wish you well. See you back out on the river
:43:25. > :43:28.soon. Dan, a proud Oxford man, cheering on this crew perhaps. If
:43:29. > :43:32.you were looking at the Cambridge crushing the same concerns perhaps
:43:33. > :43:37.you had, the gulf and experience in class. -- the Cambridge crew.
:43:38. > :43:41.You look there at the Olympic medallists against the Cambridge
:43:42. > :43:46.crew which does not have that same experience? On paper it is a
:43:47. > :43:52.mis-match. I can't remember in the last decade having such a big gap on
:43:53. > :43:56.paper. This crew are big, strong with decent boat speed but the
:43:57. > :44:03.experience gap is a big thing for them to overcalm. And look at Steve
:44:04. > :44:11.Dudek, in front of him, Helge Gruetjen and Ivo Dawkins. They
:44:12. > :44:18.typify that. Big specimens but raw recruits. Yes and when you have
:44:19. > :44:22.Howard, one of the most decorated oarsmen in the world, and up against
:44:23. > :44:26.people who have only been racing a couple of years. There is a strong
:44:27. > :44:30.advantage for Oxford. And technique. When you haven't quite got that
:44:31. > :44:34.experience, technique, especially on the river, on The Tideway, where
:44:35. > :44:39.conditions are variable, technique is so important That is a concern.
:44:40. > :44:43.Matthew was speak being how rough it could be at the half-way point.
:44:44. > :44:48.That's where your technique gets tested. You need to get out of the
:44:49. > :44:52.water cleanly with the oars and step clear of the waves. I have seen
:44:53. > :44:59.Oxford do a better job in practice, than Cambridge. Off they head, away
:45:00. > :45:02.from the embankment. They will be back in the next 45 minutes or so.
:45:03. > :45:06.They will be warming up until the start of the race. This is what we
:45:07. > :45:13.have got for you over the next 45 minutes.
:45:14. > :45:17.have got for you over the next 45 from the sinking of 78 and it's a
:45:18. > :45:25.familiar sight as father shows son what not to do. I wasn't expecting
:45:26. > :45:30.to go swimming on that day. They are the brains in charge. It takes a lot
:45:31. > :45:34.to outfox the Cox. You have to be fairly eccentric and want to spend
:45:35. > :45:40.your years shouting at people much bigger than you.
:45:41. > :45:45.Sleep, eat, row, repeat. We get the inside track on the oarsmen's guide
:45:46. > :45:48.to life. And meanwhile down here at the
:45:49. > :45:53.start, the crowds are really heaving as people are trying to get into a
:45:54. > :46:00.position and people are screaming out "come on Oxford" or "come on
:46:01. > :46:04.Cambridge", and when you consider the factors that might affect your
:46:05. > :46:09.race, the one thing you probably don't think about is celestial body
:46:10. > :46:14.250,000 miles away from earth, but in fact, that has a huge influence,
:46:15. > :46:21.as our man in the moon, John Culshaw, can explain.
:46:22. > :46:27.The Thames. A river that has led over the centuries, to the growth of
:46:28. > :46:31.our capital. Weaving its way through the heart of London, affecting the
:46:32. > :46:36.daily ongoings in the city. Up here, a quarter of a million miles away
:46:37. > :46:40.from the earth, a ball of rock is affecting the waters. Our satellite,
:46:41. > :46:44.the moon, has the power to create great tides here on earth, dragging
:46:45. > :46:47.tonnes of water by simply passing overhead.
:46:48. > :46:54.That's exactly what it does to the home of the Boat Race, from its
:46:55. > :47:02.estuary to 95 miles upstream. The Thames River is strong in tide.
:47:03. > :47:09.So, we are here on the iconic Westminster Bridge in the heart of
:47:10. > :47:12.London directly over the River Thames and, how do the tides play
:47:13. > :47:17.out with the River Thames in particular? Well, it takes about
:47:18. > :47:22.five hours for the tide to flood in from the estuary and six hours to go
:47:23. > :47:27.back out to the earth. That happens twice a day. A big difference
:47:28. > :47:31.between the high tide and low tide, six to seven metres? It's quite
:47:32. > :47:35.large. From here, it takes 30 minutes to reach Putney and an hour
:47:36. > :47:41.to reach Teddington. How is it that the moon, the natural
:47:42. > :47:48.satellites, can exert these enormous forces on the earth and create the
:47:49. > :47:52.tides? It's all to do with gravity and the gravitational pull can be
:47:53. > :47:57.there. The greattering mass, the greater the gravitational pull. The
:47:58. > :48:01.moon, an Australia-sized ball of rock orbiting around the earth. As
:48:02. > :48:07.it goes around, the force of the orbit is pulling the oceans out with
:48:08. > :48:11.it? That's right, yes. The moon 's pulling a bit and the earth is
:48:12. > :48:15.rotating, so as the earth's surface goes into the bulge and back again,
:48:16. > :48:21.this is what we experience. Good job the earth as the gravity of its own
:48:22. > :48:25.otherwise we'd be in a pickle. So the tidal Thames sees water flooding
:48:26. > :48:29.in and out and depending on the position of the sun and moon in
:48:30. > :48:32.relation to the earth, at some point in the year, the tides are
:48:33. > :48:35.particularly high or low. All of this affects the planning of the
:48:36. > :48:39.Boat Race. We are in Putney. From here, the
:48:40. > :48:45.water comes in from the sea on a flood tide and goes out on an ebb
:48:46. > :48:48.tide. If you are planning a race, you want to plough your energy into
:48:49. > :48:53.rowing, not fighting a tide. You want to go along with the tide for
:48:54. > :48:57.an extra boost. What is exst especially impressive
:48:58. > :49:03.about the rowers, is the way they can use terrestrial events because
:49:04. > :49:07.they can learn them? Yes, if it's been raining, the water levels are
:49:08. > :49:09.higher, if it's windy, that is a problem. Predicting the tide is an
:49:10. > :49:21.art form. Who would have thought the moon was
:49:22. > :49:26.so influential, so crucial? Indeed. But the sad thing Jon, is that we
:49:27. > :49:30.are losing the moon, an inch per year it moves further away. Its
:49:31. > :49:35.gravitational effects on us become less and less. Yes, the Thames will
:49:36. > :49:43.be flat? Yes. There'll come a time when there is no moon but it's not
:49:44. > :49:51.for many millions of year, but will there be a human race and a Boat
:49:52. > :49:56.Race. I say we have a toast. Jon is here with me now. Regular
:49:57. > :50:01.guest presenter on Sky at Night on BBC Four. When you do that, do you
:50:02. > :50:05.feel em-Bewled with the spirit of Patrick Moore? I think so, you think
:50:06. > :50:13.of astronomy and Patrick Moore and he was a fan of the Boat Race and
:50:14. > :50:17.he'd say, it's not about oarsmanship, there are many physics
:50:18. > :50:26.that were fascinating. He loved it. . What will be the most important
:50:27. > :50:34.thing? To know the sling shot one will get from that. Science is the
:50:35. > :50:38.new rock'n'roll isn't it with Brian Cox and you and everyone else and
:50:39. > :50:41.Maggie on Radio Two this morning, she was brilliant. Everybody seems
:50:42. > :50:45.really interested in it, they want to know more about it? Yes. And you
:50:46. > :50:51.are bringing it alive? The image of science these day, it's not like the
:50:52. > :51:00.Open University of the late '60s and Professor Brian Cox, he'd describe
:51:01. > :51:05.the Boat Race of those rowing rowing from Mars to Pluto at the speed of
:51:06. > :51:08.light. Maybe that's the way things are going. Presumably you have been
:51:09. > :51:14.down here before and watched this? It's my first time, the tide is
:51:15. > :51:20.rising with the crowd and the aroma of the wine. You said Patrick Moore
:51:21. > :51:28.would find the fastest strip of water and it's called? Sounds like a
:51:29. > :51:32.baddie in Lord of the rings. Foulweg that, strip of water under the
:51:33. > :51:38.surface where it's deepest and fastest? Yes, they want to hit that
:51:39. > :51:42.to get a sling shot from him. Matthew Pinsent is on the river. You
:51:43. > :51:45.know all about that area of the water don't you? I love the idea of
:51:46. > :51:50.certaining something new and I've rode on this river for two or even
:51:51. > :51:53.three decades and I've never heard that term before so right, we can
:51:54. > :51:59.talk about the tide! It's obviously out there somewhere. If you have a
:52:00. > :52:03.look at the buoys floating, they are anchored to the bottom, you can see
:52:04. > :52:09.the tide that's coming in from the North Sea and helping these crews
:52:10. > :52:14.towards the finish line. The coxing, hugely important today. One final
:52:15. > :52:17.thing before they start the race, they have to get attached to the
:52:18. > :52:21.start. The reserve crews are attached to the start at the moment,
:52:22. > :52:26.doing that on a moving bit of water is quite a trick. Both reserve crews
:52:27. > :52:31.have managed it. The blue boats are expecting to do that in 20, 25
:52:32. > :52:35.minutes. The Coxs during the race are trying to find the quickest bit
:52:36. > :52:39.of water in the middle of the river to carry their crew hopefully
:52:40. > :52:42.fastest from start to finish. It's just over half an hour now
:52:43. > :52:46.until the start of the race. Although it started to spit with
:52:47. > :52:50.rain and it still is a bit, grey threatening clouds overhead, but so
:52:51. > :52:55.far so good. It's just a bit damp but it's not too bad - hello! It's a
:52:56. > :52:59.race that's had so many incidents. Two years ago, we had a swimmer in
:53:00. > :53:03.the river and then the Oxford blade broke and Cambridge won that race
:53:04. > :53:09.and all sorts of drama taking place. There was lot a mutiny in 1987,
:53:10. > :53:13.there was the broken boat of 1984. And what about the most famous event
:53:14. > :53:18.of all really, the Cambridge boat that sank in 1978? You might think,
:53:19. > :53:22.why talk about that 36 years on? The reason is that in the number three
:53:23. > :53:26.seat that year was a man called Will Dawkins and this year in the three
:53:27. > :53:34.seat for Cambridge is his son Ivo. I went with them on a boat down the
:53:35. > :53:40.river to remember that incident. NEWSREEL: Cambridge come to take the
:53:41. > :53:43.water in the 1978 university Boat Race.
:53:44. > :53:57.Number three is Willie Dawkins. Perfect conditions today. And Will,
:53:58. > :54:03.it was not like this in 1978? Not exactly. I have to say the start of
:54:04. > :54:07.1978, the conditions felt normal, it wasn't as calm as this, maybe a
:54:08. > :54:11.little more bouncy but not excessive. The weather really
:54:12. > :54:17.changed in the second half of the race, very dramatic. What makes this
:54:18. > :54:21.such a difficult course? I guess it's just so changeable on any given
:54:22. > :54:25.day. It's completely different, the conditions. I guess the other thing
:54:26. > :54:29.is there is no other big race in the world which is rode on a river with
:54:30. > :54:33.so many bends. It plays a big part in the tactics of the race and
:54:34. > :54:36.everything, how you react to the advantages at different points. That
:54:37. > :54:40.is an interesting part of it. NEWSREEL: You can see the white
:54:41. > :54:46.horses there. The weather is roughing up. Cambridge unfortunately
:54:47. > :54:54.going to get the worst of it. Could you hear the cox at all? No,
:54:55. > :54:59.the mic drowned out, so we could hear muffled squawking at the back
:55:00. > :55:03.end of the boat. Otherwise, we were feeling our way and concentrating on
:55:04. > :55:07.delivering as much power as we could to keep the boat moving in these
:55:08. > :55:11.rather sluggish conditions. That's the thing, sad Sa sportsman, you are
:55:12. > :55:15.just focussed on trying to win the race, you are not thinking, I might
:55:16. > :55:20.have to bail out here? No, that thought didn't enter my head, I
:55:21. > :55:26.wasn't expecting to go swimming that day -- as a sportsman.
:55:27. > :55:30.As you go through the arch here, it's taking in a lot more water,
:55:31. > :55:35.it's really kind of sloshing around your feet and coming up almost to
:55:36. > :55:39.the level of the seats. Cambridge have really caught the water now.
:55:40. > :55:46.Water pouring over. Cambridge are sinking. Cambridge are going down.
:55:47. > :55:53.Just a few yards after the pier and the boat started to go down to the
:55:54. > :55:56.stern and a wallow or two and then a ghastly halt.
:55:57. > :56:00.NEWSREEL: There they go. And now it's panic, they have to get out. We
:56:01. > :56:04.can see them, they have the quick release straps and now we must have
:56:05. > :56:09.the rescue. We must come in for the rescue.
:56:10. > :56:13.Am I right in thinking the Cambridge President offed or asked for a
:56:14. > :56:17.rematch? Exactly. The President was completely within his rights to turn
:56:18. > :56:22.us down because you have to live by the consequences of your own
:56:23. > :56:27.actions. What is the confidence like in the Cambridge camp? We know how
:56:28. > :56:32.strong our oarsmen are this year, so we are taking it a day at a time.
:56:33. > :56:37.It's going well, but we have a pretty huge challenge ahead of us.
:56:38. > :56:50.That's probably a healthy way to look at it.
:56:51. > :56:56.Technology has improved an awful lot, so neither boats we hope are
:56:57. > :57:01.able to be sunk. We never know though. The crowds at
:57:02. > :57:06.the start have been cheering the two crews. Look what I've found! This
:57:07. > :57:09.little puppy is only three months old.
:57:10. > :57:13.She's called Daisy. She's a malt ease and a little bit cold so you
:57:14. > :57:18.have been keeping her tucked away because it's a bit chilly isn't it?
:57:19. > :57:26.It is. What is your name? Peter. One day would you want to be a rower or
:57:27. > :57:29.a cox 1234 A rower. Probably right. Big strong rower but the ninth man
:57:30. > :57:34.in each crew is the smallest of the lot and can be the most influential.
:57:35. > :57:44.Matthew has been looking at the vox pops of the cox!
:57:45. > :57:54.In the Boat Race, one Voice is heard above all others. The cox. Small,
:57:55. > :57:58.compact, often highly eccentric. The cox is said to have one of the most
:57:59. > :58:03.complex roles in sport. But what does a cox actually do, and how do
:58:04. > :58:08.they influence the psychology and performance of their crew? I don't
:58:09. > :58:13.think it is a clear role that people understand. Probably some people
:58:14. > :58:23.think Boat Racing and the guy is banging a drum going, "left right,
:58:24. > :58:27.left right". It's about playing different roles. Some might need a
:58:28. > :58:31.bit of gentle encouragement, or a mother or whatever, it's working out
:58:32. > :58:37.what each individual needs. The rowers hate coxes. There is this
:58:38. > :58:41.endemic thing, that you do all the work, they sit there, they get the
:58:42. > :58:46.medal for winning and the glory as much as you do and like, throwing
:58:47. > :58:51.the cox in at the end is partly, you haven't done a bit of work so we are
:58:52. > :58:58.going to teleyou in, so it's a very interesting relation relationship.
:58:59. > :59:03.The eight guys put their sole trusts in you. That's the spovenlt I
:59:04. > :59:09.started at school. There was a friend a few years older than me.
:59:10. > :59:13.She knew I was mouthy and bossy so she thought the characteristics
:59:14. > :59:20.would be useful. I'm usually one of the most foul-mouthed people I in
:59:21. > :59:24.the boat. You have to be eccentric and want to spend your years cramped
:59:25. > :59:29.in a tiny space getting cold and shouting at people much bigger than
:59:30. > :59:36.you. Being a cox is like being a Keir. , a goal Keir. If he makes a
:59:37. > :59:42.mistake, it's clear and visible and he gets shot down for it. If you
:59:43. > :59:47.have a cox who is reliable and can steer straight, you have got a
:59:48. > :59:50.phenomenal package. You can have a brilliant cox, but if they don't get
:59:51. > :59:57.on with the crew, it won't work. There has to be a complex balance to
:59:58. > :00:00.win the crew's trust. Too assertive and aggressive and the crew may not
:00:01. > :00:05.trust them because they will think the cox has too much interest, too
:00:06. > :00:10.big an ego. If any cox thinks they have too big a role to play, that
:00:11. > :00:15.can potentially be dangerous. The cox exists in a world of many deep
:00:16. > :00:20.irisnies. They don't have to physically exert themselves but they
:00:21. > :00:25.have to make many of the key judgments under pressure on the big
:00:26. > :00:29.day. Part coach, part psychologist, part confidante. The cox will always
:00:30. > :00:35.play the defining role in the Boat Race.
:00:36. > :00:46.viewers at BBC World News to live coverage of the 1160th Boat Race. --
:00:47. > :00:51.160th Boat Race. We are live here at the start of the race. It is due off
:00:52. > :00:54.in 25 minutes' time. Very late. Very choppy conditions as well. It is
:00:55. > :00:59.grey overhead at the moment. Not raining. We have been discussing the
:01:00. > :01:03.influence of the cox. We have last year's winning cox with us. And
:01:04. > :01:07.Matthew Syed and Olympic gold medallist from London 2012,
:01:08. > :01:14.Katherine Grainger. Oscar, you got animated a lot last year, you
:01:15. > :01:20.shouted a lot. That is true. Like I said last year, the event is this
:01:21. > :01:24.great public thing. But, you go to the starting line and everything
:01:25. > :01:29.else melts away. It is your crew, the crew next to you and the umpire
:01:30. > :01:34.behind you. Nothing else seems to matter. At that point, you are just
:01:35. > :01:39.talking to the guys. You completely forgot there's so many people, in
:01:40. > :01:44.fact watching. Did you almost shock yourself, when you watched it back,
:01:45. > :01:49.at how aggressive you got? I don't think I coxed differently I had the
:01:50. > :01:53.fixtures or any other pieces. You don't want to do it differently. The
:01:54. > :01:58.crew expect a particular tone from the cox. Here we g here we go. I
:01:59. > :02:04.think when I saw it again, what I was actually surprised, is that I
:02:05. > :02:11.cursed more than came out on air. Yes, we did fade your mic at points
:02:12. > :02:15.when we could. Matthew, you are an expert, if I say so, I have read
:02:16. > :02:18.many of your books in sports psychology. How do you think the
:02:19. > :02:24.psychology of cox differs from other people in sport? Fascinating. When I
:02:25. > :02:28.spoke to the rowers, they are rather skating initially about the cox.
:02:29. > :02:31.They describe them as eccentric and gobby. But when you probed into
:02:32. > :02:37.later about what they felt, there was a deep level of respect. The
:02:38. > :02:40.coxes are often making key strategic decisions under pressure during the
:02:41. > :02:44.course of the race. It seemed to me that they also have to develop a
:02:45. > :02:48.strong relationship with their team. They are almost like
:02:49. > :02:52.pseudopsychologists. It is a range of different skills they need to
:02:53. > :02:57.deploy. I left having done that film, with a great deal of respect
:02:58. > :03:01.for the jobs they do. Katherine, you have worked with and without a cox.
:03:02. > :03:05.How much of an influence do they have? On a day like today, when
:03:06. > :03:11.nerves build up from a long way out? ? They have a crucial role. They are
:03:12. > :03:14.part athlete and part coach. In rowing, when you get into the boat
:03:15. > :03:18.and you are in the water, no-one else can reach you. The coaches
:03:19. > :03:24.can't have an influence. You are kind of a alone and the cox's role
:03:25. > :03:28.becomes crucial. The steer of the bend in this race will make a
:03:29. > :03:33.ditches between winning and losing. Oscar, could there be a different
:03:34. > :03:37.course to be taken today, it could be tricky? Given the conditions, I
:03:38. > :03:41.don't think it is going to be a particularly eccentric type of boat
:03:42. > :03:44.race. I think it will be pretty straightforward for the coxes. I
:03:45. > :03:49.think that you have to remember that by the time they are on the water,
:03:50. > :03:55.even though the coxon is calling the shots, the crew have agreed on the
:03:56. > :03:59.shots. The coxon - the best way to put forward, it is like jazz,
:04:00. > :04:04.improvising but not winging. You are there, and everyone is dialled in.
:04:05. > :04:10.So, they will have gone through alternative race plans and scenarios
:04:11. > :04:14.and when they hit the water and the cox is making the calls, the key
:04:15. > :04:18.thing is that the crew won't be surprised. Even if the cox is maybe
:04:19. > :04:22.changing the plan a little bit. It won't be a surprise to anybody.
:04:23. > :04:28.People will be ready for the calls. Well, you can tell from Oscar's el
:04:29. > :04:32.quans and poetry, I would say, why you were such a good cox. There we
:04:33. > :04:37.are looking at the Cambridge cox, who is only 18 and is going to be
:04:38. > :04:41.taking - Ian Middleton - taking his boys down the course and hoping for
:04:42. > :04:46.the best. This is a like a challenge like no other. They have to combine
:04:47. > :04:50.their rowing and studies and everything else involved with
:04:51. > :04:54.student life. We followed the Oxford number six, Michael Di Santo, for a
:04:55. > :04:59.day and discovered basically there just aren't enough hours in a day
:05:00. > :05:11.When it comes to rowing, you have to love it. If you love it, then it
:05:12. > :05:14.doesn't feel like a job. # Admit that the waters around you
:05:15. > :05:20.have grown # And accept that you too will be
:05:21. > :05:23.drenched to the bone # if your time to you is worth
:05:24. > :05:29.saving # Then you better start swimming
:05:30. > :05:32.# Or you'll sink like a stone # Oh, the times they are
:05:33. > :05:50.a-changing... # # Keep your eyes wide
:05:51. > :05:54.# The chance won't come again # Don't speak too soon
:05:55. > :05:58.# The wheel's still in spin # And there's no telling who that
:05:59. > :06:01.it's naming # Because the loser now will be
:06:02. > :06:25.later to win # Oh, the times they are a-changing
:06:26. > :06:33.later to win # The line it is drawn
:06:34. > :06:39.# The curse, it is cast # Later they fast
:06:40. > :06:44.# The present now will later be past # For the times they are
:06:45. > :06:57.a-changing... # I heard the Cambridge guys turn up
:06:58. > :07:03.as well-coiffed on race day as they were for the weigh-in. This is a day
:07:04. > :07:08.in the life for an Oxford rower. Michael Di Santo there, letting us
:07:09. > :07:12.in with his cameras and Tom James, double Olympic medallist is a
:07:13. > :07:19.professional rower and he is alongside me. Your life, in relative
:07:20. > :07:24.terms, is simpler, you only have to worry about staying fit and healthy
:07:25. > :07:29.for rowing. Yes, when you are studying as well, your day is full,
:07:30. > :07:37.it is a taken up, there's no time to recover. That's a big thing, how you
:07:38. > :07:41.recover, in a busy lead -- busy week, leading up to selection. It is
:07:42. > :07:45.tricky. Katherine, I suppose on the positive time, when you are
:07:46. > :07:50.studying, you have that sense of perspective, as you are always doing
:07:51. > :07:55.other things. Oxford have come into shot I studied alongside my rowing
:07:56. > :07:59.career. I thought it made me a better athlete. But as Tom says, it
:08:00. > :08:03.is a massive challenge to get everything N there are priorities on
:08:04. > :08:07.both sides. -- to get everything in. After living like that for weeks and
:08:08. > :08:10.months, a rowers' position in a boat is not secure. How they combine
:08:11. > :08:14.together as a crew is the crucial thing. The coaches are looking for
:08:15. > :08:19.balance in the boat. In the last few weeks as Boat Race day has crept
:08:20. > :08:23.closer, the pressure got cranked up a notch and Oxford have had a lot of
:08:24. > :08:30.catching up to do. January, the first day of term and
:08:31. > :08:34.timely Oxford's trial 8s: It is anp opportunity to show your team-mates
:08:35. > :08:38.you deserve to be in the vote. Ivo Dawkins continued to press his case
:08:39. > :08:44.for selection with Storm Uru still absent. How long could the coaches
:08:45. > :08:48.wait for the can I which? If it is somebody you know a lot about and
:08:49. > :08:52.know they can perform, you can wait a while. This is my third year
:08:53. > :08:59.trialing. It is a competitive squad. It could be up to perhaps 8 people
:09:00. > :09:07.looking for two seats. Veteran Tom Watson never made the Blue Boat. Now
:09:08. > :09:13.he had a rival. Chris fayreweather. In terms of selection, I have given
:09:14. > :09:18.what I had. I'm not disappointed In Cambridge, Luke Juckett was looking
:09:19. > :09:23.secure in a settled line-up, except at cox where three were battling for
:09:24. > :09:28.one seat. The uncertainty keeps you on your toes. That creates more
:09:29. > :09:33.pressure. With race day weeks away, change was coming at Oxford. Joseph
:09:34. > :09:38.Dawson had a fight on his hands, Storm Uru was back in contention.
:09:39. > :09:42.Nothings a changed from the way I was. You focus on the next thing,
:09:43. > :09:47.rather than the overall goal. Otherwise you get lost. Next up,
:09:48. > :09:52.race fixtures. Both Presidents, would need to manage the pressure in
:09:53. > :09:55.the squads, as ever before. People don't talk to you in the same way as
:09:56. > :09:59.they used to. They are aware they are not talking to just a rower any
:10:00. > :10:05.more. They are aware that what they say and think is likely going to
:10:06. > :10:10.make it back to the coaching staff. If someone says - why am I not
:10:11. > :10:16.getting a shot at the Blue Boat, I will be straight up. I will not
:10:17. > :10:20.sugar coat it. So for Cambridge, the tenacious, Luke Juckett would row at
:10:21. > :10:27.3, while Ian Middleton would guide Cambridge at cox. There was no room
:10:28. > :10:35.in the Oxford crew for Jason Dawson as Storm Uru was selected and in the
:10:36. > :10:39.two seat was Chris Fairweather mean meaning Dawson's dream was over, at
:10:40. > :10:45.least for today. Flooding in Oxford had disrupted the coach, Sean
:10:46. > :10:50.Bowden's programme, and there was a late change. It is never nice
:10:51. > :10:54.telling people their best isn't good enough but because we had tests on
:10:55. > :10:59.the performance, it is easy to pick the guy who is the quickest. That
:11:00. > :11:04.was Tom Watson, Chris Fairweather lost his seat Chris is a great rower
:11:05. > :11:09.and good friend. I try not to think of it as too much of me verses
:11:10. > :11:15.another person. You try to do your best. And on race day, the President
:11:16. > :11:18.are part of the crew There are eight other guys around me who will do
:11:19. > :11:21.everything they can to win. They will kill themselves for me. It
:11:22. > :11:24.commands your respect and effort. The guy behind me and in front of me
:11:25. > :11:32.that motivates me and keeps me going. Well, we have downed to the
:11:33. > :11:37.river's edge. Katherine, Tom and myself have our lifeboats on, we
:11:38. > :11:44.will head down the river in the speedboat to get to the finish ahead
:11:45. > :11:49.of the race. And Helge Gruetjen, he has lost 20 kilos and didn't row
:11:50. > :11:56.before he came to university. He has the office next to hue kin. It is
:11:57. > :12:03.amazing seeing someone to rowing so late. To be here and winning a Blue
:12:04. > :12:07.today in the Boat Race. I find it amazing sometimes the ability people
:12:08. > :12:11.have. The technique is a big hurdle. It is a big barrier to entry to
:12:12. > :12:15.getting into the boat. But if you get the basics right and have a
:12:16. > :12:21.coach that can progress people quickly that's the first thing to
:12:22. > :12:26.get over. If are big and have the physiology, but the techniques are a
:12:27. > :12:30.difficult thing. That's whys is surprising. What is your prediction?
:12:31. > :12:33.We know Oxford are quick off the start and they'll get into their
:12:34. > :12:37.pace. Cambridge have to make sure they will not get dropped. 23 they
:12:38. > :12:41.do that and get settled and row, it'll be a close race. -- if they do
:12:42. > :12:46.that. I think Oxford will be difficult to beat but if Cambridge
:12:47. > :12:51.can stick early on through the rough water, it is up for everybody. I
:12:52. > :12:55.will let you get into the boat and ask Katherine what show thinks?
:12:56. > :13:00.Oxford are the favourites but the conditions are changing.
:13:01. > :13:06.Traditionally, you think the heavier taller crew would win but if
:13:07. > :13:12.conditions come into play, the extra weight could help. We'll hand you
:13:13. > :13:16.over to the commentators. We'll commentator Clare getting into the
:13:17. > :13:19.boat. Fine techniques so far. Katherine Grainger, oh, slight
:13:20. > :13:23.hesitation. No refusal, though. Oh, dear.
:13:24. > :13:27.Right, they are fine, they are in there and on water. It is murky out
:13:28. > :13:32.there. The rain is coming down as we look at Cambridge. Of course, Isis
:13:33. > :13:39.Goldie, looking like a convincing win for Isis. This is the live shot
:13:40. > :13:47.to the finish at Mortlake. It is going to be victory for Isis. Goldie
:13:48. > :13:53.a long way behind. That is a convincing victory for Isis. And
:13:54. > :13:58.that's a trend of recent years. Isis have now won four of the last -
:13:59. > :14:03.well, six of the last seven races now I make that. The last four
:14:04. > :14:08.races. It is a big win, a huge victory win. A huge margin. I'm a
:14:09. > :14:13.bit surprised by that. It is ominous for the Boat Race as well. The
:14:14. > :14:18.Isis/Goldie race is an indication of the depth of each squad. You have to
:14:19. > :14:24.be concerned. Looking at Goldie, I'm wondering if something went wrong. I
:14:25. > :14:27.wonder if something went wrong? Isis went out quick. They had the victory
:14:28. > :14:32.and celebration under Chiswick Bridge but that was a big, big win.
:14:33. > :14:36.Clare Balding and the gang almost caught Goldie up there, they are
:14:37. > :14:42.flying along. I hope that wharf settles down behind the boat. It
:14:43. > :14:49.tends to bounce bounce off the walls but Katherine Grainger as royalty,
:14:50. > :14:52.look at that, waving out the back alongside Tom James. There is a
:14:53. > :14:56.speed limit that must have been waved for these very special people
:14:57. > :15:01.heading up towards the finish. Did you find out how the reserve race
:15:02. > :15:06.went on when you were out on your warm-up? Only if the coaches chose
:15:07. > :15:12.to tell us. Right now they will be wanting to decide - will I tell my
:15:13. > :15:17.guys Goldie got beaten or not let them worry about that and find out
:15:18. > :15:20.later. Well Clare and the rest are zipping up the river and past the
:15:21. > :15:28.Blue Anchor where Helen skeleton is. zipping up the river and past the
:15:29. > :15:32.might be grey but it's not dampening anybody's spirits. You seem happy,
:15:33. > :15:37.yes? Yes, really happy, really good to be here. You are all rowers, so
:15:38. > :15:44.how does this race compare, is it a tough one? I've done the Head of The
:15:45. > :15:49.river and it's horrific, a horribler horrible race. Oxford or Cambridge?
:15:50. > :15:57.Oxford today. Why? We know one of the rowers who won their reserve
:15:58. > :16:03.race in Isis, Alex Bostrom, we are rooting for him today, we went to
:16:04. > :16:08.Durham university together. How significant it that the ladies will
:16:09. > :16:09.be here? It's only right they should be on the equal course to have the
:16:10. > 1:09:13same chance