The Lightweight Boat Races

Last updated

The Lightweight Boat Races
Event information
Race area The Championship Course [1]
Formerly Henley Regatta course (downstream) [2]
Dates1975–present
Competitors CUBC (formerly CULRC / CUWBC), OULRC / OUWLRC
Distance4.2 miles (6.8 km) [1]
First race1975 (men), 1984 (women) [3]
Website www.lightweightboatraces.co.uk

The Lightweight Boat Races are a series of annual rowing races between men's and women's lightweight crews representing the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

Contents

The first men's race took place in 1975, being joined by the women's race in 1984. Both races are currently held on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake, although they previously formed part of the Henley Boat Races, along with various other rowing races between the two universities, including the openweight women's Boat Race. Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues or half blues and each boat as a Blue Boat . Competitors at the events have gone on to compete at international and Olympic levels.

History

Richard Bates, a Cambridge undergraduate, organised a Boat Race between lightweight men's crews of Oxford and Cambridge universities in 1975, to take place at Henley-on-Thames. The race was joined by the openweight women's Boat Race two years later, thus forming the Henley Boat Races. The first lightweight women's boat race took place at the event in 1984. [3] Reserve races have taken place since 2000 (except 2010–2015) for the lightweight men (Nephthys vs Granta) and in some years since 2012 for the lightweight women (Tethys vs CUWBC Lightweight Reserves).

In 2019, the lightweight men's race moved to the Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake, where it has been held since. The lightweight women's race made the same move the following year in 2020. [1]

For the men's race the average weight of the crew must not exceed 70 kilograms (154.3 lb; 11 st 0.3 lb), with no rower weighing over 72.5 kilograms (159.8 lb; 11 st 5.8 lb). For the women's race, no rower can exceed 59 kilograms (130.1 lb; 9 st 4.1 lb).

The races receive annual press coverage, [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] and competitors from both Universities have gone on to compete at international and Olympic levels. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Results

The history of the results of the races are as follows. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Lightweight Men's Boat Race

No.DateWinnerTimeWinning Margin (Lengths)Oxford WinsCambridge Wins
11975Cambridge6:18-1
21976Oxford6:3211
31977Oxford6:19121
41978Cambridge5.482⁄322
51979Cambridge5.392/323
61980Cambridge6:1524
71981Cambridge6:2125
81982CambridgeNTT26
91983Cambridge5:5327
101984Cambridge5:401+1⁄328
111985Cambridge6:006 ft29
121986Cambridge6:242210
131987Cambridge6:091⁄2211
141988Cambridge5:50212
151989Cambridge5:514+1⁄2213
161990Cambridge6:404+3⁄4214
171991Cambridge6:391⁄3215
181992Oxford5:402+1⁄2315
191993Cambridge5:391⁄2316
201994Oxford5:353⁄4416
211995Cambridge5:291⁄3417
221996OxfordNRO disq517
231997Oxford5:491617
241998Cambridge5:451⁄2618
251999Oxford5:311+1⁄2718
262000Cambridge5:402719
272001Cambridge6:334 (raced at Holme Pierrepont)720
282002Oxford5:212820
292003Oxford5:551+1⁄4920
302004Oxford5:361⁄21020
312005Oxford5:5131120
321 April 2006Oxford5:182+1⁄41220
331 April 2007Oxford3:441 (raced over a shortened course)1320
3423 March 2008Oxford6:152+1⁄21420
3522 March 2009Cambridge5:4931421
3628 March 2010Cambridge5:282 ft1422
3727 March 2011Oxford5:54Canvas1522
3825 March 2012Cambridge6:003⁄41523
3924 March 2013Oxford6:491+2⁄3 (raced at Dorney)1623
4030 March 2014Cambridge5:303+1⁄21624
415 April 2015Cambridge5:554 ft1625
4219 March 2016Cambridge6:19Easily1626
4326 March 2017Cambridge6:071+3⁄41627
4418 March 2018Cambridge6:261⁄3 (raced at Dorney)1628
4524 March 2019Oxford17:432+1⁄3 (first race on the Tideway)1728
4615 March 2020Oxford18:503+1⁄21828
4723 May 2021Oxford14:191+1⁄2 (raced at Ely)1928
4820 March 2022Cambridge18:0151929
4920 March 2023Cambridge18:18111930
5029 March 2024Cambridge20:1551⁄21931

Lightweight Women's Boat Race

No.DateWinnerTimeWinning Margin (Lengths)Oxford WinsCambridge Wins
11984Cambridge-1
21985Cambridge-2
31986Oxford12
41987Cambridge13
51988Cambridge5:50314
61989Cambridge6:37115
71990Cambridge7:352+1⁄316
81991Cambridge7:482+1⁄417
91992Cambridge6:35318
101993Cambridge6:18Easily19
111994Cambridge6:231 ft.110
121995Oxford6:192210
131996Cambridge6:36Canvas211
141997Cambridge6:37Canvas212
151998Oxford6:36Canvas312
161999Oxford6:01+1⁄22+3⁄4412
172000Oxford6:222+1⁄2512
182001Cambridge7:373 (raced at Holme Pierrepont)513
192002Oxford6:064613
202003Oxford6:512713
212004Oxford6:083⁄4813
222005Oxford6:551⁄2913
231 April 2006Cambridge6:00Canvas914
241 April 2007Oxford4:111 (raced over a shortened course)1014
2523 March 2008Cambridge7:011⁄31015
2622 March 2009Oxford6:302+1⁄21115
2728 March 2010Oxford6:012+3⁄41215
2827 March 2011Cambridge6:431+1⁄21216
2925 March 2012Oxford6:481+1⁄31316
3024 March 2013Oxford7:334+3⁄4 (raced at Dorney)1416
3129 March 2014Oxford6:083+1⁄21516
325 April 2015Cambridge6:263 ft.1517
3319 March 2016Oxford6:54Canvas1617
3426 March 2017Cambridge6:4531618
3518 March 2018Cambridge7:241⁄2 (raced at Dorney)1619
3630 March 2019Oxford6:282+1⁄21719
3715 March 2020Cambridge23:246 (first race on the Tideway)1720
3818 May 2021Cambridge18:082+1⁄2 (raced at Ely)1721
3920 March 2022Cambridge19:59151722
4020 March 2023Cambridge23:3461723
4129 March 2024Cambridge23:0451724

Lightweight Men's Reserves (Nephthys vs Granta)

DateWinnerTimeWinning Margin (Lengths)Oxford WinsCambridge Wins
2000Cambridge5:502+3⁄4-1
2001Oxford71⁄211
2002Oxford5:33221
2003Cambridge6:192+1⁄222
2004Oxford5:45Canvas32
2005Oxford6:074+1⁄242
1 April 2006Oxford5:26552
1 April 2007Oxford4:08R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys.62
23 March 2008Oxford6:29R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys.72
22 March 2009Oxford6:15R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Beat Durham.82
Race in abeyance 2010 - 2015
13 March 2016Cambridge-1+1⁄4 (Raced in 4x)83
19 March 2017Cambridge6:192+1⁄2 (Raced in 8+) [18] 84
18 March 2018Cambridge7:243⁄4 (Raced in 4+ at Dorney)85
22 March 2019Oxford1 (Raced in 2– from Putney to Mile Post)95
14 March 2020OxfordCanvas (Raced in 2- from Putney to Mile Post)105
23 May 2021Oxford1 (Raced in 2- at Ely)115
18 March 2022Cambridge2 (Raced in 2- from Putney to Mile Post)116
18 March 2023Cambridge5 (Raced in 2- from Harrods to Putney)117
27 March 2024Cambridge4 (Raced in 2- from Putney to Mile Post)118

Lightweight Women's Reserves (Tethys vs CUBC Lightweight Women's Reserves)

Raced on the Friday before the main event in a 4+ in 2012, and incorporated into main race day in 2016.

DateWinnerTimeWinning Margin (Lengths)Oxford WinsCambridge Wins
2012Cambridge(Raced in 4+, CUBC had open weight rowers who did not weigh-in, OUWLRC had a lightweight crew)-1
19 March 2016Cambridge8:553⁄4 (Raced in 2-)-2
26 March 2017Cambridgeeasily (Raced in 2-)-3
18 March 2018Oxford8:15easily (Raced in 4+ at Dorney)13
30 March 2019Cambridge1+1⁄2 (Raced in 2-)14
14 March 2020Oxford7 (Raced in 4+ from Putney to Hammersmith)24
18 May 2021CambridgeOxford unable to field a crew25
19 March 2022OxfordCambridge unable field a crew35
18 March 2023Cambridge3 (Raced in 4+ from Harrods to Putney, CUBC boat had 3 openweight rowers who did not weigh-in)36

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Lightweight Boat Races". Lightweight Boat Races. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "Henley Boat Races - Course Map". Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 "History". Henley Boat Races. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "Rowing: Day for Light Blue celebration as Cambridge sweep Henley Boat Races" . The Independent. 22 March 1993. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2016; "Women's Boat Race: Cambridge women pass examination of rowing prowess". The Independent. 21 March 1994. Retrieved 16 April 2015; "The Henley Boat Races". Cherwell . 31 March 2010.
  5. ↑ "Natalie Redgrave helps Oxford win Women's Boat Race". BBC Sport. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Rivals share spoils at competitive Henley". The Telegraph. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Clean sweep for Oxford over Cambridge at Henley Boat Races at Dorney Lake". The Telegraph. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Oxford Dominate Henley Boat Races 2013". Henley Herald. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford Dominate in Last Women's Boat Race in Henley". Henley Herald. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Cambridge Win 3 out of 4 at the Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford and Cambridge Share Race Wins at Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford and Cambridge Share Race Wins at Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2018; "Cambridge University lightweights enjoy success at Henley Boat Races". Cambridge Independent. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019; "Cambridge Blues make light work of Henley Boat Races". Varsity Online. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "The Other Boat Race". BBC Sport. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "CULRC". CULRC Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Men's Lightweight Rowing Club". Oxford University Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "International Success". Oxford University Women's Lightweight Rowing Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  13. ↑ "Results". Henley Boat Races. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "The Boat Race Lite". Hear The Boat Sing. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Lightweight Boat Races: Results". The Lightweight Boat Races. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Cambridge dominates the 2023 Interactive Investor Lightweight Boat Races". Cambridge University Boat Club. 20 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "Cambridge Dominates in Men's Lightweight Boat Race Amidst Challenging Conditions". Rowing News. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024; "Cambridge Women's Lightweight Crew Secures Victory in a Tense Battle Against Oxford". Rowing News. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024; Weir, Iain (29 March 2024). "Cambridge Dominates in Men's Lightweight Boat Race Amidst Challenging Conditions". The Boat Race. Retrieved 2 April 2024; Weir, Iain (29 March 2024). "Cambridge Women's Lightweight Crew Secures Victory in a Tense Battle Against Oxford". The Boat Race. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "2017 Boat Races – Reports". Archived from the original on 22 March 2023.
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