The Boat Race

OK so I haven't posted in a while, but I have a good excuse.

I, like the rest of the people in this crazy town, have been going Boat Mad for the last three weeks. As I am sure you all know the Oxford vs Cambridge University Boat Race was held today on the choppy waters of the mighty Thames. A true contest of human determination if ever there was one.

For the last three weeks no one in London has done anything but talk boats, some of the more fool hardy have even been inspired to try their hands at the rowing themselves. Your fearless reporter even had a go over 1/10th the Boat Race distance on the rowing machine at the gym (and impressed many with his technique). From the people on the DLR to the locals at the old Billy 4 no one has spoken of anything but the merits of the two sides. My ultimate boss (an Aussie who works in New York who was visiting London- as you do) came to visit the team last week- his first question upon arriving from Luton?

Not how's the team? Not are all the training courses running on time? But What are the light blues thinking dropping their Cox? We all agreed.

Apparently the Light Blues (the nickname for Cambridge- a nickname derived (I guess) from their tendency to wear lighter shades of blue then their opponents the Dark Blues (Oxford who traditionally wear a less light version of the 'Blue' guernsey)) Where were we? Oh yes the light blues dropping their Cox- crazy move of desperation by a former rowing powerhouse trying to stave off the ignominy of three losses in a row? or a tactical maneuver comparable too Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama?

Well do the amazement of all 250 000 people who flocked to the banks of the Thames this fine London Spring day it turned out to be the greatest selection gamble seen in the History of Boat Racing - all 139 years of the history.

What an event- you've never seen anything like it- thousands (I want to say millions- but I am trying to cut down on needless Hyperbole) of people standing on Thames side paths, drinking (the one thing London does better then back home- drinking in public) waiting, and waiting for the big show to happen, then off in the distance you see a couple (maybe 18) chaps cruising down the river in their row boats- very very slowly approaching your vantage point, passing by, then very very slowly rowing away, leaving you with no idea who wins the race until you get home or a pub- FANTASTIC.

When the two crews past by our vantage point, around mid course in Hammersmith, I was quietly confident as the dark blues had a solid half boat length lead, but as a I commented to RDP at the time, the next bend in the river favored the lite Blues and they looked like they were lifting their rate- how right I was- we dashed up the street to a near by pub, then too another pub as the first one didn't have a TV, we saw the boys from Cambridge cross the line with an easy boat lengths lead- a mighty victory.

So a box had been ticked - twenty years after the famous mutiny edition of the boat race caught the worlds attention (when a couple of yanks mutinied in the lead up to the race but the mighty dark blues fort back) I have finally seen the boat race- and I rate it very very highly on my list of international events that get listed as a MUST SEE for any young sports fan. Forget your World Soccer cups and your Monaco Grand Prix's this is the greatest sporting event in the world- mark it in your calenders for next year.