| 67th Women's Boat Race | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 26 March 2012 (2012-03-26) | ||
| Winner | Cambridge | ||
| Margin of victory | 1/4 length | ||
| Winning time | 6 minutes 38 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 41–26 | ||
| Umpire | Matthew Pinsent | ||
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The 67th Women's Boat Race took place on 26 March 2012. The race was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races and took place at Henley-on-Thames. In a race umpired by multiple Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, Cambridge won by one quarter of a length in a time of 6 minutes 38 seconds, their first win since the 2007 race. The victory took the overall record in the event to 41–26 in Cambridge's favour.
The Women's Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) and the Cambridge University Women's Boat Club (CUWBC) that has taken place since 1927.[1] It was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, on the traditional straight course at Henley-on-Thames.[2] Oxford went into the race as champions, having won the 2011 race by one quarter of a length, and led 40–26 overall.[1] The race was sponsored by Newton Investment Management, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon, for the second successive year.[3]
Cambridge's head coach was Martyn Rooney.[4] The umpire for the race was Matthew Pinsent, gold medallist in the men's coxless pairs at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.[5][6]
Trials for the crews were held in December 2011. Cambridge's trial boats raced along the Adelaide Straight in Ely and were named Big Fish, Little Fish and Cardboard Box.[7]
Cambridge saw four rowers (Isabel Boanas-Evans, Anna Railton, Cath Wheeler and Fay Sandford) along with cox Kate Richards return to the crew, all of whom had participated in the 2011 race.[8]
| Seat | Cambridge 
|
Oxford 
| ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | College | Name | College | |
| Bow | Sarah Moir-Porteous | Downing | Mary Foord-Weston | Merton |
| 2 | Caroline Reid | Jesus | Alexandra Dix (P) | Hertford |
| 3 | Rebecca Pound | Trinity | Caitlin Goss | Merton |
| 4 | Anna Railton | Pembroke | Eleanor Darlington | Kellogg |
| 5 | Holly Game | Girton | Florence Morton | Worcester |
| 6 | Isabel Boanas-Evans (P) | Murray Edwards | Rebekah Pawley | Wadham |
| 7 | Faye Sandford | Gonville and Caius | Annika Malin Bruger | Lincoln |
| Stroke | Cath Wheeler | Queens' | Charlotte Trigle | Trinity |
| Cox | Kate Richards | Queens' | Rebecca Preece | St Edmund Hall |
| Sources:[8][9] (P) – boat club president | ||||
In conditions described as "perfect", Cambridge took an early lead, out-rating Oxford. Pinsent warned OUWBC who were forced to steer away from the CUWBC boat, allowing them to pull further away to lead by one and a half lengths, despite a series of pushes from Oxford. With 300 metres (330 yd) to go, Cambridge's number two Caroline Reid "caught a crab", bringing the Light Blue boat to a standstill and allowing Oxford to drastically reduce the deficit. Cambridge re-started and crept over the line just ahead.[6] Cambridge won by one quarter of a length in a time of 6 minutes 38 seconds, the slowest winning time since the 2008 race. The margin of victory was the narrowest since CUWBC won by 3 feet (91 cm) in the 2001 race. It was Cambridge's first win since the 2007 race, and took the overall record in the event to 41–26 in their favour.[1]
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The Boat Races
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