Cambridge make it four in 1996 Cambridge Win the Boat Race by Mike Rosewell Cambridge won the 142nd Boat Race by 23/4 lengths in 16m 58s, putting them into the record book as the equal second fastest crew ever behind the 16m 45s recorded by Oxford in 1984. It was a year when the pundits still had furrowed brows on the day before the race. Most of them early in the week had fancied Oxford who looked much better than their 1995 crew, and had taken on and beaten some good opposition, while Cambridge looked more fragile and distinctly less silk like than their immediate predecessors and had done less pre-race racing than usual. Things changed as the week wore on. Oxford did little work from Wednesday onwards and seemed to lose their bounce a little off the water. Cambridge did more work, made some minor changes to their rig, and their personnel, in contrast to the Dark Blues, seemed to gain off-water bounce. It was a good race to Hammersmith, the crews overlapping for the first five minutes with umpire, Mike Sweeney, not helping his strained back by being forced to wave his flags in all directions. Cambridge, who won the toss and chose Surrey, were holding off Oxford pushes, though, and between Harrods and Hammersmith Bridge, produced their own extra effort which opened up a crucial two thirds of a length lead with the prospect of their favourable St Paul's bend ahead. Oxford, described as 'dog fighters' by Steve Royle, their Rowing Director, hung on, though, their young stroke, Adam Frost, driving them along Chiswick Eyot to limit Cambridge's lead to just over a length at Chiswick Steps. The slight clear water was vital and gave Kevin Whyman, Cambridge's coxswain, the steering flexibility to keep the race won, although testimony to Oxford's pressure is shown by the fact that Cambridge beat four intermediate records from Hammersmith onwards. 'Pity about the slow conditions to the Mile,' said Robin Williams, the Cambridge coach afterwards, understandably since their time to that point, 16 seconds outside the record, was somewhat cancelled out by heir later efforts. So, the Cambridge system rolled on for the fourth year. As Cambridge celebrated and Oxford slumped under Chiswick Bridge, umpire Sweeney, who, in spite of the fast time said, 'It felt like two hours to me,' unknowingly summed up the contest when he said, 'Well rowed, Cambridge, very well raced, Oxford.' This was the difference. Cambridge hit their rhythm very early on, in Sweeney's view as early as the Black Buoy, 'and that is pretty good in a Boat Race.' Penny Chuter, Oxford's coach, accepted her crew's problems on the day. 'We did not find the solid rhythm which we have had. You cannot row for 17 minutes as individuals. You have got to be cohesive and relaxed.' Both Chuter and Dan Topolski are now two years into their contract with Oxford. Williams is at the same stage of contract with Cambridge and holds a 100 per cent record. His Blue Boat wins have been more than matched by his Goldie reserve crew wins, 14 lengths in 1995 and 11 lengths in 1996. This year's Goldie crew also beat the course record and three intermediate records, one of them, from Chiswick Steps to the Finish, now standing faster than the Boat Race record for that distance. Williams clearly sees his reserves as very much part of the overall Light Blue picture. Five previous Goldie performers were in his Blue Boat this year. No-one in the Oxford line-up had been blooded in Isis, understandable perhaps since you tend to be less likely to continue, or succeed, when you have been beaten over 41/4 miles by more than ten lengths. Goldie by 11 Isis and Goldie both rated 41 strokes off the stakeboats after Goldie won the toss and chose Surrey, writes Ben Kent. The crews were level at the Black Buoy, both rating around 36. Isis were warned three times as the blades came within a foot of each other. As Isis corrected, Goldie established a half-length lead before being warned for steering. At the Mile Goldie, rating 34, were two-thirds of a length ahead, and increased the lead to two lengths at Harrods and 21/2 lengths at Hammersmith Bridge. Along the Chiswick Reach Goldie pulled steadily away to a lead of over 8 lengths at Barnes Bridge. Their finishing time of 17.02 was a record, lowering 17.05, set in 1993, by three seconds. Results for the Boat Race 1996. © Copyright Regatta Magazine, 1997.