Boat Race (April 3): preparations Boat Race crews tussle the Imperial and Austrian forces Report from Christopher Dodd While Oxford had a gargantuan tussle with Queen's Tower on March 20, Cambridge's main opponent was the Tideway itself when they met the Austrian national squad on March 21. Oxford raced Queen's Tower from the Boat Race start to Chiswick Steps. Tower, on the Middlesex station, gave them the slip off the start and got up more than half a length before Oxford, settling early at 36, began to pull them back at Barn Elms. Tower passed the mile post about half a length up before a mighty clash which scarcely ruffled Oxford but checked the Imperial College lookalikes. Oxford sustained their easy rhythm and arrived at Hammersmith more than a length ahead. Tower then showed their mettle, pulling the lead back to three-quarters with a really hard row on the outside of the bend, unfortunately losing their gains because cox Cormack repeatedly tucked his bow into the Oxford No 7's blade. Oxford were in command but could not afford a split second of lapse. Tower fell back and closed again, and as Oxford wound the rate up to 39 and seemed poised to take off, the race ended. The approximate time was 10 mins 55 secs. While Oxford went off to Amsterdam for a week on the Bosbaan with coach Rene Mijnders, Cambridge found the Tideway in angry mood on the following day. Their opponents were good on paper - an Austrian crew containing the World Cup silver medalist lightweight four, three of the quad who won bronze in the World Championships, and Sebastian Korbai who rowed for Goldie last year. The Austrians, however, were missing two men. Cambridge made short shrift of them on the outside of bends. In the first piece from the start to the mile Cambridge were on Surrey. While Austria, steered by last year's winning Boat Race cox Alistair Potts, sought so much shelter under the Fulham Wall that they almost hit it, Cambridge went head on through the rough and emerged four lengths ahead in approximately 3 mins 48 secs. In the second, 6.5 minute piece to Chiswick Steps Cambridge took the Middlesex station. Their advantage was half a length at Harrods, a length at Hammersmith Bridge, two and a half lengths at St Paul's School after disappearing from sight in a wall of spray, three lengths when they cut across Austria's bows to seek the shelter of the bank, and nearly five lengths at the Steps. The crews changed stations again and Austria were given a length start from the crossing to the finish. Cambridge demonstrated power and togetherness through the calm past Duke's meadows and in the fierce wind and ruffled water after Barnes Bridge, winning by two and a half lengths in approx 5 mins 10 secs. Cambridge head for Nottingham for a week at Holme Pierrepont. They defend a run of six wins, and the best Oxford challenge for some years may reward new sponsors Aberdeen Asset management with a tussle to savour on April 9. Oxford: C Humphreys, H Nillson, D Snow, T Ayer, M Crotty, M Crooks, A Lindsay, C von Ettingshausen, cox N O'Donnell. Queen's Tower: A Warnock, D Ouseley, S Dennis, L Attrill, D Beckley, R Dunn, E Coode, S Trapmore, cox C Cormack. Cambridge: T Wallace, T Stallard, B Crombie, J West, D Ellis, K West, G Smith, T Wooge, cox Vian Sharif. Austria: B Wakolbinger, M Kobau, A Grey (sub), S Korbai, P Trueman (sub), N Lambing, W Sigl, H Jurtschisch, cox A Potts. © Copyright Chris Dodd, 1999.