CAMBRIDGE learnt less from their trial eights race on the Thames yesterday than Oxford did the day before. The two crews, Steve Fairbairn and John Goldie, endured a delay before the off because of a tug in the middle of the river and that set the tone for the day.

Fairbairn, stroked by Keiran West, the Great Britain Olympic gold medal-winner, took the initial advantage before the wash from a harbour master’s launch gave Goldie problems and they trailed by two lengths at the Fulham bend, with the race effectively over.

Fairbairn still led by two lengths after Hammersmith, but the crews suffered more rolling waves from a barge and, at the finish, reached in 18min 41sec, 2¾ lengths separated the crews with Fairbairn ahead. It was a shame for the oarsmen, many of whom are internationals, and for Duncan Holland, the new coach of the Light Blues. Of his baptism to Boat Race trials, he said: “It was a fair test of the men, but it wasn’t a fair race.”

CREWS: STEVE FAIRBAIRN: Bow: C Dietz (US; St Catharine’s); 2: I Coveny (US; Hughes Hall); 3: S Pearson (SA; Jesus); 4: D Wyper (US; St Edmund’s); 5: L Walton* (US; St Edmund’s); 6: T Edwards* (Aus; Gonville and Caius; president); 7: S Schulte* (Ger; Gonville and Caius); Stroke: K West* (GB; Pembroke); Cox: P Rudge* (GB; Hughes Hall).

JOHN GOLDIE: Bow: J Hasell (GB; Pembroke); 2: K Coveny (US; Hughes Hall); 3: C Palmer (Aus; Hughes Hall); 4: E Sherwood (GB; Jesus); 5: T Engelmann (Ger; St Edmund’s); 6: S Thormann (Ger; Peterhouse); 7: K McDaniel (Can; St Edmund’s); Stroke: T James* (GB; Trinity Hall); Cox: J Ghory (US; St Edmund’s).

* denotes former Blue