THE failure of Cambridge to install pumps in their boat and the superior ability of Oxford to handle a turbulent River Thames settled the 152nd University Boat Race on an afternoon of intense drama yesterday. Oxford broke clear decisively as the eights hit the waves shortly after Hammersmith to win by five lengths in 18min 26sec.

It was another triumph for Sean Bowden, who has now coached Oxford to four victories in the past five years, particularly because he had fashioned an almost completely new crew. Only Barney Williams, this year’s entertainingly dynamic president, remained from last year. Starting on the Surrey station, Oxford were better able to cope with the white horses as the boats turned to have a stiff southwesterly wind on their backs approaching Chiswick.

As Colin Smith, the Oxford No 2, said: “The conditions were horrid. I don’t think either crew managed one stroke when all the blades went into the water at the same time. But we coped because we had trained so hard. We had different splashguards from them and we also had four pumps on board.” These were switched on by the cox, Sebastian Pearce, just after Chiswick Eyot, when Oxford had taken on water.

However, their rivals did not have any pumps on board. When asked why this precaution was not taken, Duncan Holland, their new coach from New Zealand, said: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing.” Because the interiors are now compartmentalised, the need for pumps is believed to be less crucial than five years ago.

Cambridge, on the Middlesex station, were more exposed to the elements and seemed to take on more water than Oxford, who quickly snatched a length’s lead. As Holland said: “It is hard to row when you have a boat full of water.” He added: “Every race is painful and these boys have put a year of their lives into this event. They’re a superb crew and they didn’t get a chance to row at their best today.”

Kieran West, the Cambridge No 6 and 2000 Olympic gold medal-winner, said: “We were in what I thought was a winning position at St Paul’s” (just before Chiswick Eyot). But they were able to get out of the rough water while we pretty well sank. After that, we were rowing with our boat full of water. My footwell was full. It was slightly galling. We had water up to our decking.”

Williams, who was so ecstatic at his second successive Boat Race victory that he raced up the steps to receive the Xchanging trophy screaming “Yes! yes!”, believed that his crew coped better with the conditions because they were less tired. “In order to deal with water like that, you have to be very strong and tough,” he said. “After our good start, Cambridge fought back up to Hammersmith and moved back on us. This effort tired them. So when the rough water came, we were not on our heels.

“Cambridge did row well but we were physiologically fresher. I am so delighted because it is my last kick at this can.”

It is also some further compensation both for him and his fellow Canada international, Jacob Wetzel, the No 7 in the Oxford crew, for their second place to Matthew Pinsent’s coxless four in the celebrated 2004 Olympic final.

The Boat Race experience has been particularly pleasing for someone who has embraced it with such enthusiasm that one of the first names of his 3-month old son is Hammersmith.

Bastien Ripoll, the second Frenchman to row in the event — the first for, Cambridge, in 1849, was Henry Waddington, who later became Prime Minister of France — said: “It was very, very hard but we never gave up. It was exactly what we expected and maybe we won it a little easier than we thought.” Cambridge now lead 78-73 in the series, which began in 1829.