Sean Bowden, the Oxford coach, wanted a “good strong aggressive start” and he got it from his experienced eight. It set the pattern for the race.

He said:”It all went pretty well to plan, although after our first minute or two, perhaps we were under-rating. We have concentrated so much on rowing into a headwind in the last week that perhaps we had forgotten a bit about rowing with a tailwind, which is what we had in the first half of the race up to Hammersmith.”

“Cambridge did well up to St Paul’s. They are gutsy guys and knew what they had to do. These were tricky conditions, perhaps the worst in my 14 years at the Race, together with 2000 and 2006, and we have won all three of them. The difference this time was the rain, as well as the waves,”

Nick Brodie, the Oxford President, said:”We knew we would not beat them off the start but we wanted a strong aggressive beginning. It was bit rough and we did not get our best rhythm going. After Hammersmith, Cambridge drew level. Cambridge really rowed a terrific first half. The river then began to kick up a bit. I looked across and thought Cambridge were looking tired and their stroke was beginning to shorten up. By this time our rhythm was really good and we moved away. Cambridge were beginning to crack.”

Ryan Monaghan, the Cambridge stroke, said:”We kept putting in our best shots but Oxford kept going well. We made our final push and they countered it. We then faded a little bit and they took advantage and capitalised. Oxford rowed really well and are a strong group.”

The disappointment was clear to Duncan Holland, the Cambridge coach, who said:”We were just never quick enough. We just seemed to run out of endurance.”

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