Scumbag protestor at the boat race

[Sam Thompson]

Not at all ... If it were'nt for the swearing rules it would have been a lot stronger.

 

Its more than 'just some posh toffs in boats' its a major part of british rowing and one of the oldest sporting events in the world first ran in 1829. Its pretty much the only rowing event on the british calender that gets publicised so its good for the sport for getting more people involved, rowing clubs all over the country always get a serge of new interest following the race. Whether you like rowing or not as a nation we produce some of the worlds best and anyone interested in our country for sport should appreciate this.

 

And then theres the athletes/coaches/cox etc themselves who dedicate a huge amount of their lives for the 7monthes before the race.

 

A re-start is the never the same, the athletes bodies suffer and they've trained the set distance over and over. All it did was create a panic sprint which just caused bad technique, sloppy rowing and makes a mockery of the preparation involved. Rowing is just as much, if not more, about technique than it is fitness, you have to sit in race boat to appreciate how unbalanced and twitchy they are.

 

Plus no-one in the articles seemed to address just how dangerous it was for the swimmer ... a rowing boat itself would have decapitated him and then the was the risk of all the launch boats.

 

I know I'm waffling on but as a fan of the sport its just really frustrating and annoying especially as its only an annual event. Really feel for everyone involved and hope that twit gets what he deserves.

 

Second the above, my family is into rowing so we follow it quite closely, the bloke was just a pillock with a chip on his shoulder.

[silky fox]

As a senior B oarsman (Bow) i also agree with the last two comments...He almost DID get what he deserved. Decapitation!

[harvey b davison]

Will, i understand why you are upset, BUT !, if rowing ( or this race) is so important to so many people, then why does it always have to be between these two. I understand that is how it all started but surely wouldnt it be better if they allowed more teams to compete in the race, therefore allowing more people to experience it and surely it would be more appealing than the 'closed shop' it appears to be.

[silky fox]

There are many Regatta,s up and down the country including allcomers competitions.plenty for everyone to join..But the Oxford and Cambridge boat race is just that..A Very old tradition between The Two biggest Rival colleges.

[fen01]

There are many Regatta,s up and down the country including allcomers competitions.plenty for everyone to join..But the Oxford and Cambridge boat race is just that..A Very old tradition between The Two biggest Rival colleges.

 

Old tradition, agreed but now competed by two crews of ringers! Like many sports the sportsmanship has been lost which is a shame.

 

Anyway, back to the op what a pillock (swimmer not will), a knock on the back of the head may just have given him the attitude adjustment he needed.

 

Why is it whenever people try and have some harmless fun or competition there has to be those who can't let them get on with it?

[David Humphries]

then why does it always have to be between these two. I understand that is how it all started but surely wouldnt it be better if they allowed more teams to compete in the race, therefore allowing more people to experience it and surely it would be more appealing than the 'closed shop' it appears to be.

 

Every year on pretty much the same course, there is the Head of the River.

 

Upto 420 crews compete in this race.

 

There's also a schools Head of the River.

(My crew sank in that one, but thats another story )

 

 

& that's just the Thames

 

 

Plenty of opportunity for people really, not so much a closed shop.

 

 

 

.

[fen01]

Cool to hear there is so many (or ex) towers on here. I miss the early morning training on the river. However, I really don't miss, in any way, the ergo!

[harvey b davison]

Every year on pretty much the same course, there is the Head of the River.

 

Upto 420 crews compete in this race.

 

Ther's also a schools Head of the River.

(My crew sank in that one, but thats another story )

 

 

& that's just the Thames

 

 

Plenty of opportunity for people really, not so much a closed shop.

 

 

 

.

 

But do these races get the tv coverage of oxford and cambridge, and therefore the publicity.

[David Humphries]

But do these races get the tv coverage of oxford and cambridge, and therefore the publicity.

 

 

I would of thought not.

 

 

 

.

[agg221]

Cool to hear there is so many (or ex) towers on here. I miss the early morning training on the river. However, I really don't miss, in any way, the ergo!

 

I do not in any way miss the early mornings on the river. Well, OK, it was sort of nice and quiet once you'd got on the water, but dragging yourself down to the boathouse at 5.00am in the January rain for a run before trying to manhandle the only remaining planked boat with iron fittings out into the water is a memory that will remain, thankfully, only a memory.

 

If it had been a sport undertaken at some civilised hour with slighly less unpleasant weather I suspect I might have kept it up for longer.

 

Alec (former No.7)