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The 157th 'Cambridge and Oxford Boat Race'

Nick_NackNick_Nack
edited March 2011 in General Discussion Posts: 11
It's that time of year again - the 157th Boat race between Cambridge and Oxford is nearly upon us. Coverage has just started on BBC One and it is scheduled to start at 5pm British time.

<img src="http://www.london-attractions.info/images/attractions/the-boat-race.jpg">;

So, Cambridge are (unsurprisingly) the hot favourites, but who are you lot hoping to win this year? Myself - I'm hoping for another Cambridge win, naturally.

<font size=1>I am curious, in-particular, as to whom <i>Fairbairn-Sykes</i> will be supporting, given he (supposedly) was educated at 'Oxbridge' (presumably undergraduate at one and postgraduate at the other).</font>

Comments

  • HJacksonHJackson
    Posts: 7
    I can't wait to see the lads from Cambridge trounce those little girls from Oxfordshire Polytechnic.
  • Nick_NackNick_Nack
    edited March 2011 Posts: 11
    Wow, Oxford have taken the reserves race. Hopefully not a bad omen.

    Edit: Wow...

    I think the Cambridge students they just interviewed said it best, though:

    "We're still the best University in the world."
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    I've never watched this and never will but I bet Oxford will always win nine times out of ten.
  • retrokittyretrokitty The Couv
    Posts: 380
    Quoting Nick_Nack: I am curious, in-particular, as to whom Fairbairn-Sykes will be supporting, given he (supposedly) was educated at 'Oxbridge' (presumably undergraduate at one and postgraduate at the other).
    You should be thanking Fairbairn-Sykes for giving you the opportunity to mention your own credentials. Congrats on your math degree. Too bad Cambridge didn't teach you how to detect a sarcastic post.
  • Nick_NackNick_Nack
    edited March 2011 Posts: 11
    Quoting Samuel001: I've never watched this and never will but I bet Oxford will always win nine times out of ten.
    Interesting. I'm curious, is there a particular reason why? For the record, Cambridge have a lead in total wins. And have the fastest time ever (on the current course). [-X
    Quoting retrokitty: You should be thanking Fairbairn-Sykes for giving you the opportunity to mention your own credentials.
    Hmm, so you're effectively saying:

    I can fill in a form about myself iff Fairbairn-Sykes trolls in one first?

    Hmm. Sorry, I don't see how that follows. When you can explain how it does, I'll thank him (but be sure to note that me visiting the thread [which lead me to see his post] sort of implies I'll be posting on it myself regardless). [-(
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    Peeps, let's stay out of trouble in here. i don't want to have to clean anything up.
  • HJacksonHJackson
    Posts: 7
    The obvious problem we had was that our boat had too many Economists and Land Economists, and not enough Historians. We're the powerhouses, and the coach should have recognised that.
  • AgentFaeAgentFae
    Posts: 92
    I've never watched this but on this:
    Quoting Nick_Nack:
    Interesting. I'm curious, is there a particular reason why? For the record,
    Cambridge have a lead in total wins. And have the fastest time ever (on the
    current course).
    An upset could happen. For example at the Australian National Championships for Rowing two weeks ago in the Schoolgirls Div 1 Final there was an upset when one crew who had been placing fourth behind three other crews from my state, won Nationals and the Head of Schoolgirls regatta the next week - upsets are known to happen with the time.

    That and the crew might not perform so well ... or a crab may occur ... rigger coming off ... oar breaking ... foot stretcher breaking ...

    Let it be known I am a rower myself ...

    I'm more interested to see if there is somewhere where I can watch it online, to be honest. These types of boatraces are awesome - I've raced in something a race longer than the standard before in Eights - Head of the Yarra ... very different but those long races (mine was 8.6 km - such a mental challenge but well worth it for the experience). What's the course like? @Dusty59 - you're a rower ... do you know of any sharp/different turns on the course?

    At HotY there are some ... and the crashes are hilarious.
  • AgentFaeAgentFae
    edited March 2011 Posts: 92
    Oh and @Nick_Nack - your school pride is really cute but I think with the Oxbridge joke you need to just calm down. School pride is pretty intense, I can understand that, but its a little joke and nothing worth getting so serious about.

    Does Cambridge have a official charges set up along the banks? Probably not but my squad does at regattas and they literally give a kick.

    I mean just picture this - you are halfway through a race (2km) and suddenly you hear this slow build of clapping, the sound of a horn, and then your squad, your family (because that is what a rowing squad/crew is) cheering you on with one voice - inspirational.

    So does Cambridge or Oxford have any official cheers/charges set up at specific points to give the rowers an extra boost? I would imagine they would but then again maybe not. I suppose also with the amount of people watching that they would get plenty of boosts anyway ...
  • Nick_NackNick_Nack
    edited March 2011 Posts: 11
    NB: Sorry Luds, didn't want to get involved in this childishness again, but some things just need to be pointed out.

    @AgentFae
    Well done for missing the point of my post. I was not saying Oxford would never win, I was saying that, given the past performance is roughly 50:50, suggesting Oxford would win 90% of the time is just hilariously naïve. Yes, there are always favourites, but rarely such that either side winning would be classed as too big of an upset - both sides are always of too high a calibre for that to be the case.

    And if you aren't joking with your questions, you seem to be seriously underestimating the scale of this race: there are hundreds of thousands of people watching from the banks* (and millions more elsewhere), and a number of the rowers are of international standard; with that, and the glory that comes with winning, I don't think motivation will be an issue (or dealing with turns throughout the course).

    This is the course:
    image
    See more here.

    It is online currently on BBC iPlayer, but if you cannot access that it is probably somewhere else [though for what it's worth, you'd be better off watching the 2010 race - no, not (just) because Cambridge won, but because it was far less of a one-horse race from the start that this year's turned out to be].

    About your other point, not going to go into it in detail, but 'school pride' is an extremely poor label for it. Oxbridge is special.

    *Yes, I realise you alluded to this somewhat yourself.
  • retrokittyretrokitty The Couv
    Posts: 380
    Fae, seriously... give up. It's clear he needs to rely on his school cred to feel worthy. It's too bad because I've found the other Cambridge graduates on this site and elsewhere to have a tremendously awesome sense of humour and self. He was so worked up over FS's oxbridge comment that he didn't even see the other answers in FS's post for what they were.... a joke... and not about Cambridge or Oxford.
  • AgentFaeAgentFae
    Posts: 92
    Quoting retrokitty: Fae, seriously... give up.
    And see I probably should listen to you ... but eh, I'm not going to.
    Quoting Nick_Nack: Well done for missing the point of my post. I was not saying Oxford would never
    win
    Thanks also for missing the point of my post, genius.
    Quoting Nick_Nack: And if you aren't joking with your questions, you seem to be seriously
    underestimating the scale of this race: there are hundreds of thousands of
    people watching from the banks* (and millions more elsewhere), and a number of
    the rowers are of international standard; with that, and the glory that comes
    with winning, I don't think motivation will be an issue (or dealing with turns
    throughout the course).

    That doesn't mean there isn't an official school charge/cheer - in case you haven't realised I do realise that these rowers of an international standard, and as a by-product of that will be very self-motivated. But as this is universities competing, and therefore schools, I'm just curious as to the culture of the rowers of Oxbridge and if they have any tradditional chants etc. But I suppose I would need to ask someone who is actually a rower - someone who has trained seven days a week, sometimes three times a day.

    As for the turns questions - just because its an international standard crew it doesn't mean something couldn't go wrong - the cox takes the turn a second too late or early etc. To remedy this I know at HotY you have coxes practicing the turns like mad to try and prevent this.
    Quoting Nick_Nack: About your other point, not going to go into it in detail, but 'school pride' is
    an extremely poor label for it. Oxbridge is special.

    No matter how you dress it up it's school pride - you are proud about your school/univeristy/college = school pride. It doesn't matter how pretigious it is, it's school pride. Simple - a genius like yourself should be able to recognise that.
  • Nick_NackNick_Nack
    edited March 2011 Posts: 11
    Quoting AgentFae: No matter how you dress it up it's school pride - you are proud about your school/univeristy/college = school pride. It doesn't matter how pretigious it is, it's school pride. Simple - a genius like yourself should be able to recognise that.
    I'm not simply proud of having a place at the University of Cambridge, I'm proud of the immense social responsibility that such a placement carries. There's a subtle difference. Also, could you please stop implying Cambridge is a 'school' - it's a university, and calling it anything less is tantamount to blasphemy.

    image


    I am (of course) not a rower, but from my experience of training for other physical activities, anyone who trains seven days a week long-term is doing it wrong. Well done for being a rower, though - that's obviously what you want to hear, right? I much prefer a good punt along the Cam, myself.


    On a serious note, this thread was about a boat race on Saturday. The race has come and gone, and the thread should, too. Please stop trying to gang up on me and turn this into a flame-war - I am not in the mood. Mods, feel free to lock this one up.

  • retrokittyretrokitty The Couv
    Posts: 380
    Jebuzzzz... There are schools at the university...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge#Schools.2C_faculties_and_departments

    You do realise that you are accusing a girl who is still in high school of ganging up on you, right?
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    So who won the race then ?
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    @barryt007
    Beat me to the question ;-)
  • AgentFaeAgentFae
    Posts: 92
    @NicNac and @barryt007 - Oxford won. Good effort by them - beat Cambridge by 12 seconds.

    Puts this comment into perspective:
    Quoting Nick_Nack: On a serious note, this thread was about a boat race on Saturday. The
    race has come and gone, and the thread should, too.

    and this one:
    Quoting Nick_Nack: you'd be better off watching the 2010 race - no, not (just) because Cambridge
    won, but because it was far less of a one-horse race from the start that this
    year's turned out to be].

    I have to wonder how does @Nick_Nack feel about Oxford winning - and apparently by four boat lengths as well. Over such a long race that isn't too bad ... and there is always next year for Cambridge.

    And Nick_Nack ... I suppose I should've laid off the sarcasm but its hardly a flame war or 'ganging up'. I just want you to realise - it's 'school pride', no matter how you dress it up, and there is nothing wrong with school pride (or in your case 'university pride'). It's great you are so supportive of Cambridge's activities/achievments etc. :)

    As for the training seven days a week ... that includes: weights, x-training, river sessions, and recovery sessions.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    That's my girl
  • AgentFaeAgentFae
    Posts: 92
    Awwww thanks, Dad.
  • Nick_NackNick_Nack
    edited March 2011 Posts: 11
    Quoting retrokitty: Jebuzzzz... There are schools at the university...
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge#Schools.2C_faculties_and_departments
    #-O Wow, well done for missing the point entirely. Don't worry, I'll try and include some visual aids next time for less intellectual among us. ;-)

    image
    Either way, I wasn't bragging about my faculty (although I really should be).
    Quoting retrokitty: You do realise that you are accusing a girl who is still in high school of ganging up on you, right?
    And what's wrong with that? This is the internet, where only ideas matter - gender should therefore be irrelevant, unless you are trying to say something about females? :/ As for her age, I, again, don't see the issue - personally, I was extremely competent at her age, but maybe that's not the same for everyone; that, and the fact there is almost no age difference between us two, renders your point moot.

    Oh, also, 'ganging up' ⇒ more than one person - you are included, too, and don't you forget that; what's your excuse? [-(
    Quoting AgentFae: I have to wonder how does @Nick_Nack feel about Oxford winning - and apparently by four boat lengths as well.
    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, @AgentFae, but the comment above is really unnecessary - you know exactly how I feel about it. :-( (Not too deeply hurt, to be honest - they can have a silly boat race, considering we savage them in every international academic ranking published)

    One thing you may have not considered is that, although the phrase 'school pride' may be a generic term where you come from, for me, I have never heard it used like that before. Therefore, it seems very specific, and the negative connotations that come with using the term 'school' are just... ugh.
    Quoting AgentFae: As for the training seven days a week...
    I always heard that one day off (no matter how you spread the different weights/ etc. over the week) was recommended, but I guess I was never at this sort of level, or am just plain wrong. Meh, it's not that relevant anywho.
  • HJacksonHJackson
    edited March 2011 Posts: 7
    Just saw Peterhouse get made mincemeat of by Magdalen College, Oxford on University Challenge. It's not a good week to be a Tab, really. Regardless, I'll probably find myself backing Magdalen in the finals - I have a dear friend who studies there.
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    I sense a few warnings being written soon in this thread...
  • retrokittyretrokitty The Couv
    Posts: 380
    *.... looks up to inbox... * Nothing, excellent... *continues*


    Kidding, Luds... kidding. Sort of wishing for that ignore button though, if I'm being honest. It's like a bad car accident; you don't want to look but you must. Like the good old days with katied. I'll just consider that I've been katied whenever Snick_Snack decides to address me. ;;)
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