OH rowers help Cambridge to Reserve Boat Race victory

By Ben Martis-Jones, Rowing Correspondent

Cambridge’s reserve boat Goldie retained the Reserve Men’s Boat Race title with a verdict of 1 length over the Isis crew from Oxford University Boat Club, in a time of 17 minutes and 17 seconds.

Cox Charlie Marcus (OH 2018) steered excellently down the course to ensure the bows of his boat crossed the finish line first. Tim Nugent (OH 2014) was placed in the three seat, demonstrating the depth of rowers that Hampton rowing has produced in delivering two athletes this year to the Cambridge University Boat Club.

“It was a bit closer than I would’ve liked,” said Marcus, speaking to HSC after the race. “We just knew we had to hit our rhythm. We’ve practised a lot of two and a half minute pieces in training and we knew if we could hit these in the race, we would be faster than Isis [Oxford’s reserve crew].

“It turned out to be true – we just about got clear water at Harrods and I moved across, and the gap [between the two boats] never really got more than half a length. They tried to force us… but they could never just do it. I’d hopefully have stretched the gap but we never managed to do it.”

Marcus also attributed Cambridge’s clean-sweep to the morale in the squad. “The squad feel was important,” he added. “We have nearly got three eights worth of rowers and it just means everyone’s pushing on and earning their seats – it’s just a great squad feel.”