Cambridge beats Oxford in 156th university Boat Race clash

London, Apr. 4 (ANI): In one of the greatest London events, Cambridge University proved bookies wrong by beating Oxford in the 156th Boat Race by only one and a third lengths in a time of 17 minutes 35 seconds.

The victory denied Oxford their hat-trick win. The Cambridge have now won 80 races against Oxford's 75.

Oxford won the toss and chose the Surrey station.

For three miles they tried to bash the stuffing out of each other, Oxford slightly ahead but Cambridge far from finished, until the Light Blues finally put their noses in front just before Barnes Bridge and began to sense the win, the Telegraph reports.

As they passed the Black Buoy near Craven Cottage, Cambridge stretched this out to over half a length advantage.

But in the first of many counter-moves, Cambridge stopped the rot, closed back a little, and gripped like bulldogs to Oxford.

This set a pattern for the next nine minutes: push, counterpush, hold, all sixteen oarsmen rowing their hearts out in a fight to exhaustion.

"I thought, I don't have to win this race right now, I just have to hold on. I looked over and could see serious pain in their faces, they'd blown the doors off. By halfway down the Eyot I said, they're not going to hold us," said Cambridge President Deaglan McEachern afterwards.

When the boats drew level at the Bandstand, and Cambridge began to inch away.

Even then Oxford would not give up, twice more dragging back the gap before.

However, with two minutes to go, Cambridge began the victors' surge, which pulled them clear to win. (ANI)