Crews announced for the Oxford & Cambridge Veterans’ Race

The crews for the twenty second Veterans’ Boat Race have been announced. The race will take place from the Putney University Stone to Furivall Steps on Saturday 1st April 2017 (the day before The Cancer Research UK Boat Races) at 2.45pm.

After the close verdict of 2016, Oxford return as Challengers with a youthful and former Olympian stern pair of Tom Solesbury and Robin Bourne-Taylor. They are backed up by fellow Olympians Roberto Blanda and Gerritjan Eggenkamp. Zoe Toledo returns to take on “the strings”, not just from last year’s Veterans’ Boat Race but fresh from winning a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.

Cambridge as defending champions, boast a mere four Olympians, Guy Pooley, Matthew Parish, lightweight Tom Middleton and Matthew Brittin. The first is rowing in his 13th Veterans’ Boat Race, the latter his first and who is also one of three record holders in the Cambridge line-up as the youngest man to row in the Boat Race, aged 18. The others are Alister Taylor, the oldest man to row in the Boat Race from last year’s Goldie crew and Toby Backhouse, the heaviest man to row in the Boat Race at the time.

Sean Gorvy organised the race. Nick Holland and Jonny Searle convened the Oxford crew.

Umpire: Sir Matthew Pinsent

Cambridge – Champions

Bow: Tom Middleton
2: Matthew Brittin
3: Toby Backhouse
4: Guy Pooley
5: Alister Taylor
6: David Gillard
7: Stephen Fowler
Stroke: Matthew Parish
Cox: Martin Haycock

Reserve: Sean Gorvy
Coaches: Donald Legget and Richard Phelps
Average Age: 45
Average Weight: 14st 6lb

Oxford – Challengers

Bow: Ed Bellamy
2: Tom Anderson
3: Hugh Pelham
4: Richard Manners
5: Gerritjan Eggenkamp
6: Roberto Blande
7: Robin Bourne-Taylor
Stroke: Tom Solesbury
Cox: Zoe de Toledo

Reserves: Joe Michels and Nick Holland
Average Age: 42
Average Weight: 14st 1lb