On the 30th March at 15:16 the reserve crews of Oxford and Cambridge, known by their enduring names Isis and Goldie, lined up on the historic Championship Course with Kath Finucane at the helm as umpire.

Isis, under the guidance of coach Brendan Gliddon, exhibited a formidable start. Surging to an early lead over Goldie along the Putney Embankment, the early advantage seemed to be theirs until Barn Elms, where Goldie countered strongly and quashed any advantage the Oxford crew will have hoped to glean from their advantage around the first bend.

Nearing Harrods, the battle was tight but as the bend favoured Goldie, they seized the initiative and marched determinedly into a lead. Troubled by some choppy water Isis couldn’t convert their move ahead of Hammersmith into a meaningful change in margin and soon Goldie, handling the conditions better pulled away with a full length lead.

Passing the boathouse of St Pauls School, Goldie had not just the lead but clear water between them and their challengers and past the Eyot, their dominance was clear, Isis couldn’t match Goldie’s speed.

Barnes Bridge marked the nearing end, with Goldie’s lead ballooning to an unassailable 4-5 lengths and Isis’s last-ditch effort to close the gap by slicing the final corner in hope of a miracle, was ultimately insufficient. Goldie crossed the finish line and an official margin of 4L was declared.