Oxford Make Change Blue Boat Crew

The Oxford University Boat Club has announced that there has been an athlete change to the Blue Boat crew. Canadian Tom Watson, will replace Chris Fairweather in the two seat of the Dark Blue boat.

Tom is in his fourth season at the OUBC, having stroked the Isis crew to a hat-trick of victories over the last three years, which included the 2012 Isis crew who broke the record time for the Reserve Race. Tom first started rowing because his parents both learned to row while attending Cambridge University. He has represented Canada at the Under 23 World Championships, competing in the Lightweight Quadruple Scull. For Tom, making the Blue Boat and competing in The BNY Mellon Boat Race means fulfilling a childhood dream.

Tom weighs in at 72.1kg. This means that the average crew weight for the Dark Blue crew is 88.1kg.

Speaking about the crew change, Oxford Chief Coach Sean Bowden said, “After further testing in the week after the Weigh-in Tom Watson has been selected for the Oxford Blue Boat replacing Chris Fairweather in the 2 seat. Tom brings with him a good deal of experience having stroked 3 winning Isis crews. Chris Fairweather is now rowing in the Isis crew.”

The OUBC Blue Boat will race in their final pre-Race fixture this weekend against Leander. The 2014 BNY Mellon Boat Race will take place on 6th April 2014.