On this day in 2015, Oxford enjoyed double glory on a significant day for women’s rowing.
For the first time in 88 years, the women’s crews competed on the same Tideway course as the men, and it was dark blue which held sway in emphatic style in both events.
For double Olympic champion Caryn Davies, who stroked Oxford to a six-and-a-half length victory over the Putney to Mortlake course, it proved a memorable – if painful – experience.
The 32-year-old MBA student said afterwards: “That’s the toughest race I’ve ever rowed. You’re pretty much going at an Olympic 2k off the start – and then you just keep going, for another 5k.”
New Yorker Davies signalled her intention to retire from rowing in the wake of Oxford’s 12th victory in 16 years but, not for the first time in her career, later had second thoughts, and also used her platform to argue for equality in British sport.
She said: “Ideally I’d like to see in this country the same kind of legislation we have in the States with Title IX that mandates equal funding for men’s and women’s sports at public universities, and I think this is a step in the right direction for that.”
It proved a landmark day too for Oxford president Constantine Louloudis, who became just the 14th man to complete four boat race wins.
In his final attempt, the 23-year-old was part of an eight which triumphed for the fourth time in five years by a similar margin to the women’s boat.
The London 2012 bronze medallist immediately turned his attention to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, from which he would ultimately return with gold as a member of the men’s coxless four.
