RowingRelated

Washington training on the Montlake Cut (Photo: RR) The 2018 Windermere Cup showcased two of the world's top teams in men's university rowing, and the final did not disappoint. While the Huskies took a lead of roughly a length early on their home course, Brookes never let go. Coming into the last 250 meters, it looked as if Brookes might have the change of speed to just edge Washington, but the Huskies executed their plan and held on through the finish line. In the end, 0.457 of a second separated the two crews. The Case for Brookes Oxford Brookes traveled about 6,000 miles to race Washington on the Huskies' home water. That's naturally going to have an effect on your performance, just as lineup changes might also alter your speed (for better or worse) in the last days before a race. The racecourse at the Montlake Cut is unlike anywhere else in the sport—yes, it's part of Washington's propaganda machine to hammer that point, but it's really true...

It's nearly time for the Boat Race , and both Oxford and Cambridge will be in the midst of intense training cycles before tapering down to the big day. Still, Oxford Brookes is in top form (preparing for the Head of the River in their own right), and when all was said and done, it was nothing short of a historic week for Brookes on the Tideway. "This is the first time a Brookes crew has beaten both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, and it is testament to the strength in depth of the squad that the 2nd VIII also beat both Goldie and Isis." —BROOKES|Rowing The first of the two fixtures was against Oxford. As you'd expect, both pieces are extremely hard fought, with Brookes only taking a real advantage in the first piece in the final minute (an advantage that they push out to roughly 3/4 of a length by the end). The second fixture, held just last weekend, came against Cambridge. Rather amazingly, the two pieces look almost identical to those against...

This week's double-feature comes to us from England, where Oxford Brookes is looking to put the finishing touches on a stellar season, while Leander is aiming to defend home water at Henley Royal Regatta.

Last weekend was jammed with great racing at the junior and collegiate levels, but look no further than these two races for some of the most exciting, and closely fought action on both sides of the Atlantic.

The above video, published by OBUBC coxswain Harry Brightmore, offers an inside look at last weekend's Head of the River Race from the stern of  Oxford Brookes II . Brightmore, who raced with the GB national team at U23 worlds last summer in the coxed four, and crew set up a nice rhythm out of an aggressive start, and that rhythm would eventually carry them to a fourth-place finish (just behind Oxford Brookes I) and a University pennant on the Tideway in less-than-ideal (read: standard) conditions.

The calm before the storm in Putney (Photo: B. Kitch) What is supposed to be the annual statement of winter training for most UK clubs has been missing something vital for the past two editions: a completed race! Not deterred by the recent cancellations, 345 crews are scheduled to take to the championship course on Sunday—a figure well down on the 420 who used to fill the entry, however. The fickle nature of exchange rates are thought to be an additional factor in this reduction, as seen by the reduced overseas entries, further to the uncertainty that the recent cancellations have brought.