Durham row to victory in University Boat Race

May 10 2010 by Kerry Wood, The Journal

DURHAM’S senior men were victorious in this year’s University Boat Race to clinch an overall draw with rivals Newcastle.

Hundreds of spectators cheered on their sides in the annual university rowing challenge along the River Tyne yesterday, with weeks of preparation coming down to a series of races over a 1.8km course to the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

Having won both the men’s and women’s freshers races, Newcastle needed to triumph in the last race for a 3-1 victory after Durham clawed back a result in the senior women’s contest.

But it wasn’t to be as the eight oarsmen and their cox could not hold on, and were beaten by about a foot – in racing terms, a canvas – to great roars of support from the crowd.

Durham’s second victory of the day made the overall score a draw between the two eights.

Newcastle University Boat Club’s president, Andrew Corrigan, who was in Newcastle’s defeated senior men’s crew, said: “To lose such a close race is devastating.

“We set off ahead of Durham at the start of the race, so we were able to see them, and to be rowed through in the last few metres of the race is really painful.”

The president of Durham University Boat Club, Benji Dawes, said: “We put in a really strong performance in what was a very tough race, but the men held their nerve to claim a great victory in the end.

“Durham and Newcastle are both strong forces in rowing in the UK, and a close result like this is really good for rowing in general.”

After winning the overall contest last year, Newcastle could take comfort from winning the two races for fresher crews, offering them hope for the future.