April 03

The Oxford has won the 100th Boat Race in rough conditions on the River Thames.

The victorious Dark Blues beat Cambridge - also known as the Light Blues - by four-and-a-half lengths despite windy conditions and rough waters along the four-and-a-quarter mile (6.84km) course from Putney to Mortlake.

The Dark Blues, who have won the race just 11 times in the last 38 races, must now be hoping today's victory in a winning time of 20 minutes, 23 seconds, will turn the tide.

The Oxford team began the race in the lead despite a lighter average weight than their rivals (12st 4lbs vs 12st 11lbs).

Surged ahead

They had won the toss and chose to start the race from the Surrey station with Cambridge setting off from the Middlesex station.

It was a close contest until about half way through the race when Oxford surged ahead.

The increasingly rough weather conditions did nothing to dampen the Oxford crew's quest for victory.

By the time the Dark Blues reached the Chiswick steps they were 11 seconds ahead and the result of the race already seemed in little doubt.

For a fleeting moment, off Duke's Meadows, it looked as if Cambridge might make a last dash for victory but Oxford kept them at bay.

Oxford crossed the finish line at 34 strokes per minute after averaging an impressive 30 throughout the race.

Vocabulary:  

frantically : 疯狂地