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Cambridge lands a heavy first blow: Fours Head race report

On the 8th of November, both Oxford and Cambridge entered four coxed fours (4+) at the Fullers Fours Head of the River Race (more commonly known as the Fours Head) on Sat 8th Nov. This is a time trial race (single file) over the Boat Race course in London but raced in the opposite direction. The Fours Head marked the start of the Boat Race season for us as the sponsor of the race.

The Fours Head is the first time the two clubs (CUBC and OUBC) meet and the public get to see the new squads in action. The squads see it partly as an opportunity to land the first blow on their opposition, and this year it was Cambridge that dealt the first punch.

Cambridge's top four won the Elite coxed four (Elite 4+) event, coming fourth overall out of 500 or so crews. This was a very impressive performance as the coxed four is the slowest of the 3 types of fours racing in the head (the quad or sculling four; coxless four; and the coxed four). Their top four managed to beat all coxless fours and only lose to three quads. This boat contained their current President - Henry Pelly a Brit who has rowed at U23 level, as well as Tom Ransley again a Brit who has rowed at U23 level. It also contained Rob Weitemeyer - a spare for Canada at the Beijing Olympics, and Silas Stafford - U23 World Champion for USA in the eight at this summers U23 Worlds. The four also managed to beat the Molesy coxed four containing Andy Hodge (old Oxford Blue from 2005 and currently Olympic Champion from the British coxed four at Beijing). Cambridge's second four contained former Xchanging employee and last years President Dan O'Shaughnessy they were only 3 seconds behind Oxford's first Boat.

Oxford's top four included Colin Smith (President and Olympic Silver medallist from the GB eight at Beijing) as well as George Bridgewater (NZ Bronze medallist from Beijing in the men's pair), Sjoerd Hamburger (Netherlands mens single scull - Beijing Olympics), and Alex Hearne (Senior International rower from US). This top Oxford Boat were beaten convincingly by Cambridge's top four (19 seconds). Oxford were strong favourites to lay down a marker at the fours head as, individually, they are a stronger and more experienced squad than their Cambridge rivals. Fours Head was somewhat of a shock to those who are close to the Boat Race. However on the plus side it could indicate an interesting race if Oxford can claw back this deficit.

Fours Head results of the Boat Race squad boats