The Boat Race 2021

The CUBC women's trial featured the boats Hakuna and Matata, named after the Swahili phrase which approximates to "no worries" used in The Lion King film. In fine conditions and umpired by Packer, Matata made the better start to lead by half a length at 500 m. At the inlet from the River Lark, Hakuna's cox, Dylan Whitaker, moved her boat into the middle of the river to take advantage of the faster flowing stream. Hakuna took the lead around the 3,000 m mark and pulled away to win in a time of 16 minutes 5 seconds, two lengths ahead of Matata.[28][30]

OUWBC's trial boats were named after two of the pharmaceutical companies developing COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer and AstraZeneca.[29][31] Pfizer took an early lead and held an advantage of three-quarters of a length, but steering too close to their opponents, they clashed oars with AstraZeneca and were warned by Finucane. Five minutes into the race, Pfizer held a two-length lead and moved to the centre of the river. They extended their lead to three lengths before AstraZeneca reduced the deficit by half a length. As the crews passed the finishing line, Pfizer won by three lengths.[28]

The CUBC men's trial boats were named Henry I and 10,000 Eels to reflect Henry I's annual order of lampreys from Ely. Officiated by Winckless, both crews started strongly with Henry I holding a half-length lead after 500 m. They extended their lead by a quarter of length by 750 m and their cox attempted to move across to the centre of the river, receiving multiple warnings from Winckless. 10,000 Eels held their line and pulled back to within half a length by 1,250 m and while both crews pushed for the final 500 m, Henry I crossed the finishing line in 14 minutes 4 seconds, one third of a length ahead.[30]

The OUBC trial boats were named Track and Trace, after the NHS Test and Trace system designed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Trace took an early lead in a race that was initially dominated by oar clashes. Track began to reduce the deficit as the crews passed the Lark, and following another clash, took the lead and held clear water advantage with 1,000 m to go, eventually beating Trace by two lengths.[29]

Cambridge won the toss and elected to start on the west side of the river.[38] After a brief delay before both coxes indicated they were ready to start, the race commenced at 3:53 p.m. Early on Oxford were warned by Packer for encroaching into Cambridge's water and were instructed to steer away, and Cambridge took a slight lead. Both boats were close to one another and four minutes in, Oxford held a slight advantage, although Packer continued to warn the Dark Blue cox. After seven minutes, Oxford was around a third of a length ahead as Cambridge started a push, taking a lead with fourteen minutes of the race gone. The Light Blues held a length's lead a minute later and although Oxford remained in touch, Cambridge passed the finishing line first.[33] It was Cambridge's fourth consecutive victory and took the overall record in the event to 45–30 in their favour.[15]

Oxford took the west side of the river.[38] The men's race started at 4:53 p.m. with Oxford falling behind despite a slightly higher stroke rate than their opponents. Within two minutes, Cambridge was almost a length ahead but was warned several times by Winckless for encroachment. Four minutes in, she issued a warning to both crews of potential debris in the river ahead which both crews navigated without issue. Oxford then went for a push in the sixth minute but Cambridge remained in the lead, although down to half a length. At the ten-minute mark, Cambridge pushed before Oxford reciprocated two minutes later and, with less than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) remaining, the Dark Blues began to reduce the deficit. Cambridge passed the finishing line first, winning by almost one length.[33] It was Cambridge's fourth victory in the last five races, and took the overall record in the event to 85–80 in their favour.[15]

According to tradition, both winning coxes were thrown into the river, however this year they were followed by the victorious crews.[39] Sarah Tisdall, Cambridge's stroke, was magnanimous in victory: "Awesome race, massive congrats to Oxford. That's the closest boat race the females have had."[40] The Cambridge women's president Sophie Paine received the trophy and noted that "I think this is absolutely historic for women. So many of us have been training for this for two years now, and it means so much for us to have that pay off."[38]

James Cracknell suggested that the Oxford men's cox should have "steered into those reeds and forced a restart".[33] The bow for Cambridge men's boat, Theo Weinberger, suggested that he would "dream of this moment ... it's two years' worth of training and hard work ... there's anything you can quite compare it to."[41] Cambridge's men's president Callum Sullivan described the season as "fantastically unique".[38]

The winning margin in both races was less than one length, which was the narrowest in the men's race since 2003 and in the women's race since 2011.[38]

Both reserves races were held along the same section of the River Great Ouse three weeks later, on 25 April 2021. CUBC's Blondie beat Oxford's Osiris in the 49th women's reserve boat race by seven lengths. In the 56th men's reserve race, CUBC's Goldie secured a six-length victory over OUBC's Isis. CUBC Women's spare pair won their race easily after the OUWBC spare pair capsized in rough water at Ely, OUBC won the men's spare pair race.[12]

The 2021 Lightweight Boat Races were also held at Ely. On 18 May 2021, CUBC Lightweight Women beat Oxford University Women's Lightweight Rowing Club by 2 1/2 lengths. In the Lightweight Men's Boat Race on 23 May 2021, OULRC beat CUBC Lightweight Men by 1 1/2 lengths, thus preventing a Cambridge clean sweep of all 6 boat races, last achieved in 2018.