Boat race

[Minimammoth]

Does anyone actually get excited about the boat race, on telly now?

No. Thought not.

I love it! Just the 20ish minutes with the race not the boring, time filling rubbish before

Are you a rowing fan in general cernabbas?
I'm afraid I had my DH having a socialist rantsaying two teams of over privileged blah blah ....... I could not care less.
Hmm I thought, I don't think I can care less either.

I do like rowing.

But I also went to Cambridge - I would like to say that I went to a rough comprehensive and worked hard to get the grades to get there!

Well done cernabbas. I would cheer on the team if it were my old uni too.

I love the race, especially as a rower of sorts myself. Not quite the excitement today I was hoping for though!

No, definitely not Cambridge's finest hour. It's a pity it was decided all too soon - nothing like leaping up and down screaming at the TV for the last few hundred metres when it is close!

I was a rower too and love it especially all the build up, but was very disappointed at how few Brits were in it this year ( even fewer than normal). It's not really a proper race between the Uni's, more of an multi nation event now.

I was going to comment, until I saw you couldn't care less, so why should I bother.

I was a bit disappointed that they only showed the last few strokes of the reserves race too. Would have been far better than the build up rubbish!

Well I just thought I would start a thread bowlersarm, so that people could share in a light hearted way. So although I don't feel strongly about the event, it is interesting that it is very traditional and yet there are so few from uk in it, maybe that does not matter. I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

I love it - used to row at uni & it's a fab team sport.

Also disappointed that the result was decided so early on & really felt for 2 in the Cambridge boat! Poor bloke will be so gutted & totally blame himself!

I was a rower at Oxford so the right team won today but over a bit quick. No real excitement.

My son has just started rowing at school and he is already very good technique wise, very fit, tall but not got the muscle bulk his peers have so they are trying him at stroke to keep the big lads in time.

Its a great sport and we have a town rowing club so a lot of 'ordinary people' do row here. Its not all about money.

umbrella - I too would really like to see all the other races too. the lightweight crews, the Isis/Goldie and the womens' races are just as exciting and the whole stupid towpath build up interviewing various random people really is not good.

Let us see the rowing and frankly a couple of hours showcasing all the races of all the crews would really change peoples' perceptions.

Exactly, MoreBeta - I just rowed at a regular club along with people from all walks of life. How many people would know that you could find rowing clubs in Doncaster, Boston and Brigg to name just a few places? There is a totally wrong perception of the sport in the media which, if it were given more attention, would hopefully be changed.

Also, it's not just about the muscle - particularly at stroke and bow technique goes an awfully long way!

it's ok entertainment but the bbc have so over egged it now. they team introduction segment was cringeworthy and i had to turn over.