Boat race: Oxford rows to victory in 159th Boat Race

Oxford University beat Cambridge by a length and a half to win the 159th BNY Mellon Boat Race.

The Dark Blues, who won the toss and opted for the Surrey station, made a strong start and finally broke a spirited Cambridge effort just as the river turned towards the finish at Barnes Bridge.

Twelve months ago, Oxford felt aggrieved and angry after they had lost one of the most dramatic and controversial Boat Races in history.Today, the race was clean and tightly fought with no swimming protesters or broken oars.And it was ferociously fought.Oxford led by half a length by the time the crews reached Fulham Football Club, where the river began to bend in Cambridge's favour.The Dark Blues moved sharply in on Cambridge as they entered the corner. Both crews were warned for overlapping oars by the umpire Sir Matthew Pinsent - a four-time Olympic champion and two-time Boat Race winner with Oxford.

Oxford looked to break Cambridge as the river began to turn in their favour but the Light Blues fought back with a 20-stroke push just before Hammersmith Bridge.Henry Fieldman, the Cambridge cox, learned his craft on the Tideway while at Latymer Upper School and he did well to keep the Light Blues in touch by the half-way mark at Chiswick Eyot.

Oxford led by two-thirds of a length past Chiswick Steps but just before the river began to turn into Cambridge's favour the Dark Blues produced the decisive move.That push allowed Oxford to open clear water, they moved across onto the optimum racing line and then pulled clear to win.