St Cross Students Row to Boat Race Victory

On Saturday 11 April two St Cross students, Jamie Cook (MSc Engineering) and Shelley Pearson (MSc Child Development and Education), took to the river for the 161st Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, a historic occasion as the women raced over the same course and on the same day as the men for the first time. Shelley and Jamie were also responsible for two other boat race firsts: it was the first time that St Cross had two students in the blue boats, and Shelley Pearson had the distinction of being the first Bermudian to take part in the event.

Both Jamie and Shelley were making their Boat Race debuts, Jamie having previously rowed for Britain at junior, under-23 and senior levels, winning the Prince Albert Challenge Cup in 2012, and Shelley previously winning gold at both the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2009 and the Ivy League Championships in 2012.

Both Oxford boats were favourites to lift the trophy for the third consecutive time. In spectacular finishes, the Oxford women trounced Cambridge by six and a half lengths and the Oxford men won by five.

Some 60 St Crossers along with members of the Wolfson/St Cross Boat Club travelled down to London to cheer on Jamie and Shelley from the riverside, and enjoyed celebrating such a fantastic result for Oxford, and for St Cross in its 50th year.

Full race reports available here.

Boat Race winners Shelley and Jamie (lifting trophy)

@BermudaRower and Reuters

Ella Bedrock

Monday 13 April 2015

Image Credits: @BermudaRower and Reuters