The 2025 Women’s Boat Race was briefly stopped after the Cambridge and Oxford teams collided in the River Thames.
Olympic legend and race umpire Matthew Pinsent was forced to pause proceedings after less than two minutes of racing as the crews collided.
Pinsent had already shown Oxford a white flag, warning them not to encroach on Cambridge’s line.
But oars began to collide before the Oxford cox was able to alter the team’s direction, leaving one Cambridge rower to lose her grip on the oar and almost be unseated.
With both teams losing momentum, Pinsent showed a red flag to order both teams to stop racing while he decided his next course of action.
Four-time Olympic champion Pinsent could have disqualified Oxford but decided to restart the race, with Cambridge restarting with a narrow advance.
Cambridge soon built up a commanding lead over Oxford and were not for catching as they secured their eighth successive win in the women’s Boat Race.
‘There was obviously a clash between the crews,’ Pinsent told BBC One after the race.
‘In my mind, I was warning Oxford in the run up to that. Two crews were at standstill so they couldn’t keep racing. We had to stop it.
‘There was a range of options, it popped into my mind but you can change the result after the race so that was another option.
‘But it wasn’t needed. I’m convinced the better team won. The better, faster crew won. I will go back over it but it didn’t affect the outcome.’
It was the first time since 2012 that one of the Boat Races had to be restarted.
More to follow…
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