Best Win Yet
Waikato University captain Andrew McCowan pronounced it the best Great Race win yet. And as the only person to row in every one of the five races up the Waikato River, McCowan should know.The Waikato eight blitzed Cambridge University at the start to take a lead they never looked like relinquishing along the 4.9km course, winning by a comfortable four boat lengths on Saturday to go 2-1 up against Cambridge crews.
For Waikato it was sweet revenge after Cambridge became the first and only crew to defeat them in the Harry Mahon Trophy two years ago. "This is probably the best because Cambridge are the only ones who have beaten us and they brought over a strong crew," McCowan said. "It was great."
The key to the win was the powerful start by Waikato -- a start that was delayed as the two crews jockeyed for position, neither wanting to give any ground.
Waikato coxswain Paul Hartley said the plan, once they had lost the toss with Cambridge choosing the east side, was to push across to Cambridge's side as far as possible to get out of the current. "We just determined to sit there and hold our ground and give them nothing at the start."
Then once the hooter sounded, Waikato gave it everything -- rating about 45 strokes per minute to get the jump on Cambridge and then cut across ahead on the first corner. "We'd talked about that all week, going out in the first minute we just wanted aggression to get in front and dominate the race," Hartley said. "It's easier from in front than behind."
However, the shell-shocked Cambridge crew were not happy with the way the start was handled. "Waikato University did a great job at the start," Cambridge captain and German international Sebastian Thormann said. "The start is so important. "But I think there should have been a more direct command from outside saying `I want the boats here' and that would have taken away some of the tension. "But we lost . . . they did a perfect job."
Cambridge crossed the river at the half-way point but Waikato also moved across to the west bank to cover them.
Growing more desperate as the race wore on, Cambridge tried the unorthodox by heading back to the east bank just before the Claudelands Bridge and appeared to cut into Waikato's lead despite rowing into a stronger current.
However, Waikato were able to hold them off. "We were a bit worried for a little while," McCowan said. "It was a good option for them but we just wanted to hold them and knew we were fit enough to do it."