Boat race 2012

There'll be a good and logical reason why there were some Maoris at Linden House today, even if none of us know what it was. They were nice guys too, posing for loads of shots and it didn't take too much thought to decide which one to put on this page. They provided an oddball moment in a day of bizarre incident. As the crews came past the Sons of the Thames Rowing Club, it could scarcely have been closer.  Oxford appeared to be making a huge push and were within a canvas of Cambridge who then seemed to counter with a push of their own. As it turned out, neither crew need have bothered. Just round the bend, Trenton Oldfield was lowering himself into the water...

Back at Linden House, a big effort by the staff attracted a good number of customers to the barbecue despite the crowd being one of the sparsest for years. A few were game enough for the Sons ergometer challenge, including one or two who had definitely rowed before. With this, and our new banner and flags outside, people in the passing crowd will have registered that there's a rowing club operating out of Linden House - a definite improvement on previous years when you wouldn't have known that. 

Where the Cambridge victory leaves the club sweepstake is currently unknown, but if today shows anything, it's the importance of the cox in a Tideway race

At a guess, Trenton Oldfield is not the toast of Oxford tonight - and thoughts have to be with Dr Alexander Woods the valiant Oxford bowman who rowed himself into unconciousness after Oxford lost an oar in a clash.