Rowing-Cambridge win men's boat race, Oxford end wait for women's victory

LONDON, April 4 : Cambridge won the men's Boat Race for the seventh time in eight years on Saturday, while Oxford ended a losing streak in the women's version by winning for the first time since 2016.

Led through the choppy Thames waters by Britain's Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Heidi Long, Oxford's women's crew made a quick start and won by 9.4 seconds in the 80th edition of their race.

The race saw German postgraduate sisters rowing on opposing sides, with Lilli Freischem in the Oxford boat and younger sister Mia with the light blues.

The pair were the first sister opponents since Emma and Nicola Payne 22 years ago.

Oxford now have 31 women's wins to 49 for Cambridge.

In the 171st edition of the men's race, Cambridge were the strong favourites and won by 3.5 lengths and 11.02 seconds - their 89th win to Oxford's 81. The 1877 race was declared a dead heat.

The Oxford men's boat last won in 2022.