Honours Shared At 2020 Varsity Match

Cambridge won the Open Event 8-3 and Oxford the Women's Event 4-1 at the 2020 Varsity Match held at Oxford SC, Farmoor on Saturday 19 September 2020 in Fireflies. Conditions were excellent, with sunshine and a brisk breeze that delivered hard-to-handle gusts and challenging changes of direction.

PRO Laurie Manners ran both events flawlessly, with Bruce Hebbert and Richard Thompson acting as Umpires. The open event involved two teams of three pairs, with their results being aggregated to give the final outcome (first to win 8 races). This reflected the normal 'keel boat' arrangement that there are two helms in a boat. A sprinkling of alumni turned up to support both sides and were repaid with some excellent and exciting team racing.

The morning started with 7 races being sailed in the open event, resulting in Cambridge being just one race ahead at 4-3. Then the women's event took place (first to win 4 races) and Oxford went 3 up. In the 4th race, Oxford lost ground through mishandling a gust and Cambridge took advantage of this gift to strike back. Oxford kept their cool, however, and went on to win the 5th race and so run out worthy winners 4-1.

With the women's event decided, the open event resumed. Cambridge were determined to avoid a double Oxford victory and stamped their authority on the next four races to win 8-3 overall.

A big thank-you to Oxford SC for allowing the event to run in parallel with their junior championships, to all officials, and to Tiarnan Finney and his Oxford helpers for staging such a successful day after the cancellation of the scheduled coastal keel boat event at Island SC, Cowes.

2020 Varsity Match Photos

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Preparations get under way - cut down rigs were used throughout the day

Honours even at the start of the first race - open event 1st Strings (Oxf black and Cam red throughout)

Cambridge 1st Strings up in every pair at the start of the first race run - they finished with a winning combination

Cambridge 2nd Strings look good at the start of the run - but Oxford came through to win

Cambridge Women look good at the end of the first beat of their first race - but Oxford came through to win

Oxford Women ahead on the run in their 2nd race

Cambridge with the Open Event Trophy. Front: Juliette Kennedy, Olivia Jacklin, Holly MacAskill, Bethan Matthew, Megan Redhead. Back: Milo Gill-Tyalor, Adam Rathmell, Hugh Tomkins, Robbie King, Ollie Jagger, Freddie Scott, Jamie Webb.

Oxford with the Women's Event Trophy. Front: . Back:

Teams at 2020 Varsity Match

Oxford

**Open (1st Helms & Crew)****Open (2nd Helms & Crew)**Women (Helm & Crew)

Cambridge

Open (1st Helms & Crew) Open (2nd Helms & Crew) Women (Helm & Crew)

Robbie King (Capt) & Bethan Matthew Ewan Gribbin & Freddie Scott Holly MacAskill & Molly Desorgher

Jamie Webb & Olivia Jacklin Milo Gill-Taylor & Megan Redhead Juliette Kennedy & Laragh Harvey-Kelly

Adam Rathmell & Ollie Jagger Callum Farnden & Hugh Tomkins Bethan Matthew & Olivia Jacklin