LONDON -- Turning an exclusively two-team event into an uncompetitive spectacle is quite the task, but it's something Cambridge have achieved during a near-decade of Boat Race dominance.
On Saturday, though, there was something for everyone (Oxford and Cambridge students, staff and almuni) in the 197th year of the Boat Race as the winds of change blew across the Thames.
Cambridge's crew were considered almost unbeatable heading into the men's race, and so it proved as they beat their underpowered rivals by 11 seconds. Oxford's women, however, claimed their first victory for a decade.
The 18mph gusts had both crews in the women's race taking evasive action as the coxes directed their boats towards the river bank and calmer waters.
For an event that can be accused of seeming stale at times, the sight of the water lapping over the sides of the boats, adding to the weight of hulls being hauled by already screaming bodies, was a sight of genuine sporting drama.
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Oxford women claim first win since 2016
The last time the Dark Blues tasted victory in the women's Boat Race, England's footballers were preparing for a surefire European Championship success in France and OpenAI was in its fourth month as a registered company.
The years since have brought disappointing defeat after disappointing defeat, with plenty of well-fancied Oxford crews succumbing on the big day.
Here, though, cox Louis Corrigan had the eight-woman crew digging deep from the start as they opened up a sizeable lead in double-quick time.
Led by Olympic bronze medallist Heidi Long (undertaking a Masters by research in women's and reproductive health) the Oxford boat never seemed to slow.
"I'm just so proud. Everyone's put in so much effort. It was the nine of us in the boat today, and Allan [French, the chief coach], and I wouldn't have done it with anyone else," said an emotional Long, nearly two years on from stepping off the podium in Paris.
"It was just incredible, every single stroke this year, for the whole year. Well done to Oxford University Boat Club, this was amazing."
Cambridge men outclass Oxford once again
Despite Channel 4's best attempts to build up the men's race as a clash of the titans, the contest went according to the script as Cambridge's dominant crew made light work of their traditional rivals.
Cambridge have not been beaten in competition for some time and it was only the weather that could have stopped them here. And they were tested as the water came over the sides of their boat in virtual sea conditions, prompting brief concerns that they could actually be submerged beneath the waves.
But after battling through the worst of the conditions -- and an unfancied Oxford crew showing plenty of guts to remain on their tail -- Cambridge found their rhythm and skated across the surface for the last mile to come home 11 seconds in front.
"That was a fantastic race. All credit to Oxford, all credit to the eight rowers," Cambridge cox Sammy Houdaigui said.
"We knew we had the right athletes in the boat. I'm just glad I got to be a part of this, that I got to sit in the ninth seat for this one. I love these guys, I love Cambridge. Hats off to Oxford, they were fantastic."
An exhausted Cambridge men's president Noam Mouelle who won his fourth Boat Race, said: "It was a super hard race. Everyone was blown. We have done the job early, so no problem. We just had to make no mistakes and that's what we did."