Boat Races: Oxford triumph in men's race after Cambridge women win

Oxford had suffered disappointment in last year's race

Oxford made it four wins in five years after beating Cambridge by just over a length in the 163rd Boat Race.

Oxford led throughout and although Cambridge tried to stay in touch, they were unable to get past the Dark Blues.

Earlier, Cambridge took advantage of a dreadful start by Oxford to claim a first win in the Women's Boat Race since 2012.

They dominated to win by 11 lengths in a course record of 18 minutes and 33 seconds.

In the men's race, Oxford started better and showed their strength over the course, finishing in a time of 16 minutes 59 seconds.

The Dark Blues, who included brothers Oliver and James Cook in their crew, pushed hard around Hammersmith Bridge and although Cambridge had the higher stroke rate, Oxford were able to use their power to stay ahead.

"The harder the race, the more you can savour it at the end," Oxford president Michael Disanto, who rowed for the United States at the Rio Olympics, told BBC Sport afterwards.

"There is nothing like this. We were better on the day and we wanted it.

"In the autumn nothing was going our way and we have been building and it has culminated in this."

• Relive the race as it happened

Sunday's races had been in doubt after a suspected World War Two shell was discovered by the River Thames and there was more drama at the start of the women's race.

Oxford's Rebecca Esselstein made an error with her oar, known as catching a crab, and her crew never recovered.

It allowed the Light Blues, featuring four members of last year's crew who almost sank on the river, to quickly get into their rhythm.

Catching a crab is where a rower loses control of their oar and does not remove it from the water at the end of the stroke and the oar acts as a brake, generally ending the boat's chances of winning.

Cambridge president Ashton Brown was thrilled to be on the winning side after losing in both 2015 and 2016.

"I'm so proud of the team and the squad this year." she told BBC Sport.

"I couldn't have done it without the squad and I just had an awesome job leading them."

Cambridge were the heavier crew in Sunday's women's race