The Boat Race season 2015: Crew Announcement Image Library

19th March 2015

OFFICIAL CREWS FOR THE BNY MELLON BOAT RACE AND THE NEWTON WOMEN’S BOAT RACE ANNOUNCED

The official crews for The 2015 BNY Mellon Boat Race and The Newton Women’s Boat Race were announced today. The unveiling of the crews that will be racing in the Blue Boats on 11th April took place in a joint event for the third year running, as we approach the first combined BNY Mellon Boat Races this year.

The 161st Boat Race will see a younger Oxford crew take on a Cambridge crew who weighed in an average of 5.25kg per man heavier. As well as weight, the Light Blue crew also has height and Boat Race experience on its side, with an average advantage of just over 5cm per man and an additional returning Blue.

Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club will take a marginal weight advantage into The 2015 Newton Women’s Boat Race of 0.9kg per athlete. Oxford University Women’s Boat Club hold a height advantage of a little over 3cm per athlete, boosted by Olympic Champion Caryn Davies at nearly 6 foot 3 inches.

Both Oxford crews feature a range of international athletes, with four nations in total represented between the two crews. In the Men’s Blue Boat, the O’Connor brothers from New Zealand and Tom Swartz, Michael Di Santo and William Hakim from America back up the British athletes William Geffin, Henry Goodier, James Cook and Constantine Louloudis. The Women’s Boat mainly consists of American and British athletes, with an addition of Swiss born Nadine Graedel Iberg in 5 seat. Caryn Davies, who will be the most decorated Olympian to compete in either of The Boat Races having won a silver and two golds at the Athens, Beijing and London Olympic Games, will sit in the stroke seat.

In comparison to the 2014 Cambridge Women’s crew, this year’s Blue Boat boasts a variety of different nationalities, with Canadian Ashton Brown, Americans Daphne Martschenko and Rosemary Ostfeld and Fanny Belais of France. Once again, Ian Middleton has secured his coxing seat in the Cambridge Men’s Blue Boat, joined by fellow Brit William Warr in the 5 seat. Henry Hoffstot returns as stroke, supported by fellow Americans and returning Blues Luke Juckett, Matthew Jackson and first-time Blue Ben Ruble.

Stiff competition has meant that a number of returning Blues have been unable to regain their places for The 2015 BNY Mellon Boat Races. However, across the 4 clubs there are still 16 returning Blues. OUBC have selected 4 Blues from last year: Tom Swartz, Michael Di Santo, Sam O’Connor and Constantine Louloudis. Opposite them will be Luke Juckett, Matthew Jackson, Joshua Hooper, Henry Hoffstott and Ian Middleton returning to the Cambridge Blue Boat.

From The 2014 Newton Womens Boat Race, the Oxford University Womens Boat Club have selected Maxie Scheske, Lauren Kedar and Nadine Graedel Iberg and this year’s President Anastasia Chitty. Returning for Cambridge will be Melissa Wilson, Claire Watkins and President Caroline Reid.

The 2015 BNY Mellon Boat Races will take place on 11th April 2015. The Newton Women’s Boat Race will take place at 4.50pm, followed by the BNY Mellon Boat Race at 5.50pm

Official Crews for The 2015 BNY Mellon Boat Race are listed below with their respective weights:

CAMBRIDGE
Position Name Weight (kg)
Bow: Jasper Holst – 86.8kg
2: Luke Juckett – 85.2kg
3: Ben Ruble – 84.8kg
4: Alexander Leichter – 99.0kg
5: William Warr – 94.2kg
6: Matthew Jackson – 94.0kg
7: Joshua Hooper – 92.6kg
Stroke: Henry Hoffstot – 91.2kg
Cox: Ian Middleton – 53.6kg

Total Weight Ex. Cox 727.8kg
Average Weight Ex. Cox 90.98kg
Total Weight Inc. Cox 781.4kg
Average Weight Inc. Cox 86.82kg

OXFORD
Position Name Weight (kg)
Bow: William Geffen – 82.2kg
2: Thomas Swartz – 76.6kg
3: Henry Goodier – 88.2kg
4: James O’Connor – 83.4kg
5: James Cook – 83.8kg
6: Michael DiSanto – 90.8kg
7: Sam O’Connor – 88.6kg
Stroke: Constantine Louloudis – 92.2kg
Cox: William Hakim – 54.6kg

Total Weight Ex. Cox 685.8kg
Average Weight Ex. Cox 85.73kg
Total Weight Inc. Cox 740.4kg
Average Weight Inc. Cox 82.27kg

The Official Crews for The 2015 Newton Women’s Boat Race are listed below with their respective weights:

CAMBRIDGE
Position Name Weight (kg)
Bow: Hannah Evans – 69.2kg
2: Ashton Brown – 80.8kg
3: Caroline Reid – 66.0kg
4: Claire Watkins – 71.2kg
5: Melissa Wilson – 77.8kg
6: Holly Hill – 78.8kg
7: Daphne Martschenko – 76.4kg
Stroke: Fanny Belais – 60.8kg
Cox: Rosemary Ostfeld – 49.8kg

Total Weight Ex. Cox 581.0kg
Average Weight Ex. Cox 72.63kg
Total Weight Inc. Cox 630.8kg
Average Weight Inc. Cox 70.09kg

OXFORD
Position Name Weight (kg)
Bow: Maxie Scheske – 66.6kg
2: Anastasia Chitty – 69.6kg
3: Shelley Pearson – 70.0kg
4: Lauren Kedar – 75.4kg
5: Nadine Graedel Iberg – 72.4kg
6: Emily Reynolds – 67.4kg
7: Maddy Badcott – 74.0kg
Stroke: Caryn Davies – 78.4kg
Cox: Jennifer Ehr – 50.4kg

Total Weight Ex. Cox 573.8kg
Average Weight Ex. Cox 71.72kg
Total Weight Inc. Cox 624.2kg
Average Weight Inc. Cox 69.36kg

Text with kind permission of The Boat Race Company