Oxford wins boat race after WWII bomb removed from Thames

Oxford reclaimed the boat race title from Cambridge yesterday, hours after police removed an unexploded World War II-era bomb near the start of the course on the River Thames.

The bomb was discovered by a member of the public near Putney Bridge in southwest London, just metres (yards) from the starting line of the famous race between rowers from Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The ordinance was found submerged on the Chelsea shoreline Saturday and it was removed by a marine policing unit, the London police force said.

London was heavily bombed in the war, particularly during the Blitz years in 1940 and 1941, as German planes concentrated on civilian and industrial targets. Unexploded devices are still occasionally uncovered.

Oxford won the 163rd boat race by a length and a quarter in 16 minutes, 59 seconds. The course is 4 miles, 374 yards (6.8 kilometres).

Cambridge was denied its first back-to-back victories since 1999 but still leads Oxford 82-80 overall after a dead-heat in 1877.

The men’s race dates to 1829, as a challenge between friends held in Henley-on-Thames and was held irregularly for the next 25 years. The race moved to London in 1836, where it takes place annually around Easter.

The Cambridge women broke a four-year cycle of Oxford wins, claiming victory in the 72nd race on Sunday by 11 lengths and in a record time of 18:34.