Cambridge have smashed the course record in the 144th University Boat Race with their sixth successive victory in the world's most famous two-horse race.

The Light Blues cross the finish line on the Thames in 16mins 19secs, breaking the 16:45 record set by Oxford in 1984.

Oxford, finishing nine seconds behind, also broke their own record when they crossed the line of the four miles 374 yard course between Putney and Mortlake.

The winning Light Blues squad was the heaviest and most powerful crew in the long history of the race and left Oxford, the Dark Blues, trailing after the first half-mile stage.

Cambridge: sixth successive victory

"The race was a sprint," said Cambridge cox Alistair Potts.

"We were exhausted in the final 10 minutes and were fighting exhaustion at the end."

Oxford president Andrew Lindsay gambled by choosing the Middlesex station after winning the toss, leaving Cambridge to race on the Surrey side.

He believed this would give them the advantage they needed going into the bend.

The umpire Mike Sweeney shouted at both crews during the early stages of the race as the oars got within inches of each other and, at one point, overlapped and narrowly missed touching.

Although Oxford had the favoured north, Cambridge had a half length advantage coming out of the Middlesex bend with the long, south, Surrey bend to come.

Cambridge, aided by German world champion rowers Stefan Forster and Marc Weber, moved two lengths clear out of the long left-hand bend and shifted to the right - taking advantage of the final right-hander.

By the end, the crews were separated by three boat lengths as Cambridge's superior weight of nearly 14 pounds per man became an advantage.

Speaking after the race, Andrew Lindsay said: "I'm gutted. I thought we were in with a chance but they came out of the bend better than us.

"We were still going well but once they were up a length, the psychological advantage is so big - that's it. Once you're up, you're up."

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