On Saturday December 1st, Thames hosted the 128th Gentlemen’s and 43rd Ladies’ Oxford-Cambridge Varsity Cross-Country Races. With the heavy rain of the previous week, the going was fairly heavy; however, all the teams seemed to cope with the conditions well.
In the 43rd Ladies’ Race – run for the first time under an 8-a-side, 6-to-score format – it was Cambridge who emerged victorious by 33 points to 46. Nancy Scott (Newnham, Cambridge) was first home in 23:26. This was Cambridge’s first victory since 2015 and it brought the overall series score to 25 wins for Oxford and 18 for Cambridge.
In the 128th Gentlemen’s Race, Oxford secured their fourth win in five years by 30 points to 50. Thames’ Jamie Parkinson (Jesus, Oxford) took the individual honours in a three-way battle at the front from George Gathercole (Caius, Cambridge) and Tim Lefroy (St. Cross, Oxford). Jamie’s winning time was 38:36. Oxford now lead the series by 65 wins to 63.
Earlier in the day, Cambridge won the 27th Old Blues’ Race by 103 points to 168 (scoring 11-a-side). Miles Chandler (Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford) was first home in 21:36. Oxford lead this series by 15 wins to 12.
Full results can be found here.
