Rowing: Day for Light Blue celebration as Cambridge sweep Henley Boat Races

RON NEEDS, their coach, hugs Philippa Graham, and Rachael Kelly looks on as Karen Wiemer and Catherine Bishop embrace in celebration of the women's blue boat's contribution to a clean sweep by Cambridge University of yesterday's Henley Boat Races against Oxford University. The Light Blue crews won all three women's races and the men's lightweight event, writes Hugh Matheson.

In the women's boat race, Oxford, stroked by the Under-23 international sculler Phoebe White, led briefly off the start but the Light Blues were in front after a minute and steadily increased their lead, in spite of being warned for taking Oxford's water.

The men's lightweight had the best race of the day because Oxford, who last year won the fixture for the first time since 1977, were dropped at the start but then recovered over the second half. They raised the rate to 41 strokes per minute and managed to close the gap to half a length at the finish.

Cambridge won the lightweight women's race for the ninth time out of 10 and completed their overwhelming performance when the women's reserves, Blondie, beat Osiris by one and a half lengths.

(Photograph omitted)