The boat race is a good reminder of how sports and politics intersect

With the divisions in British society arguably more obvious and more painful than ever, this year’s race could well become a lightning rod for protest

Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that my alma mater, the University of Manchester, had once again failed to qualify for the boat race.

Presumably the team fell at the semi-final stage, though I guess there is always next year.

Ah yes, the boat race. More of a society event than a sporting one these days, and a day that rarely makes that big a dent in the newspaper world until something wild happens like Trenton Oldfield, an Australian man, jumping in the Thames during the 2012 renewal.