WYE rowing cox Jack Tottem will be looking to put clear ‘Blue’ water between the Oxford Boat Race crew and the Cambridge boat of fellow Welshman Ollie Wynne-Griffith when he steers the Dark Blues in the 167th Boat Race on the River Thames next month.
The Old Monmothian, who coxed his school alumni club in their first ever Henley Royal Regatta appearance last August, was named on Monday to steer the Dark Blues in one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious sporting fixtures, dating back to 1829 and regularly watched by a riverside crowd of 250,000.
And Tokyo 8s Olympic bronze medallist Wynne-Griffith will be lining up against him in the Cambridge five-seat.
This year sees the race return to its traditional Thames course for the first tme since 2019 due to Covid and the temporary closure of Hammersmith Bridge, with the 2020 race cancelled and Cambridge beating Oxford on their home water at Ely last year.
And Tottem will be hoping to make it a hat-trick of wins for OM Oxford coxes when the crews come under starter’s orders, with Colin Moynihan steering them to victory in the 1977 race followed by Chepstow’s Laurence Harvey in 2014.
Jack is a former captain of boats at Monmouth School for Boys and deputy head boy, and steered the school at Henley in 2019, when they put out US seeds Kent in the first round.
The 20-year-old, from Devauden, steered the winning crew in the Oxford trial 8s race over the 4 1/4-mile Boat Race course in December, but having not made the Blue Boat last year after winning the 2020 trials, he wasn’t taking anything for granted this time.
But the History student needn’t have worried about history repeating itself as he was named at the official crew announcement at London’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel, as the man with his hands on the tiller of an Oxford boat containing no less than five GB internationals.
The Dark Blues include Tokyo Olympic silver quads medallist Angus Groom and bronze medallist Charlie Elwes, while as well as Wynne-Griffith, the Cambridge crew includes Tokyo crewmate Tom George and Swiss Rio gold medallist Simon Scheurch.
Jack and his crew warmed up for the challenge to come by racing two pieces on the Tideway in London on Sunday against Leander Club, the Henley-based club of Steve Redgrave and tens of other Olympic medllists, whose members between them have won more than 120 Olympic rowing medals.
But the ‘Pink Palace’ were no match for the Dark Blues this time as Oxford raced away in both pieces to win by more than four lengths.
Cambridge were also in action against Oxford Brookes, where it was honoures even, the latter taking the first race by 1/2L and the Light Blues the second by 2L.
Monmouth School for Boys headmaster Simon Dorman said of Tottem’s selection: "I am so pleased for him; his selection is richly deserved. It is also a great testament to all the brilliant rowing coaching he had while at Monmouth."
Master in charge of rowing John Griffiths, who rowed for GB at the world championships, said: “This a huge achievement for Jack, a cox, to gain such recognition.
“We are very proud of Jack and his selection is recognition of his talent and the progress that Monmouth School for Boys has made in rowing over the last few years.”
In August 2019, Jack won a gold and silver medal for Great Britain at the prestigious Coupe de la Jeunesse European junior team championship in Corgeno, Italy.
Jack also had the honour of captaining the GB boys’ team and carried the flag at the opening ceremony.
The Monmouth student was joined in Italy by school coach, Paul Williams, whose GB crew also performed well, winning gold and silver medals.
The Boat Race has a unique place in the British psyche, attracting the interest of millions of people worldwide.
It was one of the first large scale events to be cancelled in 2020, and was relocated to Ely last year.
The race is one of the highest profile rowing events in the world, attracting a global audience of some 400 million, and the annual focal point of a rivalry spanning nearly two centuries.
By Nick Hartland.
