Harvard Graduates help Oxford to win in The Boat Race

Sam O’Connor ’12 and Malcolm Howard ’05 helped the Harvard crew team win many a race during their time in Cambridge, but on Sunday they helped their team win The Boat Race.

The Crimson alums led the Oxford team to a victory over Cambridge in the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, which is known as The Boat Race in Britain. The race, which attracted thousands to the banks of the River Thames and millions more on television, is one of the most celebrated and historic sporting events in England. O’Connor and Howard helped give Oxford its 77th victory in the 159-year history of the race.

Howard, who took home an Olympic gold medal in 2008 in men’s eights and silver in the same event in 2012, rowed stroke for Oxford, while O’Connor was in the fourth seat. The team completed the 6.8-kilometer course in 17:27 for a length-and-a-half victory over the rival Cambridge squad.

O’Connor, whose younger brother James is the captain of the Harvard heavyweights, became just the 10th New Zealander to race in the event.

The two were not the only Harvard connection to the event, though. Ben French ’11 rowed in Oxford’s Reserve Boat, and his boat took home victory by a third-of-a-length over Cambridge in their division.

The three rowers are all studying for their graduate degrees at Oxford.