تيم قايقرانی دانشگاه آکسفورد توانسته است تيم قايقرانی دانشگاه کمبريج را در مسابقه سالانه قايقرانی در رودخانه تايمز شکست دهد. تاکنون تیم آکسفورد 73 بار و تیم کمبریج 78 بار در اين مسابقات برنده شده اند.

It was a hard slog in choppy water but Oxford took the lead from the start. The Cambridge boat took in a lot of water which slowed it down. Unlike Oxford, Cambridge weren't carrying a pump to get rid of the extra weight.

Cambridge were tipped as the favourites but the Oxford crew rowed faster throughout the race. By the time Oxford crossed the finish line, Cambridge were lagging far behind.

The University Boat Race is a uniquely British institution but it's taken on a distinctly international character. It dates back to 1829 and is now broadcast on television in more than a hundred countries. And of the sixteen rowers in the two boats, only five were British this year. It was the first time a French rower had taken part for at least a century. There were also four Americans, three Germans, two Canadians and an Australian.

Critics have accused the Boat Race of abandoning its traditions and becoming commercial. But the universities and the rowers themselves have countered that the presence of world-class international oarsmen has made the race more popular.

hard slog
کار مشکل و خسته کننده

choppy water
آب متلاطم و ناآرام رودخانه يا دريا

tipped as the favourites
تصور می رفت که برنده شوند

crew
خدمه، در اينجا: قايقرانان

crossed the finish line
از خط پايان مسابقه عبور کردند

lagging
عقب ماندن، آهسته آهسته راه رفتن

critics
منتقدين

abandoning its traditions
از سنت هايش صرفنظر می کند، سنت هايش را نادیده می گيرد

commercial
تجارتی، پولساز

countered
در مقابل....واکنش نشان داد، رد کرد

Source : BBC Persian Service