Oxford crush favourites Cambridge in University Boat Race

Oxford powered to victory in the 157th University Boat Race against last year's champions and favourites Cambridge in front of tens of thousands of spectators lining the River Thames under grey skies on Saturday.

Having won the toss and elected to start on the Surrey side (southern bend), a traditional advantage, Oxford pushed hard from the beginning and claimed victory by about 14 seconds.

"It was good fun... after half way," Oxford's Simon Hislop, a testicular cancer survivor, told the BBC.

Cambridge still lead overall with 80 wins to Oxford's 76 since the first race in 1829.