 Race umpire Obholzer stated " I could have disqualified Oxford but both sides were responsible " . Cambridge president and number six West said " Both teams had a good row but we had good rhythm and pushed really hard " , while Oxford president Snow remarked " The Boat Race is not fair ... six months ' work to be screwed by the system . We have got to deal with that " . BBC commentator and former Light Blue president Richard Phelps believed that Cambridge " deserved " the win and that " it was the superior power and application of it that saw Cambridge slowly pull clear of Oxford " . Cambridge coach Robin Williams said " It was a brave , quick decision by the umpire " , while former Dark Blue and Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent suggested the clash was simply a racing incident and that the race could have been allowed to continue . He added : " There is no yellow card offence between a warning and disqualification " . Oxford coach Sean Bowden blamed the defeat on the restart : " We rowed with a lot of courage ... but having to restart after that great first take @-@ off really hurt us . It just put us at a disadvantage from then on " . 
