The 158th Boat Race, an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews
from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames,
took place on 7 April 2012. Despite Cambridge having the heavier crew,
Oxford (pictured after the race) were pre-race favourites after a
successful preparation period, including a victory over Leander.
Cambridge won the toss and chose to start on the Surrey side of the
river. Partway through, with the boats level, the race was temporarily
halted to avoid injury to a protester, Trenton Oldfield, who swam in
front of the two crews. After the race was restarted, one of the Oxford
crew suffered irreparable damage to his blade following a clash of oars
with the Cambridge boat, ending Oxford's chances of victory. The race
was eventually won by Cambridge by four-and-a-quarter lengths, in a
consolidated time of 17 minutes 23 seconds. Immediately after completing
the race, a member of the Oxford crew collapsed, but later recovered.
Oldfield was later jailed for six months for causing a public nuisance,
and as a result of the disruption, security for subsequent Boat Races
was increased.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boat_Race_2012>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1544:
Italian War of 1542–46: French and Spanish forces fought a
massive pitched battle in the Piedmont region of Italy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ceresole>
1888:
The Concertgebouw concert hall in Amsterdam was inaugurated.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concertgebouw>
1921:
Emir Abdullah established the first centralized government in
the recently created British protectorate of Transjordan.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirate_of_Transjordan>
1945:
World War II: American forces liberated the Buchenwald
concentration camp near Weimar, Germany.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchenwald_concentration_camp>
1963:
Pope John XXIII issued Pacem in terris ("Peace on Earth"), the
first papal encyclical addressed to "all men of good will", rather than
only to Catholics.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacem_in_terris>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
covenstead:
1. (Wicca) A permanent circle or temple used to meet for rituals and to
store religious items, often a mundane location.
2. (Wicca) A Wiccan congregation.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/covenstead>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: THE
ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD WAS MUSIC.
--Kurt Vonnegut
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut>