Oxford University took their fourth victory in five years at the Cancer Research UK University Boat Race 2017.

The 163rd race ended with the winners crossing the finish line of the 4.2 mile course after 16 minutes and 59 seconds.

The victory followed Cambridge winning the 2017 women’s race for the first time since 2012. Their time of 18 minutes and 34 seconds was a course record.

The Oxford women’s crew got off to a very bad start, unbalancing and tipping to the side which allowed Cambridge to get a good head start.

On the victory for the men's crew, Oxford's American president Michael DiSanto said: "It feels so good. I feel so indebted to Sean (Oxford head coach). There were a few calls from Sean in that race, and we really picked up."

Bowden's Cambridge counterpart, Steve Trapmore MBE - who won Olympic gold with Britain at Sydney 2000 - recognised the early lead Oxford built had proved too much to overcome.

"It's really difficult," he said. "You put so much into developing the guys, what could we have done better?

"We were on the front foot for a little but didn't quite have the horsepower to sneak up in the middle of the race, where we needed to.

"They did immensely well to stick in there.

"As hard as the result is and as raw as it feels, there are positives."

The race went ahead even though an unexploded World War Two shell was found near the start line. Police were called after a member of the public spotted it on Saturday afternoon (April 1).

It was eventually confirmed the race would proceed, but earlier than scheduled, on Sunday afternoon. Asked if the incident had affected them, Mr Di Santo said: "Not at all, not at all.

"I don't think there was any question that the race wasn't going to go on. Our job as rowers: all we have to focus on is our job, put the blade in the water and pull really hard.

"We were all confident the race was going to go on - maybe we'd adjust the warm-up pattern - but it's really no concern of ours. I don't think people really raised an eyebrow about it."

Head coach Sean Bowden added: "I was probably more concerned. But they all seemed to have it in hand, and we had really good meetings with the umpires, and the relevant people.

"It all seemed like good contingencies were being thought of, and allowed the press to talk about explosive starts and things like that."