COPIED
2 mins

A NOTE FROM

Sir John Bell

Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford

Sir John Bell (GBE, FRS, FMedSci) is the Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford. As the leading expert in immunology, Sir John has been at the centre of the fight against coronavirus. He is a member of SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies), he sits on the government’s vaccine task force, and has negotiated the purchase of various vaccines. He is also a senior member of Oxford University Boat Club and has informed the Boat Race Company Limited’s decision making over the last twelve months.

“This year’s Boat Race will be exceptional in many ways, not least because it will be rowed as we emerge from a pandemic on the course at Ely. It marks the end of a very hard year for the Clubs but one where many organisations made the right call in very difficult circumstances. The first call was to cancel the race last year. BRCL got that exactly right and although it was a hard decision making it early proved to be the right answer. The Clubs have done exceptionally well to keep the athletes engaged through the disruption and even with a multitude of reasons not to proceed this year the Clubs have persevered and despite the uncertainty, BRCL and the Clubs seem to have made the right call.

When this pandemic arrived we knew very little about what to expect except that there would be trouble for some time to come. Understanding a new pathogen well enough to make good decisions about how to manage it has not been easy but these two great Universities have provided remarkable contributions to the UK and global fight against the virus. The quality of the science in the Universities has allowed us to develop the UK’s own vaccine which is now at the forefront of taming the epidemic in the UK and will be the vaccine that more than any other saves the world. Similarly, the testing program has been underpinned by novel approaches pioneered by both institutions, modelling has been led by both and the core epidemiology and clinical trial platform has also come from us. Not everything has gone to plan in this pandemic, but the science response has been exceptional.

When asked by Sarah Montague on the BBC in November after we announced the vaccine data, whether we would be returning to normal by the spring, I predicted ‘Yes, Yes, Yes’. What I really was thinking was that we would have a Boat Race again this year and my prediction has turned out to be pretty accurate. There will be some more bumps on the road, but this event is a tell-tale sign that normality is returning.” 

This article appears in The Boat Race - 2021 Programme

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This article appears in...
The Boat Race - 2021 Programme
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A Note from Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss
Welcome to the Gemini Boat Race 2021
Welcome to the Gemini Boat Race
From Robert Gillespie, Chairman of the Boat Race Company
In Pictures: The Blues
A photo gallery of the Oxford and Cambridge Blue Boats training at Wallingford and Ely
Infographic
Blue Boats 2021
Crews and Club Officials
The Gemini Boat Race 2021
Final Thoughts: Alexander Bebb
OUBC President
Final Thoughts: Callum Sullivan
CUBC Men’s President
Final Thoughts: Kaitlyn Dennis
OUWBC President
Final Thoughts: Sophie Paine
CUBC Women’s President
Final Thoughts: Sean Bowden
OUBC Head Coach
Final Thoughts: Rob Baker
CUBC Men’s Head Coach
Final Thoughts: Andy Nelder
OUWBC Head Coach
Final Thoughts: Rob Weber
CUBC Women’s Head Coach
A Note from Sir John Bell
Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford
Infographic: A Timeline
The Gemini Boat Race 2021
A Fine Balance
Unlocking the perfect race with imperfect preparation
Tactician’s View
Explaining the tactical nuances of racing in Ely rather than on the Tideway
Defeat and Triumph Beyond the Tideway
Life on the ragged edge of Boat Race selection
Choppy Waters
The surprising psychology lessons from training in a Covid lockdown
Video Hub: Behind the Scenes
The Gemini Boat Race 2021
History of the Women’s Boat Race
75 years on – what a strange race!
Orange Aid: The Austerity Boat Race of 1944
The last time the Blues battled on the River Great Ouse
Old Blues: Cath Bishop, CUWBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: John Wiggins, OUBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Mike Sweeney, CUBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Morgan Baynham-Williams, OUWBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Daphne Martschenko, CUWBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Tish Reid, OUWBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Donald Legget, CUBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Old Blues: Ollie Cook, OUBC
Memories of the Boat Race
Isle of Ely Rowing Club
60 years after the 1944 Boat Race a new rowing club is formed
Martin Barakso
OUBC
Alexander Bebb
President, OUBC
Joshua Bowesman-Jones
OUBC
Charles Buchanan
OUBC
Felix Drinkall
OUBC
Jean-Philippe Dufour
OUBC
James Forward
OUBC
Hal Frigaard
OUBC
Jesse Oberst
Cox, OUBC
Oliver Perry
Cox, OUBC
Luke Robinson
OUBC
Tobias Schröder
OUBC
Adam Teece
OUBC
Augustin Wambersie
OUBC
Seb Benzecry
CUBC
James Bernard
CUBC
Reef Boericke
CUBC
Ollie Boyne
Cox, CUBC
Ben Dyer
CUBC
Garth Holden
CUBC
Charlie Marcus
Cox, CUBC
Reggie Mitchell
CUBC
Ollie Parish
CUBC
Quinten Richardson
CUBC
Callum Sullivan
President, CUBC
Drew Taylor
CUBC
Sam Vosper
CUBC
Theo Weinberger
CUBC
Katie Anderson
OUWBC
Martha Birtles
OUWBC
Kaitlyn Dennis
President, OUWBC
Joe Gellett
Cox, OUWBC
Georgina Grant
OUWBC
Oriane Grant
OUWBC
Sara Helin
OUWBC
Costi Levy
Cox, OUWBC
Julia Lindsay
OUWBC
Katherine Maitland
OUWBC
Lucy Miles
OUWBC
Amelia Standing
OUWBC
Megan Stoker
OUWBC
Anja Zehfuss
OUWBC
Caoimhe Dempsey
CUBC
Rebecca Dell
CUBC
Anouschka Fenley
CUBC
Angela Harper
CUBC
Gemma King
CUBC
Jo Matthews
CUBC
Sophie Paine
President, CUBC
Abigail Parker
CUBC
Adriana Perez Rotondo
CUBC
Katarzyna Pilch
CUBC
Sarah Portsmouth
CUBC
Bronya Sykes
CUBC
Sarah Tisdall
CUBC
Dylan Whitaker
Cox, CUBC
The Rules of the Boat Race
2021
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