BOAT RACE DINNER: NYC 2016

Tickets for the 83rd Annual New York City Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race Dinner  on April 12 are now available.  Tickets are $200 each Young alumni tickets (matriculants since 2009) $150. The Oxford website announcement is here.  Or go direct to the Cambridge site to register. . Tuesday, April 12, 2016 The Downtown Association 60 Pine Street New York, NY Cocktails at 6:30  p.m., Dinner at 7:30 p.m. Dress code is black tie or boat club blazer  $150 young alumni ticket (matric. 2009-2016) $200 standard ticket $2,500 College table sponsorship, 10 seats at a table

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race Dinner Committee of New York City

Hervé Gouraige (Chairman), Merton College, Oxford Stephen Dudek, St Edmunds College, Cambridge Sally Fan, Green Templeton College, Oxford Seth Lesser, Magdalen College, Oxford Cassie Llewellyn-Smith, Pembroke College, Cambridge John Tepper Marlin, Trinity College, Oxford Dhaval J. Patel, St Hugh's College, Oxford Peter Sealy, Pembroke College, Cambridge  For other dinners and other events go here.

BLOG READS: 100K, Dec. 2015–Top 16

Thank you for reading.
We have passed the 100K page view mark.
Here are the top 16 posts in December:

WW2: Why Didn't Hitler Bomb Oxford? (Updated Dec. ... Jun 8, 2013, 2 comments

HERALDRY: Beer, Branding and Paul Walton (Updated ... Nov 29, 2015

HERALDRY: Oxford Stars (Updated Dec. 17, 2015) Nov 21, 2014

HERALDRY: St Cross College, Oxford (Updated Dec. 1... Dec 3, 2015

BOAT RACE: Dinners, 2016 (Updated Dec. 7) Dec 4, 2015

HERALDRY: Trinity College, Oxford Dec 7, 2015

HERALDRY: Oxford's Rapid Expansion (Updated Dec. 1... Dec 15, 2015

HERALDRY: Regent's Park College, an Oxford PPH Dec 8, 2015

HERALDRY: St Benet's Hall, Oxford (Updated Dec. 7)... Dec 5, 2015

HERALDRY: St Catherine's College, Oxford (Updated ... Dec 16, 2015

RHODES: Monument-Trashing at Oxford (Comment) Dec 25, 2015

YOUNG AMERICA: Dec. 20–Virginia Cedes Land to Feds... Dec 20, 2015

HERALDRY: Douglas, Moray and de Vere Coats of Arms... Nov 23, 2014

AMERICAN OXONIAN: 2014, Spring–Swan Song (Updated ... Oct 22, 2014

HERALDRY: The College of Arms and Windsor Herald Aug 15, 2015

HERALDRY: Links to Heraldry, Oxford, Geo Wash Nov 22, 2015

OBIT: Daniel Topolski (New College)

Dan Topolski (New College), 1945-2015

Daniel Topolski, born June 4, 1945 died on February 21 at 69 after a long illness.

He was a riveting speaker at the April 3, 2008 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race Dinner in New York City. (Other rowers who spoke that evening were Saman Majd, Kate Weber, and the late Peter Darrow.)

During Oxford's unmatched streak of 10 straight wins in the Boat Race, 1976-1985, Dan Topolski was Oxford's unpaid chief rowing coach. Oxford also won two of the other five races during 1972-1987, for a 12-3 record.

Topolski took a constantly losing Oxford boat and made it a constant winner, motivating the rowers with a laid-back manner but steely determination. His philosophy was: “I like to win..."

In 1987, his last year, he faced the Second American Revolution, as four American oarsmen picked for the Blue Boat - half the boat - decided they missed professional coaching, and after Oxford's 1986 loss to Cambridge refused to row under Topolski’s amateur-seeming-to-them direction. One of them threw a cup of tomato soup over Topolski at the Thames Rowing Club in Henley. Oxford went on to beat Cambridge without them, by four lengths, in a thunderstorm.

The next year, Topolski turned down the assistant coach job, saying: “It’s a hard slog, unpaid ... If it’s not a pleasure, it’s not worth it.”

The fallout from the mutiny was a series of disputatious years for Oxford rowing, ending with the introduction of professional coaching staff.

Topolski had the last laugh, as his story of the mutiny - cast as the British amateur-with-a-passion-for-his-sport who knows more than he is given credit for vs. Americans with a professional-athlete mindset - became a book, True Blue: The Oxford Boat Race Mutiny (1989), the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, and then a film starring Dominic West (1996). The Guardian obituary describes the book as "slanted" but "highly readable".

The son of Polish painter and cartoonist Feliks Topolski and actress Marian Everall, Daniel Topolski grew up surrounded by his parents’ leftist friends. The Telegraph notes that as a youth,

On Boat Race day, Daniel was taken to “beer and buns” parties at the studio of artist Julian Trevelyan on the Middlesex side of the Thames at Chiswick. The studio’s blue doors marked the halfway point of the course. “We supported dark blue, which was Oxford. They always lost,” Topolski noted.  “We used to watch it there with Stephen Spender and Louis MacNeice and their children. We’d go out to see the crews go by, my mother holding my hand, and she said, 'One day you’ll do that, son.’"

Topolski’s father taught him to scull in an old wooden boat on the lake at Regent’s Park. At Westminster he captained the First Eight, but on arrival at Oxford in 1964 he found he was lighter than other students competing for the Blue Boat. The chief coach, Ronnie Howard, usually dismissed lightweight candidates, saying: "You’re much too small for this kind of thing.” The Telegraph obit reports that Topolski compensated by gaining weight and the coaches adjusted their opinion based on his performance:

Topolski fed himself a preparation called “Bodybulk”, which raised his weight to 12 stone [an increase of 24 pounds]. Hugh “Jumbo” Edwards, another member of the coaching team in this period, selected Topolski for the 1967 Blue Boat. Asked why he had included this comparatively lightweight oarsman, Edwards said: “It’s simple. When he’s in, the boat goes faster.”

So Topolski rowed twice in the Boat Race, with Oxford winning in 1967 and losing in 1968.

Topolski did not look like the typical crew-cut Oxford Blue. He brought some style to Oxford rowing, getting Biba to design singlets for the New College Boat Club. Topolski achieved a special academic distinction, being the last person to earn a Fourth Class Oxford degree, for Geography, before the Fourth was abolished.

In 1983, Cambridge threatened not to race to protest the presence in Oxford's boat of Boris Rankov, a graduate student with five Blues already to his credit. Topolski suggested “Cambridge should stop bleating and prepare to race.” Rankov rowed, Cambridge lost, but the "Rankov Affair" still rankled, leading to the “Rankov Rule” limiting how many rowing Blues anyone may earn.

Topolski represented Britain at rowing five times during the 1969-1978 period. His honors and positions include:

• Silver medal, 1975 World Championships in Nottingham (Coxless fours).
• Gold medal, 1977 World Championships in Bosbaan, Amsterdam (Eights). 
• Four Henley Medals.
• Coach, Britain's women’s eight, 1978-1980. 
• Commentator for the BBC, 1990-2013. 
• Trustee of the Mark Lees Foundation, which supports young rowers. 
• Consultant to the Oxford squad in the mid-1990s.

Topolski was a wide-ranging adventurer and author:

• Researcher for the BBC from about 1968 to 1973.
• Eight-month solo trip through Africa financed by Time (1972) and a book on the trip, Muzungu: One Man’s Africa (1976). 
• Trip to the Hindu Kush in northern Pakistan to live among the Kalash tribes (1975). 
• Tour of South America with his father (1981), during which he was arrested in Paraguay in a police dragnet and imprisoned. The tour was filmed and shown on the BBC television program The World About Us (1982), and then became a book, Travels with My Father: A South American Journey (1983).

Dan Topolski is survived by his wife, Suzy (the actress Susan Gilmore), whom he married in 1998, their children -  Emma, Tamsin and Luke - and his sister, Teresa.

More Oxford obits.

BOAT RACE: Dinners 2015

Nick Rawlins, Oxford's Pro-Vice-Chancellor,
to speak at Chicago's 76th BRD, the 50th
Chicago BRD John Morrison has organized.

For 2016 Boat Race Dinners, go to new site.

Oxford-Cambridge Events in USA-Canada*, April-May 2015, by City (Scroll Down for Details and More Links)

Boston | BRD | May 30, 2015
Chicago | 76th BRD | April 10, 2015
Chicago | Vice Chancellor | April 19, 2015
Dallas | Vice Chancellor | April 14
Houston | Vice Chancellor | April 15
Kingston, Ont. | BRD | April 12
Los Angeles | 11th BR Brunch | April 19
Montreal | BRD | Date Pending
NY City | 82nd BRD | April 23
NY City | 4th BR Brunch | April 11
Ottawa | Vice Chancellor | April 17
Ottawa | BRD | April 25
San Francisco | BR Breakfast | April 11
San Francisco | 80th BRD | April 21
Toronto | Drinks, Vice Chancellor | April 18
Vancouver | 85th BRD | May 29
Vancouver | 4th BR Breakfast | April 11
Victoria | BRD | April 18
Washington, D.C. | 68th BRD | May 8

*Link to Oxford Alumni Boat Race Events World-Wide (Europe and Asia included)

Events by Date
Send updates here. |  Photos etc. of US-Canadian Boat Race alumni events before 2015.

April 10 (Friday) - Chicago, 76th BRD (since 1934). Prof. J. N. P. ("Nick") Rawlins (Univ.), Oxford's Pro-Vice-Chancellor, is speaking at the University Club. Also Sir Ivor Crewe (Exeter, Oxford) and Charles R. Conn III (Balliol), Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford. Black tie optional. It is the 50th dinner organized by John Morrison (New Mexico and Univ.), and he has announced it will be his last (he may be congratulated at JohnHMorrison@outlook.com). Contacts: The new BRD  Hon. Sec., James C. Dunlop (LMH) of Jones Day, jcdunlop@jonesday.com; or the Illinois Oxford Society coordinator MicheleRDavies@gmail.com.

April 11 (Saturday, Race Day) - New York City, Boat Races Brunch. Viewing of the BBC record of the races, organized in recent years by the Oxford Business Alumni. 11 am: Viewing Party & Brunch Venue: Rose Hill, Manhattan. Location will be emailed to ticket holders. Contact: Joey Vlasto, info@oxalumny.org. Note: This is the first year that the women's boats compete on the same day and course as the men's boats. The men's blue boats compete at 4:50 pm GMT and the women's ("Newton") boats one hour later. In New York City the BBC should start showing the race at 11:50 am. BNY Mellon gets much credit for pursuing equality for the women's race. For late information, check here or the official site for the BNY Mellon Boat Races.

April 11 - New York, NY - 12.00 noon-2:30pm: Keble College Boat Race Brunch in New York with Warden Sir Jonathan Philips and Director of Development Jenny Tudge Venue: Home of George Evans (Keble, 1978) West 74th Street, New York, NY, USA. More information and $50 tickets available online.

April 11 - San Francisco, Live Viewing of Boat Races.  8:50 a.m., OUS Northern California. Kezar Pub.

April 11 - Vancouver, 4th Annual Boat Races Breakfast. Contact: StuartCBowyer@gmail.com. The men's race starts at 4:50 pm GMT - or 8:50 a.m. in Vancouver. 10 am: Vancouver Oxford & Cambridge Society Annual Boat Race Breakfast Venue: Manchester Public House, 1941 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J 1Z3, Canada.

April 11 - Portland, Ore., 9 am-12 noon local time - Oxbridge Cascades Alumni Society Viewing of the 2015 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race Venue: Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, 112 SW 2nd Ave, Portland, Oregon 97204, USA. According to Vancouver branch, Portland invented the Boat Race Breakfast, in which alumni gather at a local pub, many with old college or university gear, to watch the race live on TV. Always early morning in Oregon. Contact: Christopher Gondek, cgondek@ heronandcrane.com.

April 12 - Kingston, Ont., Boat Race Dinner, venue to be determined. Contact: Robert Darymple kingston@ousoc.oxon.org.

April 17 (Friday) - Ottawa - Vice Chancellor Andrew and Mrs. Jennie Hamilton and University of Oxford North American Office will host a drinks party for alumni and friends.  Centre Block, Parliament of Canada, 111 Wellington Street Ottawa. 6-8 pm. (This is a different event from the BRD on April 25.) Tickets C$40 per person. Starting in January 2016 the Vice Chancellor will be President of New York University.

April 18 (Saturday) - Victoria - Annual VIOCS Boat Race Party Saturday, 6:30-9:30 pm, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (exhibits will be open) 1040 Moss Street, Victoria $36.00 p.p. Send your cheque to: Dr. Brian Scarfe (personally) Suite 416, 21 Dallas Road, Victoria, BC, V8V 4Z9 VIOCS Silent auction to help offset the cost of our splendid venue. Bring cheque book. For further information contact admin@VIOCS.ca or call Dr. Dorothy Kennedy at 250-384-4544. 

April 19 (Sunday) - Los Angeles, Brunch. Held every year since at least 2005 (University Club, Pasadena). Will be at 12 noon at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey - enjoy dazzling conversation, a luxurious champagne brunch, and a gorgeous view of the yachts while rooting on the dark and light blues while watching from a week-old DVD (no spoilers, please). Oxonians, Cantabrigians, friends and supporters are all welcome. This year’s teams seem particularly well matched, as in the anxious words of a late 1800s Oxford poet: “The Cambridge eight / have muscle and weight, / but the dark blue blades / fall sharp and straight.” The group assembles at 11:30 am, has brunch and then watches the Boat Races at 1:30 pm (since they are viewing from a DVD, the group is not bound to the Tidewater schedule). Contact: Ray Dean Mize raydean.mize@gmail.com.

April 21 (Tuesday) - San Francisco, 80th BRD. Presidio Golf Club, 8 Presidio Terrace. Speaker will be tech forecaster and futurist Paul Saffo (Cambridge). Contact: Leena.Bengani@oxfordalumni.org or Matthew Kaser, m.kaser@comcast.net.

April 23 (Thursday) - New York City, 82nd BRD, since 1933. As last year, the BRD will be at the University Club in New York. The toasts are to the President and Queen and the Universities, with a Response from the Universities. Speakers in April include Paul Bernstein, CEO of the Pershing Square Foundation, and Stephen Trachtenberg (Nuffield, Oxford), former President of the George Washington University.  For several years, 2005-2008 and in some years before that, New York City had an Alumni Boat Race. Contact: Hervé Gouraige (Merton), dinner chairman; hgouraige@comcast.net.

April 25 (Saturday) -  Ottawa BRD.  The Cambridge Society of Ottawa hosts an annual BRD that some Oxonians attend. This year's BRD is at the Britannia Yacht Club. Contact: Neil Bliss, nwbliss@magma.ca or (613) 745-5179; or Oxford Secretary Harry Corrin, ous.ottawa@gmail.com.

May 8 (Friday) - Washington, DC BRD.  National Press Club. Contact: George Keys, gkeys at jordankeys.com; Giles_Howson at yahoo.com; dlaw@curtin-law.com. The Washington BRD does not take credit cards. You sign up for the mailing list for a one-time charge of $10. You then print out the form that is emailed to you and you mail it in with a check for $125 ($100 for those who have matriculated within the last five years). Featured speakers on May 8 - H.M. Ambassador to the United States Sir Peter John Westacott will respond for the Universities to Daniel Yergin. Nicholas Holland, former Blue Boat oarsman, will report on the Boat Races that were rowed April 11 - if you want to know the outcomes before then, a spoiler is here. 

May 29 (Friday) - Vancouver BRD. Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Anne Giardini, Chancellor of Simon Fraser University, will toast the Universities. Xenia Kritsos will toast Cambridge. Hon. Peter Woolley will toast Oxford. Dr. Robert Dunn will give the loyal toast to the Queen.  Contact: Dr. Dorothy Kennedy, admin@viocs.ca. Website: www.vocs.ca.

May 30 (Saturday) - Boston (New England Society) BRD. Contact: Dona Cady is President of OCSNE, president@oxcamne.org; David Manns is Secretary, secretary@oxcamne.org; Belinda Wilkes is Treasurer, treasurer@oxcamne.org. For dinner details, sign up here (you will need to input your university/college of matriculation).

Cities for Which Dates Not Reported (To add an event - contact JTMarlin@post.harvard.edu)

Calgary, Alberta. Contact: Geoffrey Cowling, gcowling@iridiumrisk.com; jonathan.d.connell@ gmail.com. Denver, Colo. Contact: Chris.Hansen@ihs.com Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Contact: EnriqueBargioni@msn.com Houston, Tex. Contact: Kevin Bradford, houston@ousoc.oxon.org Indianapolis, Ind.  Contact Stephen Smith,  SKSmith1@msn.com Kansas City, Mo. Contact: BartholomewDean at gmail.com. Little Rock, Ark. Contact: frank.thurmond@gmail.com. Montreal, Que.  Contact: Catherine.Gillbert@videotron.ca. New Orleans, La.  Contact: David Campbell, davidc1010@ att.net. Phoenix, Ariz. Contact: jonathan.rose@asu.edu. Portland, Maine Contact: TracieJeanReed @gmail.com. Raleigh, N.C. Contact: Steven Wilson, scrwilson@gmail.com Richmond, Va. Contact: Matthias Hild, n@hild.org Salt Lake City, Utah.  Contact: Russell Fisher, utah.oxford@ gmail.com. San Diego, Calif. Contact: caio@handsupincentives.com. Contact: Ean.Hernandez@ eanh.net St. Louis, Mo.  Contact: David Pollack, missouri@ousoc.oxon.org Toronto, Ont.  Contact: oxfordsocietytoronto@gmail.com. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Contact: Robert Dawson, dawson at dawsonlaw.com.

Read here about the long History of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race and the Boat Race Dinners.
Other boating posts: Head of the Charles 2016