BOAT Race Blue Colin Scott said his Cambridge crew gave it everything they had to try and win Saturday's 154th Boat Race.

"We knew what we had to do when we got in front on our Surrey Bend and threw everything at it, but at the end of the day, it wasn't quite enough to break free and Oxford came through," said the Malvern 22-year-old.

The former Royal Grammar School, Worcester pupil's boat were still leading after 11 minutes of an epic race but, once the Dark Blues powered past for the second time, it was game over for his exhausted Cambridge boat.

"We fought back from three-quarters of a length down to get back in front and pulled out to two-thirds of a length up around halfway," said the Light Blues bowman.

"But we knew that to win the race, we had to clear them and take their water before the river swang their way again.

"We put everything we had into getting clear, but couldn't quite manage it and, once Oxford hit the front again, there was little left and the race was gone."

In blustery conditions on a slack tide, Cambridge won the toss and chose the Surrey station. But the Dark Blues finally powered away to win by six lengths in the slowest time since 1947, 20 minutes 53 seconds.

Despite the finishing distance, nothing should take away from Cambridge's heroic effort to claim victory in the 179-year-old race, giving away 10 pounds a man to Oxford, and with a substitute strokeman on board after original rhythm setter, US international Shane O'Mara, dropped out with illness just three days beforehand.

Even Olympic gold medal rowing pundits James Cracknell and Tim Foster said they were impressed by the Light Blues gutsy display, which was watched by more than 100 million people worldwide on TV.

"After the finish, with all the emotion and exhaustion, you can sit there and think you blew it, but there was little more we could have done, to be honest," said Scott.

"We came in as underdogs, but were nowhere near as pessimistic as some people about our chances to win it.

"We gave it everything and if you look at the last few months, and the way we prepared, we ticked every box, so there can be no regrets there.

"The second minute in was a bit disappointing, in that we let Oxford take three-quarters of a length.

"I don't think that cost us the race, but then we had to fight back to get in front at the two-mile mark.

"We knew from our tactical preparation that once in front, we had to break free on our bend.

We threw everything at it and nearly managed it, but when that failed, there was nothing else we could do.

"We'd given everything to win it - an extra half a length, and that would have probably done it, but it wasn't to be.

"Coming in, we knew we had nothing to lose. Yes, it's a win or lose race, and the result means everything, but when you've given it your best shot to try and get the right result and it doesn't come off, I don't think you can be too shattered by it."

On the enforced change of man just days before the race, world U23 medallist Scott said: "It wasn't ideal, but it focused our minds in the last few training sessions to row better than ever, and I don't think it had a major impact on the result."