The first ever Oxford-Cambridge Paddle to Read Dragon Boat Race on Saturday saw Oxford and Cambridge go head-to-head (or more appropriately, paddle-to-paddle) on the marina at the V & A Waterfront in an epic battle brimming with fierce competition and superb sportsmanship.

The morning kicked off with a charity fun race, with numerous role players in education in the Western Cape, including Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant, taking their places in two 18-seater dragon boats. Spectators who had gathered along the marina erupted in cheers as the boats set off from the Two Oceans Aquarium along the North Wharf, finishing below the blue bridge on the West Quay. Despite the non-competitive nature of the charity race, paddlers soon shook off any early-morning nerves and were impressively aggressive in their attempts to cross the finish line first.

The much-anticipated main race then saw the Oxford and Cambridge boats, each manned by 18 staff members paddling on behalf of their respective company, set off amidst frenzied cheers, screams and the odd war cry from the crowd. Both teams packed on the pressure as they headed down the marina in their bid to emerge victorious in a best-of-three race, with Cambridge taking the first leg. In a nail-biting second leg reminiscent of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race – the international sporting occasion which attracts millions of viewers from around the world each year – Oxford was relentless in their attempt to deny Cambridge victory and level the score at one race apiece. However, Cambridge was able to break free after one final push and crossed the finish line ahead of Oxford to take the 2011 title.

Colleen McCallum from Cambridge University Press said: “This has been the second year that we’ve had the boat race and I can see it becoming a tradition far into the future. My staff just love having the opportunity to compete against the “Other University Press” in this way, which makes a change from competing in the publishing market. What better way to help raise much needed funds to supply readers to Shine.”

Lieze Kotze agreed: “Last year’s race was a big hit amongst all the staff and we were all looking forward to the rematch, with many hours of training being put in to prepare the team this year. Paddling for reading has made it even more exciting, and we are aiming to raise a hundred thousand rand for the Shine Centre.”

With the primary aim of both races being raising funds for reading, both publishers agreed on nominating an organisation committed to encouraging children to read and improving literacy levels. An SMS line is open until 16 December, and all proceeds generated will go to The Shine Centre, a non-profit organisation that provides support in literacy and language enrichment to children. Read more at www.theshinecentre.org.za.