Cambridge coach Chris Nilsson has insisted the Light Blues must urgently address their recruitment policy after Oxford powered to a fourth University Boat Race victory in five years.

Oxford, under the guidance of coach Sean Bowden, now have seven victories this decade.

Yesterday, they overhauled a determined Cambridge start and pulled clear to win the 155th Boat Race by three and a half lengths.

Nilsson, the former New Zealand Olympic coach who was in charge of Cambridge for the first time, said: "It is not easy losing and more so in the Boat Race than any other race in the world.

"It is about recruitment. Oxford happen to be better at that than us and that is something we have to contend with.

"They go up to these universities for their academia and it seems they are more able to get their courses at Oxford than they are at Cambridge."

Oxford were the heaviest crew in the Boat Race's 180-year history and featured five Olympians, including Colin Smith, who won silver with the British eight in Beijing.

Cambridge recovered from a fluffed first stroke to negate Oxford's advantage of an inside line on the opening bend.

They nudged clear at the Harrods Depository at the start of the sweeping Surrey bend and, after passing under Hammersmith Bridge, the Light Blue lead was three-quarters of a length.

But Cambridge's push to establish clear water was thwarted by a clash of oars that disrupted their rhythm and Oxford made them pay.

Once the Thames turned back in Oxford's favour for the final bend, Cambridge's challenge had been snuffed out and the Dark Blues pulled well clear to claim their expected emphatic victory.

Smith said: "It was a really tough race, especially by half-way, and Cambridge came close to making it their day.

"The difference between the two crews was our power, aggression and stickability.

"All the way along I knew we had good strength and it would take a lot to break us, and that really showed."