Participants in the famous Oxford and Cambridge rowing race have been strongly warned not to throw the helmsman of the winning boat into the water after this year’s race, as is the tradition of the almost two hundred year old duel.
The reason is the fact that in the river Thames, on which the race takes place in London, an increased occurrence of dangerous Escherichia coli bacteria was detected.
“Crews have been told to take their water shoes off, cover their cuts and scrapes and not to swallow the water that will splash around them,” The Sun reported.
And most importantly – according to the best-selling British newspaper, the winner must step back from the tradition, according to which the rest of the crew throw the helmsman into the water after the triumph. This is how Jasper Parish of the eighth Cambridge bathed last year.
The latter increased the lead in the overall victory balance of the race, which was run for the first time on June 10, 1829, to 86:81.
On Saturday, when this year’s edition is on the program, there will be no time to wash the steersman. An increased incidence of Escherichia coli bacteria was discovered in sixteen water samples taken near the Hammersmith Bridge, i.e. roughly halfway along the 6,800-meter-long track, which The Sun described as a “disgusting finding.”
E.coli, which belongs to the intestinal microflora of warm-blooded animals, including humans, is an indicator of fecal pollution in water.
On average, 2869 KTJ (colony forming units) of E.coli per 100 milliliters of water were found in the Thames.
A maximum of 1000 KTJ per hundred milliliters is considered a safe limit. In the Czech Republic, for drinking water, decree 252/2005 Coll. required 0 KTJ in 100 ml of tested water.
E.coli can cause urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, vomiting, and in the worst cases can lead to life-threatening blood poisoning.
Tags: Dont throw water Due disgusting find tradition twohundredyearold race
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