What is it?

Named in honour of the archetypal British Comic writer P.G. Wodehouse, The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize awards the best comic novel published in the last twelve months in the UK.

The Prize:

The winner receives a set of the Wodehouse Collection from the Everyman Library and a Jeroboam of Bollinger Champagne. In addition, a local pig is named after the winning novel. This pig represents P. G. Wodehouse’s iconic heroine, the “Empress of Blandings”, an enormous black sow, which is the obsession of Lord Emsorth in the Blandings Castle stories.

Above: Marina Lewycka, 2005 Prize Winner for A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, with a Gloucester Old Spot Pig and a little of piglets.

A few examples:

Last year, Gary Shetyngart was the first American writer to win this quintessentially English Prize with Super Sad True Love Story.

The 2007 Prize winner Paul Torday was a 60-year-old first time novelist with Salmon fishing in the Yemen. His successful book was recently released in UK cinemas as a film, directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Emily Blunt, Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas.

What will the pig be named in 2012?

Visit The Hay Festival, one of the world’s biggest book festivals, from 31^st May to 10^th June, where TheBollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize Winner 2012 will be awarded.

It is the fourth time Pratchett has been nominated for the prize, having previously been shortlisted for his novels Thief of Times (2002), Going Postal (2005) and Thud (2006). John O’Farrell and Julian Gough both appear on the list for a second time, whilst Sue Townsend and John Lanchester are newcomers.

Now in its thirteenth year this, the leading comic fiction prize, continues its track record of finding true comic gems – previous winners include Paul Torday’s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Ian McEwan’s Solar and Marina Lewycka’s A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian – as well as discovering iconoclastic masterpieces such as DBC Pierre’s Vernon God Little, which went on to win the Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

Please follow this blog for further information about the shortlisted novels, their authors and critics’ reactions.

Above: Judges Jim Naughtie, Peter Florence and David Campbell

Photo: Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction Winner 2011 – Gary Shteyngart. Photo Credit: Jeff Morgan

Award alumni include Ian McEwen (Solar, 2010), Paul Torday (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, 1997) and last year’s winner Gary Shteyngart, for his novel Super Sad True Love Story.

The 2012 winner will be announced at the Hay Festival, an annual literary gathering in the idyllic Brecon Beacons National Park and the perfect setting to celebrate comic fiction at its best.

We will be announcing the shortlist in the next week, and will be reviewing each of the nominated works between now and the Hay Festival, which runs from 31^st May to 10^th June.

The fact that the race had to be stopped when protestor Trenton Oldfield was seen swimming between the two boats near the halfway mark in the course and the proceeding restart were followed on a wide screen inside the bar by an outraged but excited crowd.

The event was then further divided by the clash of oars resulting in a broken blade for Oxford and the tension mounted amongst the crowd.

As the Cambridge eight pulled steadily away, the Oxford crew continued to compete in vain, giving everything before reaching the finish line several lengths behind their adversaries. Although there was some disappointment amongst the crowd, there was also a celebratory roar for the Cambridge victors.

As glasses of Bollinger were raised to the Victorious team and in commiseration for the defeated, the celebrations were quickly muted as Dr Alex Woods, the Oxford bowman, collapsed in exhaustion at the finish line. Concern trembled through the crowds on the balcony, riverbanks and in the bar as several minutes passed before he was lifted into a support vessel and rushed to hospital, where he fortunately made a full recovery.

The recovery of a fellow rower and friend superseded the victory for Cambridge and in spite of the unusual finish and lack of Award presentation; both teams can toast a Glass of Bollinger to an eventful day and the news that Dr Woods will make a full recovery.

A dramatic race for both teams and for the excited thousands watching the race. We very much look forward to more excitement at the Boat Race next year!

And this is where champagne Bollinger will be, on the north bank at Tideway Scullers Boat House.

There will be a brilliant view of the Finish Line and screens broadcasting the race, The Bollinger Bar will be open to the public from 11:00 am to 16:30 pm.

Come and celebrate the 158^th contest winner with Bollinger, and be ready at 2:15 pm on April 7^th.

11:00am to 4:30pm

At Tideway Scullers Boat House, Dan Mason Drive, Dukes Meadows, Chiswick, London W4 2SH

13:24 Oxford and Cambridge crews to boat

13:45     ISIS GOLDIE RACE STARTS

14:15     THE XCHANGING BOAT RACE STARTS

14:50     The Trophy Presentation to the winning crew

Parking is extremely limited on Boat Race Day. We would strongly recommend you arrange your transport accordingly:

•  By train: 20 minutes walk from Chiswick Rail station with South west trains

•  By bus: 20 minutes bus from Hammersmith tube station. Take the 190 (Hammersmith Bus station from Stop B, passes every 15 minutes) towards Richmond. Stop at Hartington Road and then 5 minutes walk to Chiswick Bridge. Tideway Scullers is just to the left of Chiswick Bridge.

2. ‘Middlesex’ and ‘Surrey’: The clubs’ presidents toss a coin from 1829, ‘the 1829 sovereign’, before the race for the right to choose which side of the river (station) they will row on. ‘Middlesex’, the north station, has the advantage of the first and last bends, while the south station ‘Surrey’ is better on the longer middle bend.

3. The race is rowed upstream from Putney to Mortlake. The Start Line is by Putney Bridge. It starts when the Umpire waves a red flag. The Finish Line is just before Chiswick Bridge. The Bollinger Bar will be there on the north bank at Tideway Scullers Boat House.

4. The Championship Course is 4 miles and 374 yards – 6.779 km – in length. The crews complete it in about 600 strokes and less than 20 minutes.

5. The crews are rowing with the fastest possible current, which lies at the deepest part of the river.

6. 2:15 pm on April 7^th will be close to ideal racing conditions, as the incoming flood tide will start, around one hour before high tide.

7. The Boat Race will go ahead even in severe weather conditions. If a strong wind is blowing from the west, it will be against the tide in places along the course, causing the water to become very rough and bringing a danger of sinking.

8. The crews must keep to their stations, Middlesex or Surrey, and both crews must row through the centre arches of Hammersmith and Barnes bridges.

9. The umpires’ panel consists of four “old blues” from each university, chaired by a senior umpire. They try to ensure neither crew commits a “foul” by warning them to keep to their own racing line.

10. As well as who wins, the time taken to complete the course and the margin of difference is considered in order to beat even more records. Even if the crew trails behind, they still have to fight to keep the margin close.

We’d like to introduce you to ‘Isis’ and ‘Goldie’, the two squads which will confront one another. Isis, Oxford’s Reserve Crew, is named after the river flowing through Oxford (while the Women’s Reserve Crew is named Osiris). As for the Cambridge Reserve Crew, Goldie, it is named after a legendary 1870s Blue.

Throughout the whole year, Isis and Goldie go through the same training process as the Blue Boat. They have been racing since 1965 and Goldie lead the series with 29 wins to 17 for Isis. Last year, Isis won.

To celebrate Champagne Bollinger’s support of the iconic Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race, we’re giving you another opportunity to win a magnum of Special Cuvée to be presented in the Bollinger bar at Tideway Scullers Boat House at the Finish Line of the Boat Race on 7th April.

For a chance to win this exclusive prize we are testing your knowledge of both Bollinger and the Boat Race. Answer the following two questions with a post on our Facebook page.

1.    On 5th November 2011, which was the fastest four in the 2011 ‘Head of the River Four’s’ between Oxford and Cambridge?

2.    When did Madame Lily Bollinger famously quote: “I drink my Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad.”?

Submit your answers via Facebook post before Friday 30th March at midnight and you could be drinking Champagne Bollinger at the Boat Race Finish Line on 7th April 2012.

Terms and Conditions apply.

Did you know that the timing of the Boat Race occurs according to the tide?

Everything depends on the Championship Course. If it is from Mortlake to Putney, the race is conducted on an ebb tide, whereas, from Putney to Mortlake, it is on a flood tide.

Since the Boat Race Championship Course is from Putney to Mortlake, it is raced on the incoming flood tide.

On April 7th, high tide is at 2:55 pm.

In order to row with the fastest possible current, which lies on the deepest part of the river, it has to be timed shortly before high tide.

The 2012 Boat Race will therefore start at 2:15 pm