boat race boat race took place march held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river_thames london race umpired oxford rower notable commentator bbc announced lead oxford cambridge cambridge won quarter length margin victory race officially recorded dead heat victory took overall record event favour background boat race rowing competition university_of_oxford referred dark blues university_of_cambridge referred light blues held race takes place mile championship course river thames southwest london rivalry major point honour universities followed united_kingdom broadcast worldwide cambridge went race reigning champions having won race lengths cambridge leading overall victories oxford excluding dead heat cambridge coached rowed light blues races non rowing boat club president race rowed times time blue oxford coaches hugh edwards rowed oxford coached cambridge previous occasions rowed race coached cambridge race umpired rowed oxford races writing observer noted crew contains exceptional power distinction reputation crews improved form arrival rowing correspondent praised quality final coaching thames stated threat minute change constitution crew went claim oxford win times rowing correspondent suggested crews evenly matched crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents oxford crew contained participants prior boat race experience including cox cambridge saw rower return crew number crew contained olympic won silver finished second men summer olympics london race oxford won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey river cambridge umpire started race took early lead half length ahead minute race clear cambridge time crews passed mile_post length ahead bend river favour cambridge slowly balance begun overlap oxford boat oxford lead half length cambridge rated opponents drew level passed despite numerous oxford stroke cambridge kept touch fighting inch way bbc launch engine failed announced lead oxford cambridge crews rating strokes minute approached finishing post light blues ahead win quarter length time minutes seconds winning distance dead heat result race cambridge consecutive victory took overall record event favour rowing correspondent suggested race forgotten correspondent times claimed boat_race history having provided epic struggles time writing observer stated heroic determination sides produced exciting boat race time
The Boat Race 1949