boat race 23rd boat race took place river_thames march boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge oxford won lengths time minutes seconds slowest times history event background boat race rowing competition university_of_oxford referred dark blues university_of_cambridge referred light blues race held taken place mile championship course river thames southwest london oxford went race reigning champions having defeated cambridge lengths previous year race oxford led overall wins cambridge late president wrote oxford order draw rules participants boat race asserting cambridge agree send challenge agreement proposal included suggestion pass man row year date having passed final examination honour man row end fourth year date commencing residence universities agreed regard reading ordinary degrees referred pass degrees opposed honours degrees oxford rejected second clause potentially excluded small number rowers given differences universities despite disagreement sent traditional challenge oxford accepted cambridge went days race scheduled march oxford practised days light blues rowed buildup dark blues took kingston preparations race umpired rowed oxford twice march december races race starter crews crews nearly identical weight average cambridge crew pounds rower oxford crew saw return blues including number rowing fourth boat_race brown making boat race appearance race oxford won toss fifth consecutive year elected start middlesex river handing surrey station cambridge despite advantage strong wind blowing south west according field arrangements disruption boats allow start oxford led start cambridge balance half length ahead time crews shot bridge maintained lead despite rough water cambridge continued avoiding barge reach light blues allowed opponents pass half length lead oxford took barnes bridge cambridge push drawing level oxford pulled away won lengths time minutes seconds slowest time history event
The Boat Race 1866