boat race boat race took place april held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames boat race televised race umpired cambridge rower coach oxford won lengths time minutes seconds victory took overall record event cambridge favour 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 rivalry major point honour universities followed united_kingdom broadcast worldwide oxford went race reigning champions having won race lengths cambridge leading overall victories oxford excluding dead heat cambridge coached rowed race rowed race oxford coaches time dark blue rowed races rowed times umpire race cambridge rower rowed light blues times races coached race umpired race previous year oxford rated favourites win race months training rowing correspondent times noted crews absolutely rate respective styles rate oxford elected use boat raced previous year event cambridge new vessel built year boat race televised according television correspondent observer great success umpire knew race viewers crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge crew contained participants oxford saw blues return crew including making consecutive appearance event participants registered non british cambridge crew number cox hunter american race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river oxford started race fine weather conditions strong tide despite rated strokes minute oxford took immediate lead half length ahead time passed middlesex bend favour oxford increased lead length half ahead mile_post cambridge stroke called push light blues began reduce deficit dark blues responded time crews passed hammersmith_bridge oxford lead half length cambridge faster stroke rate saw gain dark blues time passed held quarter length lead lead gone oxford led quarter length passed barnes bridge lead crews headed rough water according special correspondent writing sea awaited crews took water difficult conditions dark blues prevailed oxford won lengths time minutes seconds second consecutive win margin victory race fastest race victory took overall record event cambridge favour correspondent described excellent great race best traditions observer correspondent suggested race rank closest exciting universities engaged oxford rower writing observer claimed scarcely hoped interesting thrilling race oxford number seven boat club president cherry said hope year victory flash pan counterpart noted crew excellent race enjoyed minute
The Boat Race 1938