boat race 47th boat race took place held annually rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames race umpired oxford rower won oxford passed finishing post length ahead cambridge time minutes seconds took overall lead event background boat race rowing competition boat clubs 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 cambridge went race reigning champions having beaten oxford seven lengths previous year race oxford held overall lead victories cambridge excluding dead heat oxford coaches rowed oxford races non rowing boat club president race 2nd record coached cambridge light blues began practice january nearly weeks ahead oxford march cambridge persuaded return stroke improved considered author oxford rower means bad crew length despite considered greatest greater worker rowed positioned stroke umpire race second year row won event consecutive times rowing oxford races crews crews weighed average cambridge saw blues return including rowing fifth consecutive boat_race oxford crew contained rowers experience event including fourth race cox steered dark blues race cambridge considered slight favourites race won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river oxford weather fine westerly wind rough conditions hammersmith_bridge commencing cambridge faster start dark blues strokes minute held quarter length lead minutes despite bend river favouring oxford light blues held lead crab tree pub began pull ahead course favoured hammersmith_bridge lead half length wind appeared affect oxford pub cambridge nearly clear oxford reduced deficit nearly level sheltered water dark blues pushed ahead clear cambridge kept touch oxford passed finishing post lead length time minutes seconds oxford victory race winning margin years slowest winning time university race
The Boat Race 1890