boat race took place march held annually event rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames race won oxford led start quarter lengths fastest time boat_race history isis won inaugural reserve race cambridge won 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 cambridge went race reigning champions having won previous year race half lengths led overall event victories oxford excluding dead heat women boat race took place annual fixture 1960s contest conducted race held river_thames day men main reserve races year reserve race contested oxford isis boat cambridge boat according author journalist allowing reserves race curtain battle blues coming men experience usually taken place thames prior main boat race main race umpired rowed oxford races cambridge coaching team comprised rowed race oxford led preparation race oxford mile mile hard rowing cambridge focused technical aspects training march oxford beat existing course record lead race cambridge surpassed record days later crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents oxford saw blues return rowers rowing race cox cambridge crew included returning boat_race veterans rower boat club president cox light blue crew contained single foreign registered rower australian moore dark blues included americans yale_university according journalist writing guardian dark blues strongest toughest crew oxford sent war race oxford considered strong favourites won toss elected start surrey station race commenced oxford took early lead half length ahead cambridge drew contention nearly level crews passed mile_post recording times push oxford saw away cambridge lead lengths hammersmith_bridge increasing rate try reduce deficit cambridge rowing oxford able passing lead lengths shooting passing finishing post lead seconds oxford won lengths time minutes seconds fastest time history event slower cambridge winning times races correspondent writing times suggested surprises event went exactly form reserve race oxford isis beat cambridge lengths time minutes seconds 20th running cambridge consecutive victory
The Boat Race 1965