boat race boat race took place march held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames oxford won seven lengths biggest margin victory years time history event crews oxford plastic boat opposed wooden race official sponsor reserve race cambridge beat oxford isis seven lengths cambridge won 32nd women boat race 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 contested point honour universities oxford went race reigning champions having won race half lengths cambridge leading overall victories oxford excluding dead heat women boat race took place annual fixture 1960s contest conducted race held river_thames day men main reserve races reserve race contested oxford isis boat cambridge boat held usually takes place prior main boat race crews rowed boats time history race oxford shell combining carbon plastic time cambridge raced prototype developed london journalist author referred boats date boats rowing world seen race sponsored time british betting company sponsor event race replaced crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents returning cambridge cox weighed pounds counterpart cambridge saw return blue oxford crew included boat_race participants race oxford started race strongest favourites time guardian writing oxford world class pedigree won toss elected start surrey station thirty seconds start calm conditions oxford length ahead moved ahead length lead mile_post second advantage light blues oxford extended lead lengths seconds time crews shot hammersmith_bridge crews subjected water oxford raced ahead gaining lengths cambridge seconds ahead barnes bridge dark blues continued press home advantage passed finishing post time minutes seconds seconds ahead cambridge oxford victory years seven length margin victory greatest win race 13th running reserve race cambridge beat oxford isis seven lengths time minutes seconds victory cambridge won 32nd women boat race fourteenth victory years reaction oxford stroke surprised conditions couldn extend end rough water cox said sinking possible shipped think couple inches water
The Boat Race 1977