boat race 34th boat race took place march boat_race annual rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames race ended dead heat time event ended fashion despite formal declaration tie oxford believed controversy surrounding result led significant changes way race conducted including introduction finishing posts blues 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 beaten oxford easily previous year race oxford held overall lead victories cambridge oxford coached reverend rowed oxford races represented dark blues races cambridge coach rowed light blues races cambridge practised fortnight race initially clear favourites oxford practice rows week later impressed brought contention race umpired rowed oxford twice march december races race starter assisted honest acted finishing judge professional years old reportedly blind eye crews oxford crew weighed average pounds opponents cambridge crew featured seven blues including cox george davies number participating oxford saw blues return rowed previous races race race started saturday march oxford won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey river cambridge dark blues took early lead ahead mile_post crab tree pub crews level cambridge pulled ahead held quarter length lead hammersmith_bridge extended crews arrived oxford took lead leading half length clear experiencing strong head winds rough water oxford bow man suffered damage contribution race described oxford undergraduate watching race suddenly oxford stood mass foam bow struck big wave broken blade clean immediately cambridge took advantage held determined oxford crew drew steadily inch inch near thing passed post reaction noted expect discipline old blues unanimous verdict dead heat conclusion unsatisfactory competitors oxford firmly believed won race feet following subsequent meeting law court representatives universities umpire official result declared dead heat punch declared oxford won cambridge fellow cambridge writing history trinity boat club suggested broken deciding factor oxford won correspondent writing said teams consider lucky lose speculated race looked great year legacy year result judged professional controversy resulted introduction finishing posts remain metres downstream engraved controversy led selection blue umpire selected university drawn alternating year replaced finishing judge died december great great great great nephew umpired race ended cambridge lost strokes clash oxford won lengths biggest margin years declined appeal light blues row
The Boat Race 1877