boat race took place march held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames cambridge heaviest crew history event won lengths record time minutes seconds reserve race oxford isis defeated cambridge time record cambridge won background boat race rowing competition university_of_oxford referred dark blues university_of_cambridge referred light blues held race takes 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 race lengths led 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 oxford boat club president acknowledged weight difference happy presents challenge got equivalent cox carry cambridge president row blunt assessment powerful car beat powerful car cambridge coached suffered setback number ill run race participate prior main event despite times reported light blue boat looked powerful race sponsored final time invested million event previous year contract period replaced race crews official weigh held london march cambridge crew heaviest history boat race weighed average pounds rower opponents second largest universities oxford saw members crew return cambridge welcomed german world champions rowed cambridge won gold men world rowing championships race cambridge pre race favourite sixth consecutive year oxford won toss elected start middlesex station eighth time decision river conditions described smooth despite holding brief early lead series blade clashes disrupted oxford cambridge cox called push saw boat pass mile_post canvas lead bridge time umpire issued separate warnings crews cambridge length ahead stretched away win lengths record time minutes seconds seconds quicker previous best time set oxford race cambridge beat existing course record seconds oxford finished seconds reserve race oxford isis beat cambridge half lengths victory years time minutes seconds record cambridge won 50th women boat race quarter lengths time minutes seconds seventh consecutive victory reaction remarked practised pushes effective oxford president conceded cambridge extra gear increase base short times demolished stroke commented going pretty clash came better umpire fighting water question disqualification cambridge story said crew confident race doubt win despite record time remarked row lot better
The Boat Race 1998