boat race annual rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames took place march won oxford half lengths minutes seconds fastest time history race race umpired cambridge rower race event official weigh held featured heaviest rower oxford isis won 12th running reserve race cambridge record time minutes seconds 31st women boat race oxford defeated cambridge 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 cambridge went race reigning champions having won race half lengths led overall victories oxford excluding dead heat umpire race rowed cambridge races 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 invitation oxford boat club president oxford coached cambridge led international rower commonly known preparations week race crews oxford performance crew described times cambridge subsequent half length defeat reserve crew crews faced crew rowing lead official race changes personnel differences conditions race lengths demonstrate clear favourite day race british company announced sponsor race following year boat club awarded compete cup crews time history event official weigh held organised sunday_times weighing machine manufacturers oxford crew heaviest time average rower pounds opposition time race history crew weighed average crew included heaviest rower history race cambridge crew inexperienced blue president rowed race contrast oxford welcomed crew including cox included victorious isis crew non british rowers participated americans harvard cambridge oxford race oxford won toss elected start surrey station leading outset calm river conditions oxford length ahead minute lengths mile_post reached record minutes seconds dark blues reduced rating milestone records broken bridge barnes bridge oxford reduced rating extended lead lengths finishing post record breaking time minutes seconds seconds quicker colleagues previously held record cambridge beat existing record finished distant seconds half lengths reaction oxford coach said successful crew got lengths sat cruised enjoyed row natural thing crew far critical cambridge crew didn lot talent official winning distance caused controversy official margin half lengths reported british newspapers including sunday_times daily_telegraph times resulted delay paying winning
The Boat Race 1976