boat race 18th boat race took place river_thames march held annually boat_race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge event featured non british competitor suffered numerous river traffic oxford won lengths 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 cambridge went race reigning champions having defeated oxford length previous year race led overall wins oxford seven challenge race sent oxford october term accepted cambridge boats built specifically race cambridge oxford oxford occasionally looked rowed race represented dark blues races race umpired rowed oxford twice march december races race crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opposition returned oxford crew having rowed previous year race cambridge saw blake hall return race featured non british rower history event oxford educated australia representing dark blues number race result strong winds large volume land water running river race scheduled cambridge won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey station oxford starter gave command start boat taking early advantage star pub cambridge edged ahead half length lead duke head pub light blues moved steering error cambridge cox saw lead eroded oxford led football ground rough water created nearby according wheels motion caused swell slow oxford boat crew rhythm combined poor steering cambridge allowed oxford pull away lengths ahead hammersmith_bridge cambridge passage came sailing barge forced steer lengths oxford suffered briefly hands barge blocking route lengths ahead passed flag boat indicating finish race ship tavern time minutes seconds lead lengths largest winning margin race series consecutive victories oxford
The Boat Race 1861