boat race boat race took place april held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames oxford went race reigning champions having won previous year race umpired cambridge rower oxford won quarter lengths time minutes seconds taking overall lead competition 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 oxford went race reigning champions having won race half lengths led overall victories cambridge excluding dead heat oxford coaches rowed dark blues races rowed university races president race time blue cambridge coached rowed rowed races rowed previously coached oxford eighth year umpire old rowed cambridge races race watched oxford launch brother time launches accompanied crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge crew previous including taking event oxford boat contained rowers previously participated times event dark blues studying rowed victory grand challenge cup royal previous july participants race registered overseas blues oxford australian cambridge cox hailed south_africa race oxford won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey river cambridge started race light breeze helped create unusually strong spring tide oxford better start stroke rating opposite number stroke minute dark blues quarters length ahead held past mile_post point oxford pushed clear crab tree pub length ahead time crews passed hammersmith_bridge dark blues half lengths ahead reduced rating continued pull away oxford lengths clear ahead barnes bridge cambridge determination meant reduced deficit minutes race oxford won quarter lengths time minutes seconds oxford consecutive victory took overall record favour winning time fastest history race
The Boat Race 1911