boat race 11th boat race took place river_thames april typically held annually event rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge cambridge cox coached oxford time crew trained member opposing university race won oxford boat race victory easter cambridge 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 oxford went race reigning champions having defeated cambridge disqualified previous race held december cambridge led overall seven wins oxford universities unable agree date race challenge race cambridge received oxford december finally accepted race conducted easter following year oxford coached cambridge cox represented light blues races protest use boat_race coaches oxford prevented use cambridge coached thames world champion time crew coached member university umpire race starter crews members oxford crew participated previous meeting universities december cox cotton cambridge crew boat race experience cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents race cambridge won toss elected start surrey river handing middlesex station oxford race started command oxford taking slight lead approach hammersmith_bridge gap closing oxford passed central arch cambridge following advice opted shoot bridge surrey lost stream allowed oxford extend lead lead lengths oxford kept increasing margin winning lengths time minutes seconds second consecutive victory took overall record favour cambridge
The Boat Race 1852