boat race boat race took place april held annually rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames race featured heaviest history event cambridge won cambridge passed finishing post lengths ahead oxford securing cambridge second consecutive victory winning time minutes seconds fastest modern boat race history reserve race beat isis cambridge victorious 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 cambridge went race reigning champions having beaten oxford half lengths previous year race held overall lead 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 race umpired rowed oxford race oxford coach cambridge led crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge number heaviest participated race half stone heavier american rower rowed oxford race cambridge rowing boat race returning returned oxford making appearance event australian oxford cox non british competitor registered race race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station helicopters start times reported unlikely crews hear umpire umpire hear crews start instead flag dropping notified strokes start cambridge took early lead advantage compounded umpire warned oxford away avoid clash cambridge seconds ahead mile_post rough water boat better extended lead seconds ahead bridge length clear oxford conditions improved cambridge continued extend lead held advantage seconds ahead increasing seconds ahead barnes bridge cambridge won lengths seconds time minutes seconds fastest time history event races oxford coach philosophical defeat way reserve race cambridge beat oxford isis lengths time minutes seconds consecutive victory 24th running cambridge seventh consecutive victory
The Boat Race 1969