boat race boat race took place march held annually event rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames oxford crew heaviest boat_race history race won cambridge half lengths cambridge won 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 previous year race lengths cambridge led overall event victories oxford excluding dead heat women boat race took place annual fixture 1960s contest conducted race held river_thames day men main reserve races year women race held writing noted boat race year despite oxford firm favourites arrival cambridge better performances training time race considered favourites main race umpired eighth final time rowed cambridge races crews heaviest cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower oxford heaviest crew boat_race history oxford saw blues return cambridge crew included boat_race veterans canadian international rower won silver medal men summer olympics oxford crew came race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river oxford calm following wind race commenced minute cambridge quarter length lead oxford closed gap light blues reached mile post seconds ahead crossed furniture extended lead lengths passed hammersmith_bridge half length ahead despite surge oxford cambridge sixteen seconds ahead increased gap seconds cambridge won half lengths time minutes seconds seconds ahead oxford victory cambridge 61st contest taking overall score cambridge boat club president stroke said went planned oxford hung liked end liked taken lengths possible oxford kept going end 20th running cambridge consecutive victory
The Boat Race 1964