boat race boat race took place march oxford crew heaviest event history featured olympic rowers including silver bronze cambridge took early lead caught overtaken oxford won race half lengths reserve race cambridge defeated oxford isis oxford won background boat race annual competition university_of_oxford university_of_cambridge held competition mile race championship course river thames southwest london rivalry major point honour universities followed united_kingdom worldwide oxford went race reigning champions having won race lengths cambridge led overall victories oxford excluding dead heat race sponsored fifth consecutive year 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 crews oxford crew referred dark blues weighed average pounds rower cambridge crew referred light blues making heaviest boat_race history oxford fielded rowers featured summer olympics won silver great_britain rowed croatia new george won bronze pair rowed netherlands great_britain cambridge crew contained returning blues oxford crews race follows race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station cambridge cox raised hand indicate ready start started race allowed oxford initiative took early lead cambridge slowly edged way contention held half length lead mile mark cambridge thirds length ahead series clashes umpire warnings forced boats apart larger clash cambridge oxford smith took place oxford better recovery quickly pushed secure clear water lead cambridge failed threaten oxford won half lengths reserve race isis defeated lengths completing race time minutes seconds second consecutive win oxford won quarter lengths hosted march reaction oxford boat club president said great great feeling continued difference crews today power aggression cambridge australian international said devastating happy silver dead coach admitted end day stronger crew power came oxford coach said said halfway head home good job
The Boat Race 2009