boat race boat race took place april held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames oxford reigning champions having won previous year race crew significantly heavier opponents year race umpired rower cambridge won half lengths time minutes seconds fastest time victory took overall record event oxford favour 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 worldwide oxford went race reigning champions having won race quarters length led overall victories cambridge excluding dead heat oxford coached rowed university races president race time blue rowed races prior world war cambridge coaches time blue rowed rowed race sixteenth year umpire old rowed cambridge races cambridge blues despite striking crew rowing style described author oxford rower conversely oxford crew experienced lack early training evolved crew turn extraordinary speed oxford crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge saw single rower return boat_race experience number conversely oxford crew included individuals represented dark blues event including bow making fourth consecutive appearance oxford american stroke non british participant registered event having educated concord massachusetts race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river oxford started race bright sunshine light breeze oxford took brief lead rating opponents significantly minute time crews passed mile_post light blues nearly quarter length ahead boats passed hammersmith_bridge cambridge extended lead clear oxford despite rowing strokes minute slower dark blues cambridge pulled away lengths ahead according author oxford rower way finish cambridge passed finishing post half lengths ahead time minutes seconds fastest winning time race second fastest time history event fourth win years took overall record event oxford favour
The Boat Race 1924