boat race boat race took place march held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river_thames london race umpired oxford rower cambridge won lengths time minutes second taking overall record event 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 lengths cambridge leading overall victories oxford excluding dead heat oxford coaches rowed dark blues race time blue rowed times oxford cambridge coached rowed light blues races represented cambridge races time blue umpire race oxford rower represented dark blues races spectators archbishop_of_canterbury american actress year programmes sold proceeds help fund boat clubs rowing correspondent times suggested oxford win claiming cambridge started year shortage material practice row rowing correspondent stated cambridge showed better form oxford hard work including practicing start oxford reported favourites prediction win determined won toss view echoed evening telegraph suggested oxford favourites abnormal flooding favour crew won toss crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents oxford saw rowers boat_race experience return crew including stroke cambridge boat contained crew member taken event cox president declared unfit row following series bouts participants race registered british race oxford won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river cambridge race started umpire rain dismal weather rating oxford strokes minute light blues took immediate lead pulling away opponents crews passed mile_post cambridge clear lengths despite dark blues furniture light blues maintained lead oxford trailed cambridge half lengths light blues passed hammersmith_bridge moved oxford water effectively ending race contest cambridge continued build lead ahead lengths barnes bridge passed finishing post lengths ahead time minutes second win race slowest winning time race winning margin largest race victory took overall record event cambridge favour rowing correspondent times suggested boat race disappointing weather rowed
The Boat Race 1947