boat race boat race took place april held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames cambridge reigning champions having won previous year race oxford heavier crew contained olympic gold race umpired oxford won half lengths time minutes seconds win races took overall record 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 broadcast worldwide cambridge went race reigning champions having won race half lengths oxford led overall victories cambridge excluding dead heat oxford coaches rowed university races sixth consecutive year president race time blue rowed oxford times rowed cambridge coached time blue rowed race sixth year umpire old rowed cambridge races rower author noted oxford considerable wealth material disposal cambridge good trial went describe oxford rough crew arrival cambridge rapidly got despite late replacement bow cambridge favourites win race crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge crew contained rowers including oxford saw crew members return boat including making fourth consecutive appearances occupants boat educated oxford number australian non british participant registered race oxford crew studying gold men summer olympics cambridge number won bronze medal men oxford crew studying cambridge race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex river oxford described conditions perfect umpire started race crews strong starts oxford edged ahead held length lead minute extended half length minutes cambridge stroke stuart kept light blue stroke rate high round bend mile_post counterpart allowed draw level crews passed hammersmith_bridge cambridge held slender lead despite number oxford light blues held lead relinquished briefly stuart crews passed lead oxford pushed yards barnes bridge left cambridge standing clear barnes bridge oxford extended lead stroke won half lengths time minutes seconds oxford victory years took overall record event favour
The Boat Race 1909