boat race boat race took place march held annually rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames won cambridge passed finishing post half lengths ahead oxford securing cambridge consecutive victory race particularly notable unorthodox steering oxford cox reserve race beat isis cambridge victorious background boat race rowing competition boat clubs 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 beaten oxford lengths previous year race held overall lead victories oxford 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 race umpired president rower took cambridge losses races victory race umpired race oxford coached boat club president rowed dark blues races olympic rower edwards represented oxford race coached cambridge crew international rower assessed crews extremely fit far expert rowing crews cambridge crew weighed average pounds rower opponents light blues featured blue president cambridge boat included members successful crew oxford saw return blues including boat club president boat race cambridge won toss elected start surrey station crew won race race commenced minutes later scheduled start time oxford delaying arrival cambridge better start took early lead light blues half length minute doubled time passed oxford stroke increased rating attempt stay cambridge long surrey bend temporarily succeeded length cambridge cox steered wide oxford began close gap bridge oxford length unorthodox tactics employed cox ensured exciting tactical battle followed steered boat inside cambridge line surrey shore manoeuvre writing observer described extraordinary sight witnessed rowing coaching ignoring umpire warnings continued path minutes returning middlesex river despite remaining stroke stroke pushed away held lead seconds lead increased seconds barnes bridge cambridge passed finishing post seconds ahead cambridge won half lengths time minutes seconds reserve race cambridge beat oxford isis fourteen lengths record distance fourth consecutive victory 25th running cambridge eighth consecutive victory reaction stated race murder waves decided try panic cambridge close contact steering breaking rhythm attacking stations opinion divided tactics observer claimed adopted wrong tactics times suggested prove future tactics crews contact bridge middlesex station similar conditions went tactics nearly paid circumstances consider justified actions guardian described steering acknowledging bold imagination involved claimed cox manoeuvres futile
The Boat Race 1970