boat race 25th boat race crews university_of_oxford university_of_cambridge took place river_thames april oxford won lengths time minutes seconds taking overall record favour oxford cox person history event win cambridge saw non british rower compete 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 oxford went race reigning champions having defeated cambridge half length previous year race led overall fourteen wins cambridge february found fatally wounded room accidentally self inflicted gun discharge resulted president john requesting usual challenge sent oxford lent term rescinded according response tone challenge stood accepted universities race cambridge coached week rowed unsuccessful crews races boat club president represented light blues times races coached weeks preceding race oxford coached rowed president rowed times races rowed races race umpired rowed oxford twice march december races race starter finishing judge despite weeks training cambridge arrive state university crew expected conversely according oxford dark blues great progress week came post eventually fit crews cambridge weighed average pounds opponents oxford crew contained returning blues including cox competing fifth consecutive boat_race rowed dark blues successful races previous years cambridge crew included rowers boat_race experience john making boat_race appearance light blue cox registered non british competitor represent university having studied australia alumnus race oxford departed cambridge left order head start cambridge won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey river oxford result number boats moored north bank river tide assisted light blues substantially blocked cambridge good start leading half length oxford responded passing reduced deficit length rowing past dark blues marginally ahead despite push cambridge despite questionable steering conditions described having prevailing oxford maintained lead half length pub dark blues extended lead length soap works shooting hammersmith_bridge lengths ahead river traffic diverted cambridge boat remained contention lengths oxford barnes bridge dark blues length ahead continued extend lead flag boat passed lengths ahead time minutes seconds oxford victory eighth row took overall lead event paid tribute cox conclusion testify splendid steering fifth sorry time contributed mainly victory cambridge
The Boat Race 1868