boat race boat race took place march held annually boat race rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames race umpired rower cambridge won lengths record time minutes seconds beating existing record set race victory second row took overall record race cambridge favour background boat race rowing competition university_of_oxford referred dark blues university_of_cambridge referred light blues held race takes place miles championship course river thames southwest london rivalry major point honour universities followed united_kingdom broadcast worldwide cambridge went race reigning champions having won race lengths led overall victories oxford excluding dead heat oxford coaches rowed dark blues race represented oxford races cambridge coached rowed light blues races rowed cambridge races light blue times time umpire race cambridge rower represented light blues races rowing correspondent anticipated close race prospects oxford cambridge year race saturday counterpart times agreement crew gets best minutes probably win race crews oxford crew weighed average pounds rower opponents cambridge saw rowers return crew boat_race experience including stroke oxford boat contained blues making appearances participants registered non british oxford cambridge australia race cambridge won toss elected start middlesex station handing surrey river oxford race started taylor light blues rated opponents start soon number caught crab allowing oxford half length lead extended quarters length despite having stopped allow recover cambridge drew level quarter length ahead time crews passed mile_post seconds record pace rowing head wind cambridge length ahead drew clear boats passed hammersmith_bridge crews passed hms training ship cambridge began draw away lengths ahead strong light blues continued pull ahead passed barnes bridge lengths ahead seconds ahead course record cambridge passed finishing post lengths ahead time minutes seconds victory cambridge second row races took overall record race favour special correspondent writing observer called boat_race years times rowing correspondent suggested great triumph cambridge coaches able produce bag apparent practice writing rowing correspondent noted strange cambridge shown like form practice
The Boat Race 1948