boat race 43rd boat race took place april boat_race annual rowing race crews universities oxford cambridge river thames repairs hammersmith_bridge restricted crews pass single arch umpired cambridge won race thirds length time minutes seconds crew come barnes bridge win 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 oxford went race reigning champions having won previous year race half lengths held overall lead victories cambridge excluding dead heat oxford coach cambridge coached rowed light blues times races represented cambridge races rowed races umpire race rowed cambridge times hammersmith_bridge undergoing repair practice crews struggled negotiate rowing arch agreed foul occur race restart bridge place new finishing line near sets taken umpire launch arise clash result damage crews oxford crew weighed average pounds opponents cambridge crew contained blues including boat club president rowing boat race oxford saw rowers return crew including boat club president making fourth appearance event rowing brother second consecutive year non british registered participants race cambridge oxford race oxford won toss elected start surrey station handing middlesex station cambridge commencing light blues better start time crews passed held half length lead oxford began close gap soap works boats level approach hammersmith_bridge steered accuracy nerve shown practice crews able shoot bridge safely inches spare rowing rough water oxford started pull away lead increased lengths bridge cambridge push increased rating strokes minute sustaining drive minutes overtaking oxford passing finishing post margin thirds length winning time minutes seconds win cambridge second victory years taking overall record oxford favour time winning crew come barnes bridge win according author oxford rower history sic contest thrilling watch sensational result
The Boat Race 1886