List_of_The_Boat_Race_results

List of The Boat Race results

List of The Boat Race results

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The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the men's senior boat clubs of the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] The race was first held in 1829 on a 2+1⁄4-mile (3.6 km) stretch of the River Thames.[2] For the women's senior boat clubs race see "The Women's Boat Race".

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As of 2015 the race takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course, between Putney and Mortlake on the Thames in south-west London.[3] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.[4][5] Four unofficial boat races were held during the Second World War, both on the Thames and the Great Ouse in Ely. The crews were not recognised as full Blues and as such, the results of these races are not included in the official tally.

As of the 2024 race, Cambridge lead overall in the competition with 87 victories to Oxford's 81; the 1877 race was declared a "dead heat".[6][7] Cambridge have led Oxford in cumulative wins since 1930.[6]

The reserve crews of Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs have also raced against one another since 1967. Oxford's boat Isis (named after The Isis, a section of the Thames which flows through Oxford) and Cambridge's boat Goldie (named after former Cambridge boat club president John Goldie) compete on The Championship Course, usually on the same day as the main Boat Race. As at 2021, Cambridge's reserve crew have the overall lead with 32 victories to Oxford's 24.[6]

Results

Cumulative wins by Oxford and Cambridge men's and women's blue and reserve boats (in the SVG file, hover over a graph to highlight it)

The first race, held in 1829, took place on a 2+1⁄4-mile (3.6 km) stretch of the Thames between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge. It was officially recorded that Oxford won the race "easily".[6] Seven years passed before the second race, which Cambridge won by 20 lengths, along a 5+3⁄4-mile (9.3 km) course between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge.[8] A further four races, three of which were won by the Light Blues, took place along the same course. The 1845 race was the first to be conducted on The Championship Course, the same course in use as of the 2015 race, and was won by Cambridge by ten lengths. Having won the ninth Boat Race "easily",[6] Cambridge led 7–2 overall, and were challenged, for the first and only time, to a second race in the same year. Oxford were victorious as the Light Blues were disqualified, the only time that event that the race was decided in such a manner.[8]

The 1859 race was the first in which one of the crews sank: Cambridge's crew were variously rescued or swam to the shore, while Oxford took the overall record to 9–7 in Cambridge's favour.[9] Between the 1861 and 1869 race, Oxford made a then-record streak of nine consecutive victories; Cambridge won the next five and were 16–15 ahead after the 1874 race. A dead heat in the 1877 race is the only time in the event that such an official result has been given. Cambridge won four consecutive races between 1886 and 1889, to which Oxford responded with a then record-equalling streak of nine consecutive victories, with Oxford leading the overall record 32–22. Cambridge won the 1900 race by 20 lengths, the largest margin of victory of the races contested on The Championship Course.[6] The 1912 race saw both boats sink, so a re-row was ordered two days later which Oxford won.[10]

Cambridge won the last race before the First World War suspended the event for five years. The Light Blues won in 1920, 1921 and 1922 before Oxford triumphed in the 1923 race. Cambridge subsequently won thirteen consecutive races from 1924 to lead 47–40 overall by 1936. Another hiatus, this time six years long, was caused by the Second World War, after which the Light Blues won five of the next six races. A streak of six wins saw Cambridge 16 wins ahead overall after the 1973 race. Oxford won seventeen of the next nineteen years, and were just a single victory behind after the 1992 race, the overall record 69–68 in Cambridge's favour. The Light Blues then won the following seven races, including setting the record time along The Championship Course of 16 minutes 19 seconds in the 1998 race. Their dominance faded, and the Dark Blues sealed victory in the 2000 race to trail overall by seven wins, 76–69. The 2003 race was the closest in history, with the Dark Blues winning by 30 centimetres (12 in),[11] while the 2012 race was decided after a restart midway through the race following disruption from a protester.[12] Cambridge won the 2021 race, taking the overall record to 85–80 in Cambridge's favour.[6]

The overall record has been tied on just three occasions: following The Boat Race 1836, it was one victory each. Oxford's third win in a row in the 1863 race took the record to 10–10, while Cambridge's sixth victory in a streak of thirteen wins between 1924 and 1936 tied the universities at 40–40.[6]

Main race

All races from 1845 to 2019, and 2022 took place on The Championship Course. Earlier races and the 2021 event took place in different locations, marked by †, ‡ and *.
The Championship Course has hosted the Boat Race since 1845.
Joseph William Chitty umpired the 1863 race after which the record was tied at ten wins each.
Charles Gurdon helped Cambridge to defeat Oxford "easily" in the 1876 race.
Douglas McLean (Vanity Fair caricature pictured) rowed five times for Oxford between 1883 and 1887.
Raymond Etherington-Smith (Vanity Fair caricature pictured) helped Cambridge to a 20-length victory in 1900.
The victorious 1914 Cambridge crew
Hugh Cairns rowed in the losing Oxford crew in the 1920 race, the first race after the First World War.
Hugh Laurie rowed for Cambridge in the 1980 race. Oxford won by a canvas.
Matthew Pinsent won twice with Oxford in 1990 and 1991. He also competed in 1993.
Former record six-time Oxford rower Boris Rankov umpired the closest race in the history of the event in 2003.
Cambridge secured their 80th victory in the 2010 race.
Oxford lost the 2012 race which was disrupted by a protester in the Thames.
Oxford University Boat Club President Constantine Louloudis led Oxford to their 79th victory in the 2015 race.
The men's Boat Race trophy (pictured in 2014)
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† – race was held on a 2+1⁄4-mile (3.6 km) stretch of the Thames between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge.

‡ – race was held on a 5+3⁄4-mile (9.3 km) stretch of the Thames between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge.

* – race was held on a 3-mile (5 km) stretch of the River Great Ouse.

a. ^ Cambridge (on the Surrey side) had initially gone into a clear lead, so that they were entitled to take Oxford's water on the Middlesex side. When the boats came up to Crabtree Tavern, Cambridge made for the Surrey side just as Oxford were about to overhaul them. Oxford refused to give way and the two boats collided. After a close fought race, Cambridge crossed the line first. Umpire Fellows called a foul citing the rule in the code of rowing laws governing collisions after one boat has taken the others' water: "if they come into contact by the leading boat's departing from the water so taken, the leading boat shall be deemed to have committed a foul".[13]

b. ^ In the first race, both boats sank, so it was restaged two days later.

c. ^ The race was interrupted and restarted. The crews collided and an Oxford oar broke in half and the crews continued. Finish judge Ben Kent counted the total time spent racing.[14]

Unofficial wartime races

The unofficial race in 1944 was held along the Adelaide course of the Great Ouse.

During the Second World War, four races were organised at various locations, although full Blues were not awarded to the participants. In 1940, a race was held at Henley along a 1+1⁄2-mile (2.4 km) course which Cambridge won. A race organised in 1941 fell through and in 1942 Oxford were unable to provide a crew. In 1943, a race took place at Sandford-on-Thames in front of a crowd estimated to be between 7,000 and 10,000, where Oxford's experience of the course helped them to a narrow win.[15] The following year, the contest was held at the Adelaide course in Ely, with Oxford winning, this time by three-quarters of a length. The final unofficial race was held, again, at Henley, along the Regatta course, which Cambridge won by two lengths. The overall record in the unofficial wartime races ended 2–2.[16]

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Reserves race

The men's reserves race is contested between Oxford's Isis and Cambridge's Goldie. The first race was held in 1965 with Oxford's reserves taking the inaugural victory. Goldie have two eight-year winning streaks (from 1967 to 1974 and from 1990 to 1997), while Isis' best run is seven wins in a row from the 2011 to the 2017 race. As of the 2021 race, Goldie lead 32–24 overall.[6]

Acer Nethercott (pictured coxing in 2007), steered Isis to victory in 2002.
Oxford cox, Nick Brodie, (pictured being thrown into the River Thames in 2008) steered Isis in 2007
George Nash (second left, in 2013) rowed in the losing Goldie crew in 2009.
Isis racing against Goldie (foreground) in 2015
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a. ^ When the crews were approaching Barnes Bridge, Isis were leading by about 3⁄4 length. Umpire John Garrett had warned Isis for being out of their water, when a further blade clash resulted in the Goldie no. 2 breaking his swivel. Garrett then disqualified Isis.[21]

See also

References

Notes

  1. [1]
    "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  2. [2]
    MacMichael, p. 34.
  3. [3]
    Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  4. [4]
    "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  5. [5]
    "TV and radio". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  7. [7]
    "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  8. [8]
    "Boat Race – Early races". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  9. [9]
    "Start of the annual race". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  10. [10]
    "Classic moments – that sinking feeling". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  11. [11]
    Quarrell, Rachel (7 April 2003). "Rowing: Oxford's epic victory closer than 'dead heat'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  12. [12]
    Bull, Andy (8 April 2012). "Protester halts Boat Race by swimming into path of the Oxford crew". The Observer. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  13. [13]
    "University Boat Race". The Times. 17 December 1849. p. 3. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015. (subscription required)
  14. [14]
    "The Boat Race statistics". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  15. [15]
    Burnell, p. 16.
  16. [16]
    Burnell, p. 17.
  17. [17]
    "Rowing – The Boat Race". The Times. 4 March 1940. p. 8. Retrieved 3 May 2015. (subscription required)
  18. [18]
    "A University Boat Race". The Times. 15 February 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 2 May 2015. (subscription required)
  19. [19]
    "The Boat Race – Oxford's victory". The Times. 28 February 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 2 May 2015. (subscription required)
  20. [20]
    "The Boat Race – Cambridge win". The Times. 26 February 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 2 May 2015. (subscription required)
  21. [21]
    Rosewell, Mike (2 April 1990). "Light Blue Light at the end of the tunnel". The Times. Archived from the original on 28 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015. (subscription required)

Bibliography
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