The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is a rowing race between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race is run over a four miles and 374 yard stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake in London. The race was held first in 1829 and then annually since 1856 with the exception of the war years.
The event is now a British national institution, and is televised live each year. The race has been won by Cambridge 77 times and Oxford 71, with one dead heat in 1877. The most recent event was amongst the closest in history, with Oxford winning by less than a foot. One entertainment for spectators is the possibilty of a boat sinking. This has occurred on three occasions; to the Oxford crew in 1925 and to Cambridge in 1859 and in 1978.
Though the contest is strictly speaking between amateurs and indeed the competitors must be students of the university for whom they race, the training schedules each team undertakes are very gruelling. Typically each team trains for six days a week for six months before the event. Such is the competitive spirit between the universities it is common for Olympic standard rowers to compete. This has led to unproven accusations that these students are admitted entrance to university not because of their academic ability but rather their rowing skill.
Results