The Boat Race 1865
| 22nd Boat Race | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 8 April 1865 | ||
| Winner | Oxford | ||
| Margin of victory | 4 lengths | ||
| Winning time | 21 minutes 24 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 10–12 | ||
| Umpire | Joseph William Chitty (Oxford) | ||
| |||
The 22nd Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1865. Oxford won by four lengths in a time of 21 minutes 24 seconds. The race, described as "one of the most sensational races in this history" thus far, was umpired by Joseph William Chitty. It was the first time that a crew had won the Boat Race having been behind at Hammersmith Bridge.
Background
The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between 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, and since 1845 has taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.[2][3] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide.[4] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1864 race by nine lengths, with Oxford leading overall with eleven victories to Cambridge's ten.[5]
Cambridge were coached by their non-rowing president J. G. Chambers (who had rowed in the 1862 and 1863 races),[6] while Oxford's coach was G. Morrison (who had rowed for Oxford three times as well as being a non-rowing president in 1862).[7] Both university boats were constructed by J. & S. Salter of Oxford using cedar wood.[8] The race was umpired by Joseph William Chitty who had rowed for Oxford twice in 1849 (in the March and December races) and the 1852 race, while the starter was Edward Searle.[9]
Crews
The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11 st 11.25 lb (74.8 kg), 1.25 pounds (0.6 kg) per rower more than their Light Blue opposition.[10] Cambridge saw the return of five former Blues, including the cox Francis Archer and number four Robert Kinglake, both of whom had represented the university twice before.[11] Three of Oxford's crew had rowed in the previous year's race.[11]
| Seat | Cambridge 
|
Oxford 
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | College | Weight | Name | College | Weight | |
Bow |
H. Watney | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 11 st 1 lb | R. T. Raikes | Merton | 11 st 0 lb |
| 2 | M. H. L. Beebee | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 10 st 12 lb | H. P. Senhouse | Christ Church | 11 st 1 lb |
| 3 | E. V. Pigott | Corpus Christi | 11 st 12 lb | E. F. Henley | Oriel | 12 st 13 lb |
| 4 | R. A. Kinglake | 3rd Trinity | 12 st 8 lb | G. C. Coventry | Pembroke | 11 st 12 lb |
| 5 | D. F. Steavenson | Trinity Hall | 12 st 4 lb | A. Morrison (P) | Balliol | 12 st 6 lb |
| 6 | G. Borthwick | 1st Trinity | 11 st 13 lb | T. Wood | Pembroke | 12 st 2 lb |
| 7 | W. R. Griffiths | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 8.5 lb | H. Schneider | Trinity | 11 st 10 lb |
Stroke |
C. B. Lawes | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 7 lb | M. Brown | Trinity | 11 st 4 lb |
| Cox | F. H. Archer | Corpus Christi | 7 st 3 lb | C. R. W. Tottenham | Christ Church | 7 st 13 lb |
| Source:[10] (P) – boat club president (J. G. Chambers was the non-rowing president of Cambridge University Boat Club)[12] | ||||||
Race
Both crews had initially returned to the boathouses upon the instruction of their boat club president's who had demanded the steamers stay behind the start.[13] Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge. Following an indifferent start from both crews, Cambridge took the lead, and were a length ahead by Bishop's Creek. To avoid the steamers pressing from behind, the Light Blue cox Archer steered his boat to the middle to the river, while his counterpart, Charles Tottenham, manoeuvred too close to the bank, resulting in a two-length lead for Cambridge by Craven Cottage.[11][14] By the Crab Tree pub, the lead was three lengths. Despite dominating the race, by the time the crews passed below Hammersmith Bridge, Oxford had reduced the lead to three-quarters of a length, and at The Doves pub, the lead was down to half a length.[15]
Soon after the Oxford boat overlapped their opponents yet Cambridge pushed away again before
References
Notes
- ^ a b "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Burnell, p. 110
- ^ Burnell, p. 111
- ^ MacMichael, pp. 318–319
- ^ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
- ^ a b MacMichael, p. 314
- ^ a b c Burnell, p. 58
- ^ Burnell, pp. 50–51
- ^ a b Burnell, p. 7
- ^ MacMichael, pp. 314–315
- ^ MacMichael, p. 315
- ^ MacMichael, p. 316
- ^ MacMIchael, p. 317
- ^ Drinkwater, p. 55
Bibliography
- ISBN 0950063878.
- Dodd, Christopher (1983). The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. Stanley Paul. ISBN 0091513405.
- Drinkwater, G. C.; Sanders, T. R. B. (1929). The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History. Cassell & Company, Ltd.
- MacMichael, William Fisher (1870). The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races: From A.D. 1829 to 1869. Deighton. p. 37.
boat race oxford cambridge.
External links
The Boat Races | |||
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