The Boat Race 1924
76th Boat Race | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date | 5 April 1924 | ||
Winner | Cambridge | ||
Margin of victory | 4+1⁄2 lengths | ||
Winning time | 18 minutes 41 seconds | ||
Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 35โ40 | ||
Umpire | Frederick I. Pitman (Cambridge) | ||
|
The 76th Boat Race took place on 5 April 1924. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford were reigning champions, having won the previous year's race, and their crew was significantly heavier than their opponents for this year's race. Umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by 4+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 18 minutes 41 seconds, the fastest time since 1911. The victory took the overall record in the event to 40–35 in Oxford's favour.
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 1923 race by three-quarters of a length, and led overall with 40 victories to Cambridge's 34 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).[5][6]
Oxford were coached by G. C. Bourne who had rowed for the university in the
Cambridge had few former Blues to call upon and despite measles striking at least one of the crew down, their rowing style was described by author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater as "harmoniously together".[9] Conversely, Oxford's crew was experienced yet a "lack of uniformity" in early training evolved into a crew with "a turn of such extraordinary speed that being was as much as four to one on Oxford".[9]
Crews
The Oxford crew weighed an average of 12
Seat | Oxford |
Cambridge | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | College | Weight | Name | College | Weight | |
Bow |
P. C. Mallam (P) | Queen's | 11 st 11.5 lb | G. E. G. Goddard | Jesus | 11 st 9.5 lb |
2 | P. R. Wace | Brasenose | 12 st 1.5 lb | J. F. Herbert | King's | 11 st 9 lb |
3 | W. F. Godden | Trinity | 12 st 12 lb | J. A. Macnabb | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 11.75 lb |
4 | R. E. Eason | All Souls | 13 st 1.5 lb | G. L. Elliot-Smith | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 13 st 2 lb |
5 | G. J. Mower-White | Brasenose | 13 st 9.5 lb | G. H. Ambler | Clare | 12 st 2 lb |
6 | J. E. Pedder | Worcester | 13 st 2 lb | T. D. A. Collet (P) | Pembroke | 12 st 4 lb |
7 | G. E. G. Gadsden | Christ Church | 10 st 10 lb | C. R. M. Eley | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 4 lb |
Stroke |
W. P. Mellen | Brasenose | 10 st 10 lb | A. B. Stobart | Pembroke | 11 st 10.5 lb |
Cox | G. D. Clapperton | Magdalen | 7 st 9.5 lb | J. A. Brown | Gonville and Caius | 7 st 7 lb |
Source:[10] (P) – boat club president[12] |
Race
Cambridge won the
Even though the Dark Blues made a spurt, Cambridge pulled away and were three lengths ahead by Chiswick Steps. According to author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater, "from here they had it all their own way to the finish".[14] Cambridge passed the finishing post four and a half lengths ahead, in a time of 18 minutes 41 seconds, the fastest winning time since the 1911 race and the second fastest time in the history of the event. It was their fourth win in five years and took the overall record in the event to 40–35 in Oxford's favour.[5]
References
Notes
- ^ a b "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Boat Race โ Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- ^ "Classic moments โ the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Burnell, pp. 110–111
- ^ Burnell, pp. 49, 108
- ^ a b Drinkwater, p. 142
- ^ a b c Burnell, p. 72
- ^ Burnell, p. 39
- ^ Burnell, pp. 50–51
- ^ Drinkwater, pp. 141–142
- ^ a b Drinkwater, p. 143
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-95-006387-4.
- Dodd, Christopher (1983). The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. Stanley Paul. ISBN 0-09-151340-5.
- Drinkwater, G. C.; Sanders, T. R. B. (1929). The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History. Cassell & Company, Ltd.