The Boat Race 1858

Last updated

15th Boat Race
Date27 March 1858 (1858-03-27)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory7+1⁄2 lengths
Winning time21 minutes 23 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		9–6
Umpire Joseph William Chitty
(Oxford)
← 1857 1859 →

The 15th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 27 March 1858. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1858 race, disrupted by poor rowing and a collision with a barge, was won by Cambridge, who defeated Oxford by 7+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds.

Contents

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] Oxford went into this year's race as reigning champions, having defeated Cambridge by eleven lengths in the previous year's race. Cambridge however led overall with eight wins to Oxford's six. [4]

Cambridge were coached for the fifth time by Thomas Selby Egan, (who had coxed the Light Blues in the 1836, 1839 and 1840 races), [5] [6] while Oxford's coach was Alfred Shadwell (cox for the Dark Blues in the 1842 race and coach for the fourth time). [7] 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. [8] [9]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11  st 8.875  lb (73.7 kg), 1 pound (0.5 kg) per rower more than their opponents. Archibald Levin Smith, Robert Wharton and Robert Lewis-Lloyd (who was rowing his third Boat Race for the Light Blues) [10] had featured in Cambridge's 1857 crew. Oxford's crew included five participants who had competed in the previous race, [11] including J. T. Thorley, who was making his third appearance in the event. [10]

Archibald Levin Smith rowed at number two for Cambridge. SirArchibaldLevinSmith.jpg
Archibald Levin Smith rowed at number two for Cambridge.
SeatCambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg 		Oxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow H. H. Lubbock Gonville and Caius 11 st 4 lbR. W. Risley Exeter 11 st 8 lb
2 A. L. Smith 1st Trinity 11 st 4 lb J. Arkell Pembroke 11 st 3 lb
3W. J. Havart Lady Margaret Boat Club 11 st 4 lbC. G. Lane Christ Church 11 st 10 lb
4D. Darroch 1st Trinity 12 st 1 lbH. Austen Magdalen 12 st 7 lb
5H. Williams Lady Margaret Boat Club 12 st 4 lb E. Lane Balliol 11 st 10 lb
6 R. L. Lloyd (P) Magdalene 11 st 13 lbW. H. Wood University 12 st 0 lb
7A. H. Fairbairn 2nd Trinity 11 st 12 lb E. Warre Balliol 13 st 2 lb
Stroke J. Hall Magdalene 10 st 7 lbJ. T. Thorley (P) Wadham 10 st 3 lb
Cox R. Wharton Magdalene 9 st 2 lbH. S. Walpole Balliol 9 st 5 lb
Source: [11]
(P) – boat club president [12]

Race

The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is competed University Boat Race Thames map.svg
The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is competed

Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Oxford. [13] The race commenced at 1 p.m. and almost immediately the Oxford boat club president and stroke J. T. Thorley "caught a crab" [14] which "completely brought their eight to standstill." [15] Cambridge took the lead but were caught following a clash of their port-side oars with a barge. The boats were level at the Crab Tree pub but here Cambridge began to draw ahead and passed under Hammersmith Bridge with a length-and-a-half lead. [16] The Light Blues continued to increase their lead and passed the flag-boat at Mortlake 7+1⁄2 lengths ahead of Oxford in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds. [4]

It was the fastest time since the 1846 race (which was held on the ebb tide), and took the overall record in the event to 9–6 in Cambridge's favour. [17] Although it was hoped that a rematch would be conducted at the Henley Royal Regatta, Oxford failed to make up a crew, and Cambridge went on to defeat Leander Club before winning the Grand Challenge Cup against London Rowing Club. [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1841</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 5th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 14 April 1841. It was the fourth of the University Boat Races, a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, to be contested in London. The race was held between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge and was won by Cambridge, whose crew featured two pairs of brothers rowing, who defeated Oxford by a distance of 22 lengths in a time of 32 minutes and 30 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 4–1 in Cambridge's favour.

The 12th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1854. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race was won by Oxford who triumphed over Cambridge by seven lengths.

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The 14th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 4 April 1857. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford rowed in a keel-less carvel-built boat, the first time in the history of the race that such a construction method was used for one of the vessels. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, the race was won by Oxford who triumphed over Cambridge by 11 lengths.

The 17th Boat Race took place on 31 March 1860. 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. It was the first time in the history of the event that the race had to be restarted as a result of an obstruction. Cambridge won the event by one length, in the slowest time ever.

The 18th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 16 March 1861. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1861 event, which featured the first ever non-British competitor, suffered numerous interruptions from river traffic. Oxford won by 16 lengths.

The 19th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 12 April 1862. Oxford won by 10 lengths in a time of 24 minutes and 34 seconds, taking the overall record to 10–9 in Cambridge's favour.

The 20th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 28 March 1863. Oxford won by 15 lengths in a time of 23 minutes 6 seconds. It took the overall record to ten wins each, the first time since the 1836 race that the scores were level. The race was the third to be held on the ebb tide, along the Championship Course in reverse, from Mortlake to Putney. It was the first time since the race was held in the fashion since the 1856 race.

The 21st Boat Race, an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames, took place on 14 March 1864. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, Oxford won by nine lengths in a time of 21 minutes 4 seconds, the fastest winning time since the event was held on The Championship Course in 1845. The race, whose start was moved in order to avoid interruptions from river traffic, was witnessed by the Prince of Wales.

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.

The 23rd Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 24 March 1866. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford won by three lengths in a time of 25 minutes and 35 seconds, one of the slowest times in the history of the event.

The 24th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 13 April 1867. In a race where the lead was exchanged several times, Oxford won by half a length in a time of 22 minutes and 39 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 14–10 in Oxford's favour.

The 25th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 4 April 1868. Oxford won by six lengths in a time of 20 minutes and 56 seconds, taking the overall record to 15–10 in their favour. Oxford cox Charles Tottenham became the first person in the history of the event to win five Boat Races, and Cambridge saw their first non-British rower compete.

The 26th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 17 March 1869. Oxford won by three lengths in a time of 20 minutes and 4 seconds. It was their ninth consecutive victory and was, at that point, the fastest time ever recorded in the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1870</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 27th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on the 6 April 1870. Cambridge won by 1+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 22 minutes 4 seconds, their first victory since the 1860 race.

The 31st Boat Race took place on the 28 March 1874. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. In a race umpired by former Oxford rower Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge won by three and a half lengths in their fifth consecutive victory.

The 35th Boat Race took place on 13 April 1878. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. In total, ten former Blues took part in the contest. The race was umpired by former rower Joseph William Chitty and Oxford won by a margin of 10 lengths in a time of 22 minutes 15 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 18–16 in Oxford's favour.

The 47th Boat Race took place in 1890. Held annually, it is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. The race, umpired by former Oxford rower Frank Willan) was won by Oxford. They passed the finishing post one length ahead of Cambridge in a time of 22 minutes 3 seconds, and took their overall lead in the event to 24–22.

The 41st Boat Race took place on 7 April 1884. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. The race, for which Robert Lewis-Lloyd acted as both umpire and starter for the first time, was won by Cambridge by margin of 2+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 39 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 22–18 in Oxford's favour.

The 46th Boat Race took place on 30 March 1889. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. For the first time in the history of the event, all eight rowers in the Cambridge crew had rowed the previous year. Cambridge won by three lengths in a time of 20 minutes 14 seconds, their fourth consecutive victory which took the overall record in the event to 23–22 in Oxford's favour.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer . 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 238–239
  6. ↑ Burnell, p. 110
  7. ↑ Burnell, pp. 54, 111
  8. ↑ Drinkwater, p. 54
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
  10. 1 2 Burnell, p. 56
  11. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 248
  12. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  13. ↑ MacMichael, p. 242
  14. ↑ Anderson, Andy (15 October 2000). "Ask Doctor Rowing: British crabs and wooden schoenbrods". The Independent Rowing News. p. 30.
  15. ↑ Drinkwater, p. 45
  16. ↑ MacMichael, p. 243
  17. ↑ "Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  18. ↑ Drinkwater, p. 46
  19. ↑ Burnell, p. 86

Bibliography

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