The Boat Race 1867

Last updated

24th Boat Race
Date13 April 1867 (1867-04-13)
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory1/2 length
Winning time22 minutes 39 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		10–14
Umpire Joseph William Chitty
(Oxford)
← 1866 1868 →

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.

Contents

Background

Walter Bradford Woodgate coached the Oxford crew. W.B. Woodgate 1921.jpg
Walter Bradford Woodgate coached the Oxford crew.

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 the race as reigning champions, having defeated Cambridge by three lengths in the previous year's race and led overall with thirteen wins to Cambridge's ten. [4]

Cambridge, according to The Field were "as nearly fit to row as possible ... their rowing was really a pleasure to behold". [5] They were coached by Rev. W. Maule (who had rowed for Cambridge at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1847) [6] and D. F. Steavenson (who had rowed in the Boat Race in the 1864 and 1865 races). [7] Walter Bradford Woodgate, who had rowed for Oxford in the 1862 and 1863 races, and George Morrison, former Oxford University Boat Club president who had rowed three times between the 1859 and 1861 race, coached the Dark Blue crew. [6] [8] Although Cambridge arrived at Putney in very good form, it was considered to their disadvantage because, according to Drinkwater, "no crew can be kept at the top of its form for more than a few days". [6] During practice runs, Oxford demonstrated they could outpace Cambridge, but with Frank Willan suffering from a boil, Oxford's stroke was instructed to keep the rating low for the race. [6] 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 12  st 0.5  lb (76.2 kg), 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) per rower more than their opponents; [10] for the first time in the race history, a crew weighed more than an average of 12  st (76.0 kg). [11] The Oxford crew saw the cox Charles Tottenham make his fourth Boat Race appearance and three rowers return, including Willan who was competing for the third time. [10] Five former Blues returned for Cambridge, with William Griffiths and Herbert Watney making their third appearance in the event. [10] According to a report in The Times , "sixteen finer or better trained young men it would have been difficult to find in England". [12]

Frank Willan rowed at number seven for Oxford. Frank Willan, Oxford.png
Frank Willan rowed at number seven for Oxford.
SeatCambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg 		Oxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow W. H. Anderson 1st Trinity 11 st 0 lbW. P. Bowman University 10 st 11 lb
2J. M. Collard St John's 11 st 4 lbJ. H. Fish University 12 st 1 lb
3J. U. Bourke 1st Trinity 12 st 9 lb E. S. Carter Worcester 11 st 12 lb
4Hon. J. H. Gordon 1st Trinity 12 st 3 lbW. W. Wood University 12 st 6 lb
5F. E. Cunningham King's 12 st 12 lbJ. C. Tinné University 13 st 4 lb
6J. Still Gonville and Caius 11 st 12 lbF. Crowder Brasenose 11 st 11 lb
7 H. Watney St John's 11 st 0 lb F. Willan (P) Exeter 12 st 3 lb
Stroke W. R. Griffiths (P) 3rd Trinity 12 st 0 lbR. G. Mardsen Merton 11 st 11 lb
Cox A. Forbes St John's 8 st 2 lbC. R. W. Tottenham Christ Church 8 st 8 lb
Source: [13]
(P) – boat club president [14]

Race

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

According to the Oxford Book, the weather on the morning of the race was "filthy ... raining and blowing like anything." [15] Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge. [16] The race commenced shortly before 9am, with Cambridge making the better start. Oxford slowly drew back into contention and the crews rowed side by side towards Hammersmith Bridge, by which point the Light Blues held a length's lead. [17] Beyond the bridge, Oxford began to close the gap once again, and lead was exchanged twice before Barnes Bridge. Following a number of spurts from both crews, Cambridge appeared to be exhausted, allowing Oxford the advantage, winning the race by half a length. It was Oxford's seventh consecutive victory and took the overall record to 14–10 in their favour. [4]

Related Research Articles

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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 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

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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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1892</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 49th Boat Race took place on 9 April 1892. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford went into the event as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In total, twelve of the competitors had previous Boat Race experience. In a race umpired by former rower Frank Willan, Oxford won by 2+1⁄4 lengths in a time of 19 minutes 10 seconds. It was their third consecutive victory and the fastest in the history of the event at that time.

The 50th Boat Race took place on 22 March 1893. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford went into the event as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In a race umpired by former rower Frank Willan, Oxford won by a length and a quarter in a time of 18 minutes 45 seconds which was, at the time, the fastest in the history of the event. It was their fourth consecutive victory and took the overall record to 27–22 in their favour.

The 51st Boat Race took place on 17 March 1894. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford went into the race leading by 27–22 in the event, and of the eighteen participants, half had previous Boat Race experience. Umpired by former rower Frank Willan, Oxford won the race by 3+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 39 seconds, for their fifth consecutive victory in the event. It was the largest margin of victory since the 1883 race.

The 52nd Boat Race took place on 30 March 1895. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race along the River Thames between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1895 race was umpired by former Oxford rower Frank Willan with one of the Oxford coaches, R. C. Lehmann being a former Cambridge alumnus. Although Cambridge made the quicker start, Oxford recovered, had the lead by Hammersmith Bridge, and won by 2+1⁄4 lengths in a time of 20 minutes 50 seconds. It was their sixth victory in a row and took the overall record in the event to 29–22 in Oxford's favour.

The 53rd Boat Race took place on 28 March 1896. 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 rower Frank Willan, Oxford won by two-fifths of a length in a time of 20 minutes 1 second, taking the overall record in the event to 30–22 in their favour. It was their seventh consecutive victory and the narrowest winning margin since 1877.

The 54th Boat Race took place on 3 April 1897. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. The crews were almost evenly matched weight-wise, Oxford marginally the heavier, whose crew consisted almost entirely of veterans of the event. In a race umpired by former rower Frank Willan, Oxford won by 2+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 19 minutes 12 seconds, the victory taking the overall record to 31–22 in their favour. It was Oxford's eighth consecutive victory and the third fastest winning time in the history of the event.

The 55th Boat Race took place on 25 March 1899. 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. Cambridge won, their first success in a decade, by 3+1⁄4 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 4 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 32–23 in Oxford's favour.

The 57th Boat Race took place on 31 March 1900. 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. Cambridge won by twenty lengths in a record-equalling time of 18 minutes 45 seconds, taking the overall record in the event to 32–24 in Oxford's favour.

The 58th Boat Race took place on 30 March 1901. 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. Cambridge had won the previous year's race by twenty lengths. This year's race, umpired by former rower Frank Willan, was won by Oxford by two-fifths of a length in a time of 22 minutes 31 seconds. Oxford's crew featured five former Blues while Cambridge just one. It was the Dark Blues' first win three years and the slowest winning time since 1877. The victory took the overall record in the event to 33–24 in favour of Oxford.

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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 1 September 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 7 November 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, p. 333
  6. 1 2 3 4 Drinkwater, p. 59
  7. ↑ Burnell, p. 58
  8. ↑ Burnell, p. 111
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
  10. 1 2 3 Burnell, p. 59
  11. ↑ Burnell, p. 44
  12. ↑ MacMichael, p. 339
  13. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 339–340
  14. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  15. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 334–335
  16. ↑ Dodd, p. 297
  17. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 340–341

Bibliography

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