The Boat Race 1878

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35th Boat Race
Date13 April 1878 (1878-04-13)
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory10 lengths
Winning time22 minutes 15 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		16–18
Umpire Joseph William Chitty
(Oxford)
← 1877 1879 →

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.

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] First held in 1829, the race takes place on the 4.2 miles (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. [2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and as of 2014, broadcast worldwide. [3] [4] Neither crew went into the race as reigning champions – the previous year's race had been declared a "dead heat". However Oxford held the overall lead, with 17 victories to Cambridge's 16. [5]

Cambridge's coach was James Brooks Close (who rowed for the Light Blues in the 1872, 1873 and 1874 races). [6] Oxford were coached by William Grenfell (who had rowed for the Dark Blues the previous year and was rowing at number four in 1878), A. J. Mulholland (who rowed in 1877) and Edmund Warre (who represented the Oxford in the 1857 and the 1858 races). [7] [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 and the finishing judge was E. H. Fairrie. [9]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 12  st 3.675  lb (77.7 kg), 6.875 pounds (3.1 kg) more than their opponents. [10] Cambridge saw four former Blues return, including the cox George Latham Davies who was taking part in his fourth consecutive Boat Race. Oxford's crew included six individuals with experience of the race, with boat club president Tom Edwards-Moss making his fourth appearance in the event. [10] Drinkwater suggested that the Oxford crew was the "best ... up to that date". [11]

CharlesGurdon.jpg
William Henry Grenfell 1921.jpg
Charles Gurdon (left), Cambridge University Boat Club president at the time, rowed at number six for Cambridge, while William Grenfell (right) occupied the four seat for Oxford.
SeatOxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg 		Cambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow W. A. Ellison University 10 st 13 lbLl. R. Jones Jesus 10 st 9 lb
2D. J. Cowles St John's 11 st 5 lbJ. A. Watson-Taylor Magdalene 11 st 9.75 lb
3H. B. Southwell Pembroke 12 st 8.5 lbT. W. Barker 1st Trinity 12 st 6 lb
4 W. H. Grenfell Balliol 12 st 10.5 lbR. J. Spurrell Trinity Hall 11 st 13.5 lb
5H. Pelham Magdalen 12 st 11 lbL. G. Pike Gonville & Caius 12 st 8.5 lb
6G. F. Burgess Keble 13 st 3.5 lb C. Gurdon (P) Jesus 12 st 10.5 lb
7 T. C. Edwards-Moss (P) Brasenose 12 st 3 lbT. E. Hockin Jesus 12 st 4.5 lb
Stroke H. P. Marriott Brasenose 12 st 2.5 lbE. H. Prest Jesus 10 st 12.75 lb
Cox F. M. Beaumont New College 7 st 0.5 lbG. L. Davis Clare 7 st 5 lb
Source: [10]
(P) – boat club president [12]

Race

The Championship Course, along which the race is conducted University Boat Race Thames map.svg
The Championship Course, along which the race is conducted

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge. The race commenced at 10.15 a.m. Out-rating Oxford by four strokes per minute, Cambridge took an early lead and were half a length ahead after the first minute. They held the lead round the bend which favoured them but as the river curved to favour Oxford, the Dark Blues quickly overtook, even with the slower stroke rate. They were at least half-a-length clear at the Crab Tree pub which they had extended to four lengths by Hammersmith Bridge. [11] Oxford won by 40 seconds (approximately 10 lengths) in a time of 22 minutes and 15 seconds, their second victory in nine years, which took the overall record to 18–16 in their favour. [5] [10]

Related Research Articles

The 33rd Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1876. Six of the Oxford crew had Boat Race experience while Cambridge's crew contained three Blues. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge won the race "easily" in a time of 20 minutes 20 seconds, following confusion as to the positioning of the finish. The victory took the overall record to 17–16 in Oxford's favour.

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.

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 after being behind at Hammersmith Bridge.

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.

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

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The 38th 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 8 April 1881. In a race umpired by Robert Lewis-Lloyd, Oxford won by a margin of three lengths in a time of 21 minutes 51 seconds taking the overall record to 20–17 in their favour.

The 45th Boat Race took place on 24 March 1888. 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 the race umpired by Robert Lewis-Lloyd for the final time, Cambridge won by seven lengths in a time of 20 minutes 48 seconds.

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.

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The 60th Boat Race took place on 1 April 1903. 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. The race was umpired for the first time by former Cambridge rower Frederick I. Pitman, whose misfiring starter pistol caused confusion at the start, allowing Cambridge to gain an advantage. They went on to win by six lengths in a time of 19 minutes 33 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 33–26 in Oxford's favour.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1924</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer . 6 April 2003. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "TV and radio". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Burnell, p. 104
  7. ↑ Burnell, pp. 101–102
  8. ↑ Burnell, pp. 110–111
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
  10. 1 2 3 4 Burnell, p. 61
  11. 1 2 Drinkwater, p. 73
  12. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51

Bibliography

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