The Boat Race 1880

Last updated

37th Boat Race
Date22 March 1880 (1880-03-22)
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory3+3⁄4 lengths
Winning time21 minutes 23 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		17–19
Umpire Joseph William Chitty
(Oxford)
← 1879 1881 →

The 37th 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 22 March 1880 following a postponement two days earlier as a result of thick fog. It is the only time in the history of the event that the race has been rescheduled. Oxford won by a margin of 3+3⁄4 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds.

Contents

Background

The umpire for the 1880 Boat Race was Joseph William Chitty. Joseph William Chitty.jpg
The umpire for the 1880 Boat Race was Joseph William Chitty.

The Boat Race is an annual rowing eight competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. First held in 1829, the competition is a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) race along The Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide. [1] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race by three lengths. However, Oxford held the overall lead, with 18 victories to Cambridge's 17 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877). [2] [3]

Oxford's coaches were George Drinkwater Bourne (who rowed in the 1842 race) and Tom Edwards-Moss (who rowed four times for Oxford between the 1875 and 1878 race). [4] There is no record of Cambridge's coaches. The race was umpired, for the final time, 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. [5] The race was originally scheduled for the preceding Saturday, 20 March, but was postponed until the Monday by the umpire as a result of thick fog. [6] It is the only time the history of the event that such a course of action has been taken. [7]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11  st 13  lb (75.6 kg), 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) more than their opponents. [8] The Cambridge crew contained three rowers with previous Boat Race experience, including the Cambridge University Boat Club president Edward Henry Prest who was participating in his third race. Similarly Oxford saw three former Blues return, including H. B. Southwell rowing for a third time. [8]

For the first time in the history of the event, two of the competitors were registered as non-British, both rowing for Cambridge. Their number three, William Barton, was born in Wellington, New Zealand, while the number five, C. N. L. Armytage (whose cousin George had rowed in the 1874 race), was recorded as being Australian. [9]

SeatOxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg 		Cambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow R. H. J. Poole Brasenose 10 st 6 lbE. H. Prest Jesus 10 st 12 lb
2 D. E. Brown Hertford 12 st 6 lbH. Sandford Lady Margaret Boat Club 11 st 5.5 lb
3F. M. Hargreaves Keble 12 st 2 lbW. Barton Lady Margaret Boat Club 11 st 3.5 lb
4H. B. Southwell Pembroke 12 st 0 lbW. M. Warlow Queens' 12 st 0 lb
5R. S. Kindersley Exeter 12 st 8 lbC. N. L. Armytage Jesus 12 st 2.5 lb
6G. D. Rowe (P) University 12 st 3 lbR. D. Davis 1st Trinity 12 st 8.5 lb
7J. H. T. Wharton Magdalen 11 st 10 lbR. D. Prior Queens' 11 st 13 lb
Stroke L. R. West Christ Church 11 st 1 lbW. W. Baillie Jesus 11 st 2.5 lb
Cox C. W. Hunt Corpus Christi 7 st 5 lbB. S. Clark Lady Margaret Boat Club 7 st 0 lb
Source: [8]
(P) – boat club president (Cambridge's non-rowing president was John Arthur Watson-Taylor) [10]

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 Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge. At the time of the race, which commenced at 10.40 a.m., [11] there was a strong easterly wind. With a higher stroke rate than their opponents, the Light Blues took the lead from the start and by Craven Steps were almost clear. At the Mile Post, Oxford had cut the lead to half a length, but were forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with river traffic. [6]

By Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge were nearly clear again, but at The Doves pub, Oxford's stroke L. R. West increased the rate and reduced the deficit. Despite catching a "crab", the Dark Blues continued to overhaul Cambridge and were level by the bottom of Chiswick Eyot. They took the lead along Chiswick Reach, held a two length advantage at Barnes Bridge and passed the finishing post "fairly comfortably". [6] They won by 3+3⁄4 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds, [8] securing their second victory in three years and taking the overall record to 19–17 in their favour. [3]

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 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 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 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 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.

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The 44th Boat Race took place on 26 March 1887. 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 was umpired by Robert Lewis-Lloyd, and Cambridge won by two and a half lengths after one of the Oxford crew's oars snapped in half. The winning time for the race was 20 minutes 52 seconds, and Cambridge's victory took the overall record to 23–20 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.

The 48th Boat Race took place on 21 March 1891. 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 24–22 in the event overall. In total, eight rowers who were participating had previous Boat Race experience. Umpired by former Oxford rower Frank Willan, pre-race favourites Oxford won by half-a-length in a time of 21 minutes 48 seconds. It was Oxford's narrowest winning margin since the 1867 race.

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.

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The 61st Boat Race took place on 26 March 1904. 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. Neither boat club president was able to row through injury. In a race umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by 4+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 37 seconds. Their third victory in a row, it took the overall record in the event to 33–27 in Oxford's favour.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1923</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 75th Boat Race took place on 24 March 1923. 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's crew was marginally heavier than Oxford's, the latter included an Olympic silver medallist. Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In this year's race, umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Oxford won by three-quarters of a length in a time of 20 minutes 54 seconds, securing their first win in five years. The victory took the overall record in the event to 40–34 in their favour.

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

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Burnell, pp. 110–111
  5. ↑ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
  6. 1 2 3 Drinkwater, p. 75
  7. ↑ Hudson, Briony; Boylan, Marueen (1 June 2013). The School of Pharmacy, University of London: Medicines, Science and Society, 1842–2012. Academic Press. p. 62. ISBN   978-0124076907.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Burnell, p. 62
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 38, 42
  10. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  11. ↑ Drinkwater, p. 76

Bibliography

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