The Boat Race 1900

Last updated

57th Boat Race
Date31 March 1900 (1900-03-31)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory20 lengths
Winning time18 minutes 45 seconds
Overall record
(CambridgeOxford)
24–32
Umpire Frank Willan
(Oxford)

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 3224 in Oxford's favour.

Contents

Background

Stanley Muttlebury coached the Cambridge crew. Muttlebury SD Vanity Fair 1890-03-22.jpg
Stanley Muttlebury coached the Cambridge 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] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide. [4] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1899 race by 3 14 lengths, while Oxford led overall with 32 victories to Cambridge's 23 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877). [5] [6] Leading up to the race, Oxford suffered a variety of misfortune: M. C. McThornhill was ordered by his doctor not to row, H. J. Hale was injured and president Felix Warre contracted scarlet fever. [7]

Cambridge were coached by James Brookes Close, who had rowed for the Light Blues three times between 1872 and 1874, and Stanley Muttlebury, five-time Blue for Cambridge between 1886 and 1890. Oxford's coaches were Harcourt Gilbey Gold (Dark Blue president the previous year and four-time Blue) and Douglas McLean (an Oxford Blue five times between 1883 and 1887). [8] The umpire for the race for the eleventh year in a row was Frank Willan who had won the event four consecutive times, rowing for Oxford in the 1866, 1867, 1868 and 1869 races. [9]

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 12  st 4.625  lb (78.1 kg), 0.25 pounds (0.1 kg) per rower more than their opponents. [10] Oxford's crew contained three members with Boat Race experience: C. E. Johnston, C. W. Tomlkinson and cox G. S. Maclagan. Cambridge saw six of their 1899 crew return, including William Dudley Ward and Raymond Broadly Etherington-Smith, both of whom were rowing in their third race. [11] Eight of the nine Light Blues were students at Trinity College. [10] Oxford's stroke H. H. Dutton, a native of South Australia, [12] was the only non-British participant registered in the race. [13] Author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater suggested that this year's Cambridge crew, along with the Oxford crew which rowed in the 1897 race, "stand in a class by themselves among University crews." [14] He also described the Oxford crew as "one of the poorest that ever came from the Isis". [14]

Raymond Etherington-Smith rowed for Cambridge in the number five seat. Etherington-Smith RB Vanity Fair 1908-08-05.jpg
Raymond Etherington-Smith rowed for Cambridge in the number five seat.
SeatOxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
Cambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow H. H. Dutton Magdalen 10 st 9.5 lbS. P. Cockerell 3rd Trinity 11 st 10 lb
2R. H. Culme-Seymour New College 11 st 7.5 lbC. J. M. Adie 1st Trinity 12 st 3 lb
3C. E. Johnston New College 12 st 12 lb B. W. D. Brooke 1st Trinity 11 st 10.25 lb
4C. W. Tomkinson Balliol 11 st 13 lbJ. E. Payne Peterhouse 13 st 0 lb
5 Lord Grimston Christ Church 13 st 10.75 lb R. B. Etherington-Smith 1st Trinity 12 st 11.25 lb
6H. B. Kittermaster Christ Church 14 st 6 lb R. H. Sanderson 1st Trinity 12 st 13.25 lb
7T. B. Etherington-Smith Oriel 11 st 5.75 lb W. Dudley Ward (P) 3rd Trinity 12 st 9 lb
Stroke C. P. Rowley Magdalen 11 st 12.5 lbJ. H. Gibbon 3rd Trinity 11 st 8 lb
Cox G. S. Maclagan Magdalen 8 st 5 lb G. A. Lloyd 3rd Trinity 9 st 0 lb
Source: [15]
(P) boat club president [16]
Felix Warre was the Oxford's non-rowing president.

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

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge. [10] In good conditions, umpire Willan got the race under way at 2:00 p.m. whereupon Cambridge took the lead immediately. By Craven Steps they were three lengths ahead and continued to draw away from the Dark Blues, [7] to win by 20 lengths in a time of 18 minutes 45 seconds. It was the fastest winning time in the history of the event, equalling that set by Oxford in the 1893 race. Although it was the Light Blues' second consecutive victory, it followed a run of nine consecutive wins for Oxford overall the Dark Blues led 3224. [5]

Related Research Articles

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 55th Boat Race took place on 24 March 1898. 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, the reigning champions and leading overall, went into the race with a marginally heavier crew than Cambridge. They won "easily" as Cambridge's boat became waterlogged in strong winds and inclement conditions. It was their ninth consecutive victory and took them to an overall lead of 32–22 in the event. The winning time of 22 minutes 15 seconds was the slowest since the 1878 race.

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 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.

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 Boat Race 1892

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 14 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 22 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 12 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 14 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 12 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 14 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 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.

The 59th Boat Race took place on 22 March 1902. 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. Although Oxford used swivel rowlocks for the first time in the history of the race, Cambridge won by five lengths in a time of 19 minutes 9 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 33–25 in Oxford's favour.

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 12 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.

The 67th Boat Race took place on 23 March 1910. 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. In a race umpired by Frederick I. Pitman, Oxford won by ​3 12 lengths in a time of 20 minutes 14 seconds, taking their overall lead in the competition to 36–30.

The 73rd Boat Race took place on 30 March 1921. 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, with the heavier crew, went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In total, nine of the participants in this year's race had previous Boat Race experience, and five had won a silver medal in the 1920 Summer Olympics. In this year's race, umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by one length in a time of 19 minutes 45 seconds. It was Cambridge's third consecutive win, the fastest winning time since 1913 and the narrowest margin of victory since 1913. The result took the overall record to 39–33 in Oxford's favour.

The Boat Race 1924

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 12 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.

The 80th Boat Race took place on 28 March 1928. 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. In a race umpired by former Oxford rower Charles Burnell, Cambridge won by ten lengths, the largest margin of victory since 1900, in a time of 20 minutes 25 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 40–39 in Oxford's favour.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer . 6 April 2003. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  2. Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  3. "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. "Former Winnipegger in winning OxfordCambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  6. "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  7. 1 2 Drinkwater, p. 108
  8. Burnell, pp. 110111
  9. Burnell, pp. 49, 59
  10. 1 2 3 Burnell, p. 67
  11. Burnell, pp. 6667
  12. "Easy win for the Light Blues". The West Australian . 2 April 1900. p. 5.
  13. Burnell, p. 39
  14. 1 2 Drinkwater, p. 107
  15. Dodd, p. 314
  16. Burnell, pp. 5051

Bibliography