| 22nd Boat Race | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 8 April 1865 (1865-4-8) | ||
| Winner | Oxford | ||
| Margin of victory | 4 lengths | ||
| Winning time | 21 minutes 24 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 10–12 | ||
| Umpire | Joseph William Chitty (Oxford) | ||
| |||
The22nd Boat Race between crews from theUniversity of Oxford and theUniversity of Cambridge took place on theRiver 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 byJoseph William Chitty. It was the first time that a crew had won the Boat Race after being behind atHammersmith Bridge.
The Boat Race is aside-by-side rowing competition between theUniversity of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and theUniversity of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] The race wasfirst held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km)Championship Course on theRiver 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] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the1864 race by nine lengths, with Oxford leading overall with eleven victories to Cambridge's ten.[5]
Cambridge were coached by their non-rowing president J. G. Chambers (who had rowed in the1862 and1863 races),[6] while Oxford's coach was G. Morrison (who had rowed for Oxford three times as well as being a non-rowing president in 1862).[7] Both university boats were constructed byJ. & S. Salter of Oxford using cedar wood.[8] The race was umpired byJoseph William Chitty who had rowed for Oxford twice in 1849 (in theMarch andDecember races) and the1852 race, while the starter was Edward Searle.[9]
The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11 st 11.25 lb (74.8 kg), 1.25 pounds (0.6 kg) per rower more than their Light Blue opposition.[10] Cambridge saw the return of five formerBlues, including thecox Francis Archer and number fourRobert Kinglake, both of whom had represented the university twice before.[11] Three of Oxford's crew had rowed in the previous year's race.[11]
| Seat | Cambridge | Oxford | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | College | Weight | Name | College | Weight | |
| Bow | H. Watney | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 11 st 1 lb | R. T. Raikes | Merton | 11 st 0 lb |
| 2 | M. H. L. Beebee | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 10 st 12 lb | H. P. Senhouse | Christ Church | 11 st 1 lb |
| 3 | E. V. Pigott | Corpus Christi | 11 st 12 lb | E. F. Henley | Oriel | 12 st 13 lb |
| 4 | R. A. Kinglake | 3rd Trinity | 12 st 8 lb | G. C. Coventry | Pembroke | 11 st 12 lb |
| 5 | D. F. Steavenson | Trinity Hall | 12 st 4 lb | A. Morrison (P) | Balliol | 12 st 6 lb |
| 6 | G. Borthwick | 1st Trinity | 11 st 13 lb | T. Wood | Pembroke | 12 st 2 lb |
| 7 | W. R. Griffiths | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 8.5 lb | H. Schneider | Trinity | 11 st 10 lb |
| Stroke | C. B. Lawes | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 7 lb | M. Brown | Trinity | 11 st 4 lb |
| Cox | F. H. Archer | Corpus Christi | 7 st 3 lb | C. R. W. Tottenham | Christ Church | 7 st 13 lb |
| Source:[10] (P) – boat club president (J. G. Chambers was the non-rowing president ofCambridge University Boat Club)[12] | ||||||
Both crews had initially returned to the boathouses upon the instruction of their boat club president's who had demanded thesteamers stay behind the start.[13] Oxford won thetoss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge. Following an indifferent start from both crews, Cambridge took the lead, and were a length ahead by Bishop's Creek. To avoid the steamers pressing from behind, the Light Bluecox Archer steered his boat to the middle of the river, while his counterpart, Charles Tottenham, manoeuvred too close to the bank, resulting in a two-length lead for Cambridge byCraven Cottage.[11][14] By the Crab Tree pub, the lead was three lengths. Despite dominating the race, by the time the crews passed belowHammersmith Bridge, Oxford had reduced the lead to three-quarters of a length, and at The Doves pub, the lead was down to half a length.[15]
Soon after the Oxford boat overlapped their opponents yet Cambridge pushed away again beforeChiswick Eyot where the Dark Blues once began to overlap the Light Blues' stern. Cambridge'sstroke Lawes reacted and pushed to keep the lead, but by Chiswick Church the crews were level. Oxford's better line in the river saw them draw away rapidly from Cambridge, whereupon the Light Blues were regarded as "falling to pieces".[16] Oxford's lead atBarnes Bridge was around three lengths,[17] and by the time they passed the finishing line they had won by four lengths in a time of 21 minutes 24 seconds, securing the Dark Blue's fifth consecutive win and taking the overall record to 12–10 in their favour.[5] Drinkwater suggested that, of the 22 races conducted thus far, it was "one of the most sensational races in this history", while Burnell described it as a "splendid race".[13][18]
Notes
Bibliography
boat race oxford cambridge.
