:The Boat Race 1872
{{Good article}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox University Boat Race
| name= 29th Boat Race
| winner = Cambridge
| margin = 2 lengths
| winning_time= 21 minutes 15 seconds
| overall = 13–16
| umpire = Robert Lewis-Lloyd
(Cambridge)
| date= {{Start date|1872|3|27|df=y}}
| prevseason= 1871
| nextseason= 1873
| reserve_winner =
| women_winner =
}}
The 29th Boat Race took place on the 27 March 1872. 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 Robert Lewis-Lloyd, Cambridge won by two lengths in a time of 21 minutes 15 seconds taking the overall record to 16–13 in Oxford's favour.
Background
File:Frank Willan, Oxford.png coached Oxford.]]
The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues"){{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/apr/06/theobserver | work = The Observer | title = Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight | date = 6 April 2003 | access-date = 4 December 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140911000610/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/apr/06/theobserver | archive-date = 11 September 2014 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }} and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the {{convert|4.2|mi|km|adj=on}} Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.{{Cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/10719622/University-Boat-Race-2014-spectators-guide.html | work = The Daily Telegraph | access-date = 3 June 2014 | date = 25 March 2014 | title = University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide | first = Oliver | last = Smith | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140701231555/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/10719622/University-Boat-Race-2014-spectators-guide.html | archive-date = 1 July 2014 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }}{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/the-course | title = The Course | access-date = 4 December 2014 | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141028142856/http://theboatraces.org/the-course | archive-date = 28 October 2014 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }} Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having defeated Oxford by one length in the previous year's race, while Oxford led overall with sixteen wins to Cambridge's twelve.{{Cite web| url = http://theboatraces.org/results| publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited| title = Boat Race – Results| access-date = 4 December 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160712214951/http://theboatraces.org/results| archive-date = 12 July 2016| url-status = live| df = dmy-all}}
During the build-up to the race, Oxford's boat club president, Robert Lesley of Pembroke College,{{Cite web | url = http://www.pmb.ox.ac.uk/rowing/history | title = History of PCBC | access-date = 7 December 2014 | publisher = Pembroke College, Oxford | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141218153545/http://www.pmb.ox.ac.uk/rowing/history | archive-date = 18 December 2014 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }} strained his side and was prohibited from practice. Worse still, four days before the race, the number two rower Armistead "broke down and was replaced by C. C. Knollys, also an untrained man".Drinkwater, p. 65 Conversely, Cambridge saw John Goldie return as president for the third consecutive year, and while all the previous year's Blues were available, four were selected for the race.Drinkwater, p. 66
Oxford were coached by E. G. Banks of Worcester College and Frank Willan who had rowed for the Dark Blues four times between the 1866 and 1869 races.Burnell, p. 102Burnell pp. 110–111 Cambridge's coaches were John Graham Chambers (who rowed for Cambridge in the 1862 and 1863 races, and was non-rowing boat club president for the 1865 race)Burnell, p. 104 and William Henry Lowe (who rowed in three times, in the 1868, 1870 and 1871 races).Burnell, p. 107
While sliding seats had started to come to prominence, having been first used by a crew from Pembroke College, Goldie was reluctant to allow them to be tried for the race and disallowed the Light Blue boat manufacturer Harry Clasper from fitting them. The umpire for the race was Robert Lewis-Lloyd, the first time since The Boat Race 1856 that the event was not overseen by Joseph William Chitty.Drinkwater, pp. 43–66 Lewis-Lloyd had rowed for Cambridge four times, between the 1856 and the 1859 races inclusively.Burnell, p. 106 Edward Searle once again performed the duties of the starter.Burnell, p. 49
Crews
The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11 st 12.875 lb (75.6 kg), {{convert|2.375|lb|kg|1}} more than their opponents. Oxford's crew contained three rowers with Boat Race experience, and saw F. H. Hall return to cox the Dark Blue boat for the third time. Along with stroke and president Goldie, Cambridge's crew included Edmund Spencer and Edward Randolph (each rowing their third race), and John Brooks Close who had rowed in 1871.Burnell, pp. 59–60
| class=wikitable | ||||||
| rowspan="2" |Seat
! colspan="3" |Cambridge ! colspan="3" |Oxford | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name
! College ! Weight ! Name ! College ! Weight | ||||||
| Bow | James B. Close | 1st Trinity | 11 st 3 lb | J. A. Ornsby | Lincoln | 10 st 13 lb |
| 2 | C. W. Benson | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 4 lb | C. C. Knollys | Magadalen | 10 st 13 lb |
| 3 | G. M. Robinson | Christ's | 11 st 12 lb | F. E. H. Payne | St John's | 12 st 11 lb |
| 4 | E. A. A. Spencer | 2nd Trinity | 12 st 8.5 lb | A. W. Nicholson | Magdalen | 12 st 1 lb |
| 5 | C. S. Read | 1st Trinity | 12 st 8 lb | E. C. Malan | Worcester | 13 st 0 lb |
| 6 | John B. Close | 1st Trinity | 11 st 10 lb | R. S. Mitchison | Pembroke | 12 st 1.5 lb |
| 7 | E. S. L. Randolph | 3rd Trinity | 11 st 11 lb | R. Lesley (P) | Pembroke | 11 st 12 lb |
| Stroke | J. H. D. Goldie | Lady Margaret Boat Club | 12 st 4.5 lb | T. H. Houblon | Christ Church | 10 st 5 lb |
| Cox | C. H. Roberts | Jesus | 6 st 6 lb | F. H. Hall | Corpus Christi | 7 st 12 lb |
| colspan="7"|Source:Burnell, p. 60 (P) – boat club presidentBurnell, pp. 50–51 |
Race
File:University Boat Race Thames map.svg, along which the race is conducted]]
Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Oxford. The race started at 1.35 p.m. "in the teeth of a bitter north-easterly gale and snow-storm", and proved uneventful with the Light Blues winning by two lengths in a time of 21 minutes 15 seconds. Partway through the race, Goldie had broken a bolt in his rigging; although he could no longer contribute to the power of the Light Blue boat, he continued to stroke and provide the required rhythm to lead Cambridge to the victory.{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/report/start-of-the-annual-race | title = Start of the annual race | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | access-date = 7 December 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141106125855/http://theboatraces.org/report/start-of-the-annual-race | archive-date = 6 November 2014 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }} It was Cambridge's third consecutive win and took the overall record to 16–13 in Oxford's favour.
References
Notes
{{reflist|30em}}
Bibliography
- {{Cite book | title = One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race | first = Richard | last = Burnell | author-link = Dickie Burnell | year=1979| isbn= 0950063878 | publisher = Precision Press}}
- {{Cite book | title = The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History | first = G. C. |last = Drinkwater | first2= T. R. B. |last2=Sanders |publisher = Cassell & Company, Ltd.| year = 1929}}
External links
- [http://theboatraces.org/ Official website]
{{The Boat Race}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boat Race 1872}}