:The Boat Race 1890

File:Frank Willan, Oxford.png was the umpire for the race.]]

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the boat clubs of 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 = 11 September 2014 }} 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 = 20 August 2014 | date = 25 March 2014 |title = University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide | first = Oliver |last =Smith}}{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/the-course | title = The Course| access-date = 20 August 2014 | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited}} The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; as of 2014 it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.{{cite news|title=Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew|date=6 April 2014|publisher=CBC News|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/former-winnipegger-in-winning-oxford-cambridge-boat-race-crew-1.2600176|access-date=20 August 2014}}{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/tv-and-radio | title = TV and radio | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | access-date = 5 July 2014 | archive-date = 8 August 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160808043710/http://theboatraces.org/tv-and-radio | url-status = dead }}{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=o2QpA0fGyiIC&q=%22boat+race%22+%22united+kingdom%22+audience&pg=PA287 | title=Gaming the World: How Sports Are Reshaping Global Politics and Culture| first1 = Andrei |last1=Markovits|first2=Lars |last2=Rensmann| publisher = Princeton University Press| date= 6 June 2010 | isbn=978-0691137513|pages=287–288}} Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having beaten Oxford by seven lengths in the previous year's race, while Oxford held the overall lead, with 23 victories to Cambridge's 22 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).{{Cite web | url= http://theboatraces.org/classic-moments-the-1877-dead-heat | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | title = Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat | access-date = 11 November 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141028142809/http://theboatraces.org/classic-moments-the-1877-dead-heat | archive-date= 28 October 2014}}{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/results | title =Men – Results | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | access-date = 27 September 2014}}

Oxford's coaches were F. P. Bully, F. Fenner, William Grenfell (who rowed for Oxford in the 1877 and 1878 races, and was non-rowing boat club president in the 1879 race) and Frederick Smith, 2nd Viscount Hambleden. There is no record of who coached Cambridge.Burnell, pp. 110–111 The Light Blues began their practice on 9 January, nearly two weeks ahead of Oxford, but it was not until 4 March that Cambridge persuaded James Cardwell Gardner to return as stroke. They improved and were considered by author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater to be "by no means a bad crew, though deficient in length and watermanship".Drinkwater, p. 93 Despite William Fletcher being considered "one of the greatest sixes", and although "no greater worker has ever rowed", he was positioned at stroke.

The umpire for the race for the second year in a row was Frank Willan who won the event four consecutive times, rowing for Oxford in the 1866, 1867, 1868 and 1869 races.Burnell, pp. 49, 59

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Both crews weighed an average of 12 st 1.5 lb (76.7 kg). Cambridge saw three former Blues return, including Stanley Muttlebury who was rowing in his fifth consecutive Boat Race. Oxford's crew contained five rowers with experience of the event, including W. F. C. Holland in his fourth race, along with the cox John Pemberton Heywood-Lonsdale who had steered the Dark Blues in 1889.Burnell, p. 64

File:University Boat Race Thames map.svg, along which the race is conducted]]

Cambridge were considered slight favourites for the race,Drinkwater, p. 94 and won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Oxford. While the weather was fine, a westerly wind made for rough conditions between Hammersmith Bridge and Barnes Bridge. Commencing at 4.44 p.m., Cambridge made the faster start, outrating the Dark Blues by two strokes per minute, and held a quarter-of-a-length lead after two minutes. Despite the bend of the river favouring Oxford, the Light Blues held their lead and at the Crab Tree pub, began to pull further ahead as the course favoured them.

By Hammersmith Bridge, the lead was half-a-length but the wind appeared to affect Oxford and by The Doves pub, Cambridge were nearly clear. Oxford reduced the deficit along Chiswick Reach and by Chiswick Steps were nearly level. In more sheltered water, the Dark Blues pushed ahead and were almost clear by Barnes Bridge but Cambridge kept in touch. Oxford passed the finishing post with a lead of one length in a time of 22 minutes 3 seconds. It was Oxford's first victory since the 1885 race, their narrowest winning margin for 23 years and the slowest winning time for either university since the 1878 race.

File:The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race - The Graphic 1890.jpg 1890]]

Notes

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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 Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race | first = Christopher| last = Dodd | isbn= 0-09-151340-5 | publisher =Stanley Paul |year= 1983}}
• {{Cite book | title = The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History | first1 = G. C. |last1 = Drinkwater | first2= T. R. B. |last2=Sanders |publisher = Cassell & Company, Ltd.| year = 1929}}

• [http://theboatraces.org/ Official website]

{{The Boat Race}}

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Category:1890 in English sport

Category:The Boat Race

Category:1890 in British sport

Category:March 1890