List of The Boat Race results

{{The_Boat_Race_cumulative_results.svg}}

The first race, held in 1829, took place on a {{convert|2+1/4|mile|km|adj=on}} stretch of the Thames between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge. It was officially recorded that Oxford won the race "easily". Seven years passed before the second race, which Cambridge won by 20 lengths, along a {{convert|5+3/4|mi|km|1|adj=on}} course between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge.{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/report/early-races | title = Boat Race – Early races | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | access-date = 22 April 2014 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141107184224/http://theboatraces.org/report/early-races | archive-date = 7 November 2014 }} A further four races, three of which were won by the Light Blues, took place along the same course. The 1845 race was the first to be conducted on The Championship Course, the same course in use as of the 2015 race, and was won by Cambridge by ten lengths. Having won the ninth Boat Race "easily", Cambridge led 7–2 overall, and were challenged, for the first and only time, to a second race in the same year. Oxford were victorious as the Light Blues were disqualified, the only time that event that the race was decided in such a manner.

The 1859 race was the first in which one of the crews sank: Cambridge's crew were variously rescued or swam to the shore, while Oxford took the overall record to 9–7 in Cambridge's favour.{{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 = 13 August 2014 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141106125855/http://theboatraces.org/report/start-of-the-annual-race | archive-date = 6 November 2014 }} Between the 1861 and 1869 race, Oxford made a then-record streak of nine consecutive victories; Cambridge won the next five and were 16–15 ahead after the 1874 race. A dead heat in the 1877 race is the only time in the event that such an official result has been given. Cambridge won four consecutive races between 1886 and 1889, to which Oxford responded with a then record-equalling streak of nine consecutive victories, with Oxford leading the overall record 32–22. Cambridge won the 1900 race by 20 lengths, the largest margin of victory of the races contested on The Championship Course. The 1912 race saw both boats sink, so a re-row was ordered two days later which Oxford won.{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/classic-moments-that-sinking-feeling | title = Classic moments – that sinking feeling | access-date = 1 May 2015 | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150222201124/http://theboatraces.org/classic-moments-that-sinking-feeling | archive-date = 22 February 2015 }}

Cambridge won the last race before the First World War suspended the event for five years. The Light Blues won in 1920, 1921 and 1922 before Oxford triumphed in the 1923 race. Cambridge subsequently won thirteen consecutive races from 1924 to lead 47–40 overall by 1936. Another hiatus, this time six years long, was caused by the Second World War, after which the Light Blues won five of the next six races. A streak of six wins saw Cambridge 16 wins ahead overall after the 1973 race. Oxford won seventeen of the next nineteen years, and were just a single victory behind after the 1992 race, the overall record 69–68 in Cambridge's favour. The Light Blues then won the following seven races, including setting the record time along The Championship Course of 16 minutes 19 seconds in the 1998 race. Their dominance faded, and the Dark Blues sealed victory in the 2000 race to trail overall by seven wins, 76–69. The 2003 race was the closest in history, with the Dark Blues winning by {{convert|30|cm|in|0}},{{Cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/rowing/2399264/Rowing-Oxfords-epic-victory-closer-than-dead-heat.html | title = Rowing: Oxford's epic victory closer than 'dead heat' | first = Rachel | last = Quarrell | work = The Daily Telegraph | access-date = 1 May 2015 | date = 7 April 2003 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204143945/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/rowing/2399264/Rowing-Oxfords-epic-victory-closer-than-dead-heat.html | archive-date = 4 February 2015 }} while the 2012 race was decided after a restart midway through the race following disruption from a protester.{{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/apr/08/protester-halts-boat-race | title = Protester halts Boat Race by swimming into path of the Oxford crew | work = The Observer | access-date = 1 May 2015 | first = Andy | last = Bull | date = 8 April 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150907191416/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/apr/08/protester-halts-boat-race | archive-date = 7 September 2015 }} Cambridge won the 2021 race, taking the overall record to 85–80 in Cambridge's favour.

The overall record has been tied on just three occasions: following The Boat Race 1836, it was one victory each. Oxford's third win in a row in the 1863 race took the record to 10–10, while Cambridge's sixth victory in a streak of thirteen wins between 1924 and 1936 tied the universities at 40–40.

:All races from 1845 to 2019, and 2022 onwards have taken place on The Championship Course. Earlier races and the 2021 event took place in different locations, marked by {{dagger}}, {{double dagger}} and {{asterisk}}.

File:University Boat Race Thames map.svg has hosted the Boat Race since 1845.]]

File:SirJosephWilliamChitty.jpg umpired the 1863 race after which the record was tied at ten wins each.]]

File:CharlesGurdon.jpg helped Cambridge to defeat Oxford "easily" in the 1876 race.]]

File:McLean DH Vanity Fair 1897-04-08.jpg (Vanity Fair caricature pictured) rowed five times for Oxford between 1883 and 1887.]]

File:Etherington-Smith RB Vanity Fair 1908-08-05.jpg (Vanity Fair caricature pictured) helped Cambridge to a 20-length victory in 1900.]]

File:The 1914 Cambridge Boat Race crew by Christine Broom.jpg Cambridge crew]]

File:Hugh William Bell Cairns.jpg rowed in the losing Oxford crew in the 1920 race, the first race after the First World War.]]

File:Hugh Laurie Actors Guild.jpg rowed for Cambridge in the 1980 race. Oxford won by a canvas.{{efn|name=fn1}}]]

File:Boat Race 2018 Matthew Pinsent.jpg won twice with Oxford in 1990 and 1991. He also competed in 1993.]]

File:Boat Race 2015 - Boris Rankov.jpg umpired the closest race in the history of the event in 2003.]]

File:Cambridge - the victors. (4487970148).jpg.]]

File:Oxford Crew not happy - end of Boat Race 2012.jpg which was disrupted by a protester in the Thames.]]

File:Boat Race 2015 - Louloudis (cropped).jpg led Oxford to their 79th victory in the 2015 race.]]

File:Boat Race 2014 - Trophy.jpg

{{dagger}} – race was held on a {{convert|2+1/4|mile|km|adj=on}} stretch of the Thames between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge.

{{double dagger}} – race was held on a {{convert|5+3/4|mi|km|1|adj=on}} stretch of the Thames between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge.

{{asterisk}} – race was held on a 3-mile (5 km) stretch of the River Great Ouse.

a. {{Note label|a|a|none}} Cambridge (on the Surrey side) had initially gone into a clear lead, so that they were entitled to take Oxford's water on the Middlesex side. When the boats came up to Crabtree Tavern, Cambridge made for the Surrey side just as Oxford were about to overhaul them. Oxford refused to give way and the two boats collided. After a close fought race, Cambridge crossed the line first. Umpire Fellows called a foul citing the rule in the code of rowing laws governing collisions after one boat has taken the others' water: "if they come into contact by the leading boat's departing from the water so taken, the leading boat shall be deemed to have committed a foul".{{cite news | url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=&docId=CS52199825&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 | title=University Boat Race | work=The Times | date=17 December 1849 | page=3 | access-date=14 June 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624031834/http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do | archive-date=24 June 2015 }} {{subscription required}}

b. {{Note label|b|b|none}} In the first race, both boats sank, so it was restaged two days later.

c. {{Note label|c|c|none}} The race was interrupted and restarted. The crews collided and an Oxford oar broke in half and the crews continued. Finish judge Ben Kent counted the total time spent racing.{{cite web|url=http://theboatrace.org/men/statistics|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141007064520/http://theboatrace.org/men/statistics | archive-date= 7 October 2014 | access-date = 1 May 2015| publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited |title=The Boat Race statistics}}

File:River Great Ouse at Queen Adelaide - geograph.org.uk - 675769.jpg.]]

During the Second World War, four races were organised at various locations, although full Blues were not awarded to the participants. In 1940, a race was held at Henley along a {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km|adj=on|1}} course which Cambridge won. A race organised in 1941 fell through and in 1942 Oxford were unable to provide a crew. In 1943, a race took place at Sandford-on-Thames in front of a crowd estimated to be between 7,000 and 10,000, where Oxford's experience of the course helped them to a narrow win.Burnell, p. 16. The following year, the contest was held at the Adelaide course in Ely, with Oxford winning, this time by three-quarters of a length. The final unofficial race was held, again, at Henley, along the Regatta course, which Cambridge won by two lengths. The overall record in the unofficial wartime races ended 2–2.Burnell, p. 17.

The men's reserves race is contested between Oxford's Isis and Cambridge's Goldie. The first race was held in 1965 with Oxford's reserves taking the inaugural victory. Goldie have two eight-year winning streaks (from 1967 to 1974 and from 1990 to 1997), while Isis' best run is seven wins in a row from the 2011 to the 2017 race. As of the 2021 race, Goldie lead 32–24 overall.

File:University College Men's 1st VIII 2007.jpg (pictured coxing in 2007), steered Isis to victory in 2002.]]

File:University Boat Race 2008 (2371611107).jpg

File:The Cambridge ship's complement during The Boat Race in spring 2013 (2).JPG (second left, in 2013) rowed in the losing Goldie crew in 2009.]]

File:Boat Race 2015 - Men's Reserve Race (06).jpg

a. {{Note label|a|a|none}} When the crews were approaching Barnes Bridge, Isis were leading by about {{frac|3|4}} length. Umpire John Garrett had warned Isis for being out of their water, when a further blade clash resulted in the Goldie no. 2 breaking his swivel. Garrett then disqualified Isis.{{cite news | url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=&docId=IF503250988&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 | title=Light Blue Light at the end of the tunnel | work=The Times | date=2 April 1990 | last=Rosewell | first=Mike | access-date=12 July 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728151324/http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do | archive-date=28 July 2015 }} {{subscription required}}

• Women's Boat Race

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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= 978-0-9500638-7-4 | publisher = Precision Press}}
• {{Cite book | title = The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race | first = Christopher| last = Dodd | isbn= 978-0-09-151340-5 | publisher =Stanley Paul |year= 1983}}
• {{Cite book | url = https://archive.org/details/oxfordandcambri00macmgoog | page = [https://archive.org/details/oxfordandcambri00macmgoog/page/n53 33] | title = The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races: From A.D. 1829 to 1869| first = William Fisher | last = MacMichael | publisher = Deighton | date = 1870 | oclc=8657736}}

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Results

Category:Rowing-related lists

Category:England-related lists