The Boat Race 1966

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 = 24 August 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 = 24 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, 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=24 August 2014}}{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/tv-and-radio | title = TV and radio | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | access-date = 24 August 2014 | archive-date = 8 August 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160808043710/http://theboatraces.org/tv-and-radio | url-status = dead }} Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race by {{frac|3|3|4}} lengths. Cambridge, however, held the overall lead with 61 victories to Oxford's 49 (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 = 12 October 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| publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited | title = Boat Race – Results| access-date = 24 August 2014}}

The first Women's Boat Race took place in 1927, but did not become an annual fixture until the 1960s. Up until 2014, the contest was conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but as of the 2015 race, it is held on the River Thames, on the same day as the men's main and reserve races.{{Cite web | url = http://theboatraces.org/women/history | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141006112628/http://theboatrace.org/women/history| archive-date= 6 October 2014| title = A brief history of the Women's Boat Race | publisher = The Boat Race Company Limited| access-date = 5 July 2014}} The reserve race, contested between Oxford's Isis boat and Cambridge's Goldie boat has been held since 1965. It usually takes place on the Tideway, prior to the main Boat Race.

Two days before the main race and in inclement weather, the Cambridge boat began to sink and was pushed into barges and tugs moored below Beverley Brook. The crew were rescued and according to their boat club president Mike Sweeney, the incident would have no impact on the Light Blues: "we shall just get into our other boat and race in that".{{Cite news | title = Squall sinks Cambridge crew | date = 25 March 1966 | page = 12 | issue = 56589 | work = The Times}} It was the first Boat Race vessel to sink since the 1951 race. The Light Blues would row in the same boat in which they won the 1962 and 1964 races, while Oxford's craft was manufactured by Swiss firm Stämpfli Racing Boats. Both boats were German-rigged, where the number four and five row on the bow side.Dodd, p. 12 The inclement weather continued until the day of the race, with further disruption predicted and the threat of postponement a real one.{{Cite news | title = Oxford favourites to win – today or tomorrow | first = Stanley | last = Baker | work = The Guardian | page = 11 | date= 26 March 1966}}{{Cite news | work = The Guardian | title = Boat Race may be rowed tomorrow | date = 26 March 1966 | page = 1}} The race was umpired by the former Cambridge University Boat Club president and rower Alan Burrough who took part in Cambridge's victory in the 1939 race.Burrell, p. 49{{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/aug/13/guardianobituaries1 | work = The Guardian | title = Alan Burrough | first = Christopher | last = Dodd | date = 13 August 2002 | access-date = 27 September 2014}}

The Cambridge crew were coached by D. C. Christie (who rowed for Cambridge in the 1958 and 1959 races), J. G. P. Crowden (who won Blues in the 1951 and the 1952 races), D. M. Jennens (who rowed three times between 1949 and 1951) and I. W. Welsh (who participated in the 1956 race).Burnell, pp. 104–109 Oxford's coach was Ronnie Howard who had rowed for the Dark Blues in the 1957 and 1959 races.Burnell, p. 99Burnell, 110–111

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 13 st 7 lb (85.5 kg), {{convert|1.6|lb|kg|1}} per rower more than their opponents.Burnell, p. 81 Oxonians Chris and Richard Freeman became the first brothers to row in the Boat Race since 1935 race.{{Cite news | work = Financial Times | title = Oxford start favourites| first = Charles | last = Dimont | issue=23886 | page = 7 | date = 26 March 1966}} The Oxford crew contained a single former Blue, the boat club president and number two Duncan Clegg, while Cambridge saw Rodney Ward and stroke Mike Sweeeny return.{{cite news | title = Everything happens to Oxford Crew | work = The Times | issue = 56587 | date = 23 March 1966 | page = 4 }} Oxford's P. G. Tuke was following in the footsteps of his great grandfather F. E. Tuke who had rowed in the 1845 race.Burnell, p. 41 There were three non-British participants in the race, the Oxford cox Jim Rogers, and Cambridge rowers J. H. Ashby and P. H. Conze were all American.Burnell, p. 39

File:Jim-rogers-madrid-160610.jpg was Oxford's cox for the race.]]

File:University Boat Race Thames map.svg along which the Boat Race is contested]]

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station. Despite the prediction of poor weather and the threat of postponement, the race commenced at the planned time of 4.15pm. Oxford made the better start and were half-a-length up on Cambridge, but with the advantage of the Middlesex bend, the Light Blues were one second behind at the Mile Post.{{Cite news | title = Oxford lead all the way | work = The Observer | date = 27 March 1966 | first = Donald | last = Legget | page = 20}} Oxford reacted to a Cambridge push at Harrods Furniture Depository to maintain the lead which they extended to two seconds by Hammersmith Bridge.{{Cite news | title = Cambridge unable to challenge Oxford fully| work = The Guardian | first = Stanley | last = Baker | page = 18 | date = 28 March 1966}} The Dark Blues continued to contain Cambridge's attempts to reduce the deficit and by Chiswick Steps had clear water with a three-second advantage. Pushing away once again, and with a two-length lead, Oxford's cox Jim Rogers steered them across the Cambridge boat to the Middlesex side, and were ten seconds ahead at Barnes Bridge. Oxford won by {{frac|3|3|4}} lengths in a time of 19 minutes 12 seconds.

In the reserve race, and after a false start, Oxford's Isis beat Cambridge's Goldie by seventh lengths, their second consecutive victory, in a time of 19 minutes 22 seconds. In the 21st running of the Women's Boat Race, Cambridge triumphed, their fourth consecutive victory.

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= 0091513405 | publisher =Stanley Paul |year= 1983}}

Notes

{{reflist|30em}}

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

{{The Boat Race}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boat Race 1966}}

Category:1966 in English sport

Category:1966 in rowing

Category:1966 in sport in London

Category:March 1966 sports events in the United Kingdom

Category:The Boat Race