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Exhausted crews just after the finish of the 2002 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Photograph taken by Michael Reeve, 30 March 2002. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or...

Exhausted crews just after the finish of the 2002 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Photograph taken by Michael Reeve, 30 March 2002. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or...

Exhausted crews at the finish of the 2002 Boat Race

The Boat Race is a A coxless pair, sweep-oar rowing to the left of the photo; the bowside rower (or the starboard one, although the British term applied on this occasion) is actually rowing from aft rather than being closer to the bow than his partner. In the context of sports, rowing or sculling... rowing race between the rowing clubs of the The University of Oxford, situated in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Oxford University and Cambridge University are sometimes referred to collectively as Oxbridge. The two universities have a long history of competition with each other, as they are the two... University of Oxford and the The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world (after Oxford). It is situated in the town of Cambridge, England. According to legend, the university was founded in 1209 by scholars escaping from Oxford after a fight with locals there. Cambridge has produced more Nobel... University of Cambridge. It is rowed annually each Spring on the Length 346 km Elevation of the source 110 m Average discharge  ? m³/s Area watershed 12935 km² Origin Kemble Mouth North Sea Basin countries England This article is about the River Thames in southern England. For other meanings of the word Thames, see Thames The Thames (pronounced /temz/) is... River Thames in London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. Founded as Londinium, the capital of... London, Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Official language None; English is de facto Capital London Capitals coordinates 51° 30 N, 0° 10 W Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK... England. The event is an extremely popular one, not only with the alumni of the universities, but also with rowers in general and those with no connection at all. It's estimated that a quarter of a million people watch the race from the river banks. The first race was in Events January 8 - Hanging of body-selling murderer William Burke - his associate William Hare, who testified against him, is released January 19 - Johann Wolfgang von Goethes Faust premieres March 4 - Andrew Jackson succeeds John Quincy Adams as the President of the United States of America. March 22 - Greece receives... 1829 and it has been held annually since 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January 8 - Borax is discovered ( John Veatch). January 29 - Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross February 18 - The American Party ( Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore. March... 1856 with the exception of the war years.

Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues and the boats as blue boats, with Cambridge being represented as light blue, and Oxford as dark blue.

The course is 4 A mile is any of several units of distance, or, in physics terminology, of length. Today, one mile is mainly equal to about 1609 metres on land and 1852 metres at sea and in the air, but see below for the details. Current definitions The meanings of mile that are... miles and 374 This article is about the unit of measure known as the yard. For other definitions, see Yard (disambiguation). A yard (abbr. yd) is an imperial unit of length, defined as 3 feet or 36 inches, which is exactly 0.9144 metres, presuming international inches are used. The early yard was... yards (6,779 m) from This is an article about the place in London. For other uses of the name, see Putney (disambiguation). Putney is an place in the London Borough of Wandsworth in south west London. Putney is situated on the southern bank of the Thames opposite Fulham. At St Marys Church, Putney... Putney to Mortlake is a part of south west London between Sheen and Barnes and bounded by the river Thames to the north. It is part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its most famous resident was Elizabeth Is advisor, John Dee. The cemetery of St Mary Magdalenes... Mortlake, passing Barnes is a place in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is located in a loop of the River Thames, with Hammersmith Bridge at the north end. It has some of the most expensive housing in London, prized for its relatively secluded location (the... Barnes and Hammersmith is a town in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is situated to the south of Shepherds Bush, on the north side of the River Thames over which picturesque Hammersmith Bridge carries traffic to and from Barnes. The area is on the main... Hammersmith. The race is for heavyweight eights (i.e. for eight rowers with a cox steering, and no restrictions on weight). The race is timed so that the rowers row with the tide (but against the usual stream of the Thames). The course for the main part of the races' history has been from Putney to Mortlake, but there have been a few other courses:

• Events January 8 - Hanging of body-selling murderer William Burke - his associate William Hare, who testified against him, is released January 19 - Johann Wolfgang von Goethes Faust premieres March 4 - Andrew Jackson succeeds John Quincy Adams as the President of the United States of America. March 22 - Greece receives... 1829 – At Henley, Suffolk, is a village in Suffolk, England Henley-on-Thames is a town on the north bank of the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England. Henley is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the river... Henley
• 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January 9 - The French Academy of Sciences announces the Daguerreotype photography process. January 19 - British East India Company captures Aden January 20 - In the Battle of Yungay, Chile defeats a Peruvian and Bolivian alliance. February 24 - William... 1839 to Events February 21 - John J. Greenough patents the sewing machine. March 5 - Over 500 Mexican troops led by Rafael Vasquez invade Texas briefly occupy San Antonio and then head back to the Rio Grande. This is the first such invasion since the Texas Revolution. March 30 - Anesthesia is used for... 1842 – Westminster is the name of a city that covers much of central London, located to the west of the ancient City of London, and which has been the principal seat of government in England for more than nine hundred years. Both cities, and much of the surrounding conurbation, are collectively... Westminster to Putney
• Events January 5 - The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the United Kingdom February 5 - The Oregon Spectator becomes the first newspaper on the United States. February 10 - Many Mormons begin their migration west from Nauvoo, Illinois to Great Salt Lake led by... 1846, 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January 8 - Borax is discovered ( John Veatch). January 29 - Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross February 18 - The American Party ( Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore. March... 1856, Events January-March January 10 - End of term for John Gately Downey, 7th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Amasa Leland Stanford. January 30 - The first American ironclad warship, the USS Monitor is launched. February 1 - Julia Ward Howes Battle Hymn of the Republic is published for the... 1862, 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. Events January January 1 - Abraham Lincoln delivers the Emancipation Proclamation during the second year of the American Civil War. January 1 - The first claim under the Homestead Act is made for a farm in Nebraska January 8 - Ground is broken in Sacramento... 1863 – Mortlake to Putney

In addition, there were four unofficial boat races held during Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (60,000 ft) into the air. August 9, 1945 World War II was a global conflict that started in 7 July 1937 in Asia and 1 September 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945, involving the majority of the... World War II away from London - 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-February January 5 - FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 - World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 - World War... 1940 (Henley-on-Thames), 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 - End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 - The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 11 - General Juanto dies in Argentina - Ramon... 1943 (Sandford-on-Thames), 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). Events World War II January January 4 - The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. January 5 - Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munk January 17 - British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River. January 20 - The Royal Air... 1944 ( Ouse is the name of more than one river in Great Britain: River Ouse, Yorkshire River Great Ouse in East Anglia River Little Ouse, a tributary of the River Great Ouse River Ouse, Sussex in East Sussex There is also a town named Ouse: Ouse, Tasmania, Australia See also Rivers... River Ouse, Ely (pronounced to rhyme with mealy) is a cathedral city in east Cambridgeshire, East Anglia. The population was 11,760 in 1994. It is the main town in the Isle of Ely. The city was founded in 673 by Saint Ethelreda, daughter of King Anna. The foundation was the establishment... Ely), and 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 5 - The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet government of Poland. January 7 - British General Bernard Montgomery holds a press conference in which he claims credit for victory in the Battle of... 1945. As none of those competing were awarded blues, these races are not included in the official list.

The tradition was started by Charles Merivale, a student at Cambridge, and his schoolfriend Charles Wordsworth who was at Oxford. Cambridge challenged Oxford to a race, and the challenge was repeated the next year. The tradition continues, with the loser challenging the winner to a re-match annually.

The event is now a The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the British Commonwealth and European Union. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, UK or, inaccurately, as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these parts... British national institution, and is See TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band Family watching television in the 1950s. Television is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. The term has come to refer to all the aspects of television programming and transmission... televised live each year. As of the 2005 race, the The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was formed in 1927 by means of a royal charter from the Crown. (For the history of the BBC before 1927, see British Broadcasting Company and for a complete list of articles see BBC (index).) Today the BBC is the national publicly-funded broadcaster of... BBC will hand over broadcasting rights to This article is about the British television network. ITV (or iTV) can also mean interactive television. Independent Television (ITV) is the name given to the original network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up to provide competition to the BBC. The original ITV channel has now been rebranded as ITV1... ITV, after 66 years. The race has been won by Cambridge 78 times and Oxford 72. The race in 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Events January - April January 1 - Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles Act, introduced by United Kingdom Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. January 8 - Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle with the United... 1877 was declared a dead heat. Legend in Oxford has it that the judge, "Honest John" Phelps, was asleep under a bush as the crews came by leading him to announce the result as a "dead heat to Oxford by four feet", but this is not borne out by contemporary reports. The 2003 race was amongst the closest in history, with Oxford winning by less than a This article is about a foot as a unit of length. For other uses of foot, see foot (disambiguation). A foot (plural: feet) is a non-SI unit of distance or length. The popular belief is that original standard was the length of a mans foot. The average foot... foot. One entertainment for spectators is the possibility of a boat sinking. This has occurred on three occasions; to the Oxford crew in Events January-May January 3 - Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy. January 5 - Nellie Tayloe Ross becomes the first female governor in the United States. January 21 - Albania declares itself a republic January 30 - Government of Turkey throws Patriarch Constantine VI out of Istanbul February 1... 1925 and to Cambridge in 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. Events January January 2 - Erastus Beadle publishes The Dime Book of Practical Etiquette. January 24 - Wallachia and Moldavia are united under Alexander John Cuza under the name Romania (see December 1, 1918 for the final unification, Transylvania and other regions were still... 1859 and in Events January January 1 - The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. January 1 - Air Indias Boeing 747 explodes near Bombay - 213 dead. January 4 - Referendum in Chile supports policies of Augusto Pinochet. January 7 - Emilio Palma is born in Antarctica, making... 1978.

Though the contest is strictly speaking between amateurs and indeed the competitors must be students of the university for whom they race, the training schedules each team undertakes are very gruelling. Typically each team trains for six days a week for six months before the event. Such is the competitive spirit between the universities it is common for Olympic can refer to: sister ship with RMS Titanic, see RMS Olympic sport event, see Olympic Games Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington Olympic Airways is an airline based in Greece Olympic Airlines is the successor of the Greek airline Olympic Airways Olympic Stadium, Berlin This is... Olympic standard rowers to compete, including notably four times Olympic gold medallist Sir Matthew Pinsent (born October 10, 1970) is a British rowing champion and four-time Olympic gold medallist. Pinsent was born in Holt, Norfolk, England, and began rowing at Eton College. He began his international career at the Junior World Rowing Championships in 1987. He raced again in 1988, winning... Matthew Pinsent who rowed for Oxford in 1990, 1991, and 1993. This has led to unproven accusations that these students are admitted entrance to university not because of their academic ability but rather their rowing skill.

Although the heavyweight mens eights are the main draw, the two universities compete in other rowing boat races. The main boat race is preceded by a race between the two reserve crews, (called "Isis" for Oxford and "Goldie" for Cambridge). The women's eights, women's reserve eights, men's lightweight eights (and reserves), and women's lightweight eights race in the Henley Boat Races on a different day.

Build-up

Training for the boat race officially begins in September (when university term starts). The first tests are in November at the British Indoor Rowing Championships where each university sends around 20 rowers to compete. Everyone races 2 km on an A row of Concept2 indoor rowers An indoor rower (also known as an ergometer, ergo, erg or rowing machine) is a machine used to simulate the action of rowing on land. Originally a training method, it has become established as a sport in its own right. The term also refers... indoor rower with the club presidents using adjacent machines. Both universities also send crews to the Fours Head race in London which is raced in reverse over the Boat Race course.

In December, the coaches put out Trial Eights where two crews from the same university race each other over the full boat race course. These crews are given names - in 2005 Cambridge named theirs Kara and Whakamanawa ( Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. It is also the name of the people and language of the Cook Islands, referred to as Cook Islands Māori. The word māori means... Maori words for strength and honour) and Oxford's were called Cowboys and Indians.

Over the christmas period the squads go on training camps abroad, where final places for the blue boats are decided. After the final blue boat crews have been decided they race against the top crews from the UK and abroad (e.g. in recent years they have raced The Leander Rowing Club is based in Henley-on-Thames, and is the oldest rowing club in the world. Founded in 1818 in London, the club moved to Henley in the late nineteenth century. For the first 179 years of its existence, it was a men-only club, but in... Leander, Molsey, and the The word German can mean: From or related to Germany or its predecessor states - see also the German language Germanic tribes Holy Roman Empire (843-1806) German Confederation (1815-1866) North German Confederation (1867 - 1871) German Empire (1871-1918) Weimar Republic (1919-1933) Nazi Germany (1933-1945) West Germany (1949... German international crew). These races are only over part of the course (from This is an article about the place in London. For other uses of the name, see Putney (disambiguation). Putney is an place in the London Borough of Wandsworth in south west London. Putney is situated on the southern bank of the Thames opposite Fulham. At St Marys Church, Putney... Putney to Chiswick Eyot).

In case of injury or illness, each university has two extra rowers (called the spare pair). In the week before the main event they race each other from the mile post to university stone (1 mile long). In the final week, there is also an official weigh in and the average crew weights announced.

Trivia

• "I can't see who's in the lead but it's either Oxford or Cambridge." – John Snagge (1904-1996) was a veteran BBC newsreader of the 1940s and 1950s. He was also head of Radio Announcement at the time The Goon Show was commissioned, and played a key role in behind the scenes negotiations. As a consequence, he made frequent (usually pre-recorded) guest appearances... John Snagge (BBC radio commentator).
• Because of this event, boat race has become Cockney rhyming slang is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London. Many of its expressions have passed into common language, and the creation of new ones is no longer restricted to Cockneys. In the early 20th century rhyming slang was purportedly common in Australian... rhyming slang for face.
• In Arms of London Borough of Richmond . From civicheraldry.co.uk, with permission. About the civic heraldry images... This work is copyrighted, and used with permission. The terms of the permission do not include third party use. It is believed that the uses made here are likely to be fair use... the arms of the The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in southwest London. Unusually for a London borough, it straddles the River Thames. It is home to Bushy Park and the National Physical Laboratory. The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the Middlesex borough of Twickenham... London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which covers much of the course, two griffin supporters hold oars, one light blue, one dark, in reference to the Boat Race. These colours are Tinctures are the colours used to blazon coats of arms in heraldry. Basic tinctures There are seven tinctures, consisting of two metals (light tinctures) and five colours (dark tinctures). * Or is usually spelt with a capital letter (Gules, a fess Or) so as not to confuse it with the conjunction... highly unusual in English heraldry.
• The first female to take part in the race was Susan Brown, who coxed for Oxford in 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday. Events January-February January - Sarawak Chamber found January 1 - Greece enters the EEC January 1 - Palau becomes self-governing January 4 - Sheffield police arrests Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper January 10 Townsville International Airport opens (aus) January 16 - Protestant gunmen shoot and... 1981.
• Famous participants in the race include Antony Armstrong-Jones, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1958 Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon (born March 7, 1930) is a well-known photographer, Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker, and the former husband of the late Princess Margaret. The only son of Welsh barrister Ronald Owen Lloyd... Lord Snowdon (Cambridge Events January January 5 - US Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for examination of organized crime in the USA January 6 - The United Kingdom recognizes the Peoples Republic of China. The Republic of China severs diplomatic relations with Britain in response. January 9 - The Israeli government recognizes the... 1950), Colin Moynihan (Oxford For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). Events January-February January 1 - First woman Episcopal priest ordained. January 6 - EMI sacks the Sex Pistols January 18 - Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious legionnaires disease January 18 - Australia experiences its worst railway disaster... 1977), and Hugh Laurie as Lieutenant George in Blackadder Goes Forth. Hugh Laurie (born June 11, 1959) is a British comedian, actor, and author best known for his television work, especially his double act with Stephen Fry. He was born and raised in Oxford, where he attended the Dragon School (a famous... Hugh Laurie (Cambridge 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. Events January-February January 1- April 1 - National steel strike in the United Kingdom January 1 - Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession creates Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess over her younger brother January 4 - American president Jimmy Carter proclaims, with support... 1980).

Results

• Cambridge: 78 wins
• Oxford: 72 wins
• Dead heats: 1

Unofficial Wartime Races

Statistics

• Course Record: Cambridge 1998, 16 mins 19 secs

• Heaviest rower: Christopher Heathcote, Oxford 1990, 17 st 5 lb (110.22 kg)
• Lightest rower: Alfred Higgins, Oxford 1882, 9 st 6.5 lb (60.1 kg)

• Heavest crew: Oxford 2005, 15 st 16 lb (98.35 kg) average

• Tallest rower: Josh West, Cambridge 1999/2000/2001/2002, 6 ft 9.5 in (2.07 m)
• Tallest crew: Cambridge 1999, 6 ft 6.3 in (1.98 m) average

External links

• Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race Official Website (http://www.theboatrace.org)