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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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The Boat Race 1890
The 47th Boat Race took place in 1890. Held annually, it is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. The race, umpired by former Oxford rower Frank Willan) was won by Oxford. They passed the finishing post one length ahead of Cambridge in a time of 22 minutes 3 seconds, and took their overall lead in the event to 24–22.

Background

Frank Willan 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") 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 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. 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. 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).

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. 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". 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.

Crews

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.

Seat Oxford
Cambridge
Name College Weight Name College Weight
Bow W. F. C. Holland Brasenose 11 st 1 lb G. Elin 3rd Trinity 10 st 9 lb
2 P. S. Tuckett Trinity 11 st 2 lb J. M. Sladen Trinity Hall 11 st 4 lb
3 H. E. L. Puxley Corpus Christi 11 st 7 lb E. T. Fison Corpus Christi 12 st 6.5 lb
4 C. H. St J. Hornby New College 12 st 5 lb J. F. Rowlatt Trinity Hall 11 st 12 lb
5 Lord Ampthill New College 13 st 5 lb A. S. Duffield Trinity Hall 12 st 9 lb
6 G. Nickalls Magdalen 12 st 10 lb S. D. Muttlebury 3rd Trinity 13 st 9 lb
7 R. P. P. Rowe Magdalen 11 st 10 lb G. Francklyn 3rd Trinity 11 st 12.5 lb
Stroke W. A. L. Fletcher Christ Church 13 st 0 lb J. C. Gardner Emmanuel 11 st 12.5 lb
Cox J. P. Heywood-Lonsdale New College 8 st 0 lb T. W. Northmore Queens' 7 st 10.5 lb
Source:
(P) – boat club president

Race

The Championship Course, along which the race is conducted

Cambridge were considered slight favourites for the race, 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.

Scenes from The Boat Race. The Graphic 1890

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. ^ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  3. ^ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. ^ "TV and radio". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  6. ^ Markovits, Andrei; Rensmann, Lars (6 June 2010). Gaming the World: How Sports Are Reshaping Global Politics and Culture. Princeton University Press. pp. 287–288. ISBN 978-0691137513.
  7. ^ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Men – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  9. ^ Burnell, pp. 110–111
  10. ^ Drinkwater, p. 93
  11. ^ Burnell, pp. 49, 59
  12. ^ Burnell, p. 64
  13. ^ Dodd, p. 309
  14. ^ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  15. ^ Drinkwater, p. 94

Bibliography

  • Burnell, Richard (1979). One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Precision Press. ISBN 0950063878.
  • Dodd, Christopher (1983). The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. Stanley Paul. ISBN 0-09-151340-5.
  • Drinkwater, G. C.; Sanders, T. R. B. (1929). The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History. Cassell & Company, Ltd.
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