12th Boat Race
Date8 April 1854 (1854-04-08)
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory7 lengths
Winning time25 minutes 29 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		7–5
UmpireC. J. Selwyn
← 1852 1856 →

The 12th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1854. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race was won by Oxford who triumphed over Cambridge by seven lengths.

Background

Sir Charles Jasper Selwyn (standing) was the umpire for the fifth time.[1]

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[2] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[2] 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.[3][4] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having defeated Cambridge by nine lengths in the previous race. Cambridge led overall with seven wins to Oxford's four.[5]

There was no Boat Race in 1853 as the Henley Royal Regatta was scheduled for the same time as that proposed by Cambridge in their challenge to Oxford. The universities did however race each other that year, in the Grand Challenge Cup, which was won by Oxford.[6] On 11 February 1854, a challenge was sent to Oxford by the former Light Blue cox Thomas Selby Egan, who had assumed temporary captaincy of Cambridge University Boat Club, despite having coached the Dark Blues to victory in the 1852 race.[7][8]

Although Oxford arrived at Putney as favourites to win the race, Cambridge's style was enough to force the odds to evens. However, in a practice race, the Dark Blues defeated a watermen scratch crew easily and restored their position as pre-race favourites.[9] Both crews rowed in 65-foot (20 m) long boats manufactured by Searle.[10] The umpire for the race was Charles Jasper Selwyn and the starter was Edward Searle.[11]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11 st 1 lb (70.1 kg), 5.75 pounds (2.6 kg) per rower more than their opponents.[12] Cambridge saw one rower return from the 1852 race in F. Johnson, while Oxford's crew contained two former Blues in Nind and the Oxford University Boat Club president Olliver Meade King.[12]

Seat Cambridge
Oxford
Name College Weight Name College Weight
BowR. C. Galton1st Trinity9 st 10 lbW. F. ShortNew College10 st 5 lb
2Spencer NairneEmmanuel10 st 2 lbAlfred HookeWorcester11 st 0 lb
3J. Coope Davis3rd Trinity11 st 1 lbW. PinckneyExeter11 st 2 lb
4S. Agnew1st Trinity10 st 12 lbT. H. BlundellChrist Church11 st 8 lb
5E. Courage1st Trinity11 st 13 lbEdward HooperPembroke11 st 5 lb
6F. W. Johnson3rd Trinity10 st 13 lbP. H. NindChrist Church10 st 12 lb
7H. BlakeCorpus Christi11 st 1 lbG. L. MellishExeter11 st 2 lb
StrokeJ. WrightSt John's10 st 2 lbW. Olliver Meade King (P)Pembroke11 st 8 lb
CoxC. T. SmithGonville and Caius9 st 12 lbT. H. MarshallExeter10 st 3 lb
Source:[12]
(P) – boat club president

Race

The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is competed

Oxford were pre-race favourites.[13] They won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing Cambridge the Surrey side of the river.[12] The race commenced at 10.40 a.m.,[9] with Oxford pulling away from the start. The Dark Blues were clear of Cambridge by the time the crews reached the Crab Tree. By Hammersmith Bridge both coxes were forced to take evasive action as a result of a barge blocking their route.[14] With a lead of two lengths after the bridge, Oxford continued to increase their lead, eventually passing the flag-boat with a seven-length advantage in a time of 25 minutes 29 seconds. It was their third consecutive victory and took the overall record to 7–5 in Cambridge's favour.[5]

In a speech in the evening's celebrations, Charles Selwyn, who had umpired this and the previous four Boat Races, declared that he was "no longer young and active enough" to continue to act in the capacity of umpire;[1] he would be replaced in 1856 by W. G. Rich,[11] the former Cambridge University Boat Club president who had rowed in both the March and December races of 1849.[15]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 213
  2. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  3. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  6. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 197–202
  7. ↑ MacMichael, p. 204
  8. ↑ Halladay, Eric (18 October 1990). Rowing in England: A Social History : the Amateur Debate. Manchester University Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-7190260-5-8.
  9. 1 2 Drinkwater, p. 40
  10. ↑ MacMichael, p. 214
  11. 1 2 Burnell p. 49
  12. 1 2 3 4 MacMichael, p. 211
  13. ↑ MacMichael, p. 209
  14. ↑ MacMichael, p. 212
  15. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 150, 160

Bibliography

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