is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities, followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide. Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race by lengths. Cambridge, however, held the overall lead with 61 victories to Oxford's 50. The first Women's Boat Race took place in 1927, but did not become an annual fixture until the 1960s. 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. 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. The race was umpired by George Douglas "Jock" Clapperton who had coxed Oxford in the 1923 and 1924 races as well as umpiring in the 1959 boat race. Cambridge's coaching team included Norman Addison, James Crowden, David Jennens, Mike Muir-Smith, Mike Nicholson, J. R. Owen and M. Wolfson while Oxford's comprised Hugh "Jumbo" Edwards and Ronnie Howard.
Crews
The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 13 st 11 lb, per rower more than their opponents. Oxford's crew containing three former Blues in Martin Kennard, Chris Freeman and Jock Mullard, while Cambridge saw bow-man Lindsay Henderson and Patrick Delafield return. Oxford's American number four, Josh Jensen, was the heaviest oarsman in the history of the race at 15 st 4 lb. The former Cambridge Blue Donald Legget, writing in The Observer, suggested that the Light Blue crew was "possibly their fastest ever", but nevertheless predicted a two-length victory for Oxford.
Race
Oxford won the toss for the third successive year and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge. The race commenced at 1.17 p.m. Despite the conditions favouring the Light Blues, Oxford were ahead from the start and led by two seconds the Mile Post in a record-equalling time of 3 minutes 47 seconds. According to Legget, Cambridge "were untidy and rather rushed". Near Harrods Furniture Depository, the crews nearly clashed oars, but Oxford held firm and reached Hammersmith Bridge with a three-second lead. Rounding the corner, Cambridge chose to stay on the tide, while Oxford headed for shelter towards the Surrey shore. The Light Blues reduced the lead marginally but by Chiswick Steps, Oxford were six seconds ahead and moved back to the Middlesex shore, with Cambridge resolute in midstream. Oxford briefly left the shelter of the shoreline to shoot Barnes Bridge through the centre arch, before heading back, with a lead of eight seconds. Despite pushing their rating to 36 strokes per minute, Cambridge could not reduce the deficit, and as Oxford accelerated to a rating of 38, they passed the finishing post lengths ahead, in a time of 18 minutes 52 seconds. It was the first time in 54 years that Oxford had won three consecutive Boat Races. Upon the conclusion of the race, the Oxford boat club president Mullard hailed his coaches from the boat: "Thanks Ronnie, thanks Jumbo". In the reserve race, Cambridge's Goldie beat Oxford's Isis by two lengths and five seconds, their inaugural victory on the third running of the contest, in a time of 19 minutes 11 seconds. In the 22nd running of the Women's Boat Race, Cambridge triumphed, their fifth consecutive victory.
