VARSITY BOAT RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1906, Page 5

VARSITY BOAT RACE.

Eai 7 Win for Cambridge. LONDON, April 7. The University brat race was Towed between Putney r.nd Mortlake to-day, j I Cambridge beating Oxford by four j lengths. 1 The -weather -wag springlike, and huge I crowds -were attracted to the boat race. i Light -winds prevailed. Oxford won the toss, and chose the Surrey side of the river. They started off at *37 strokes to the : minute, the Cambridge crew rowing 38 strokes. ! Cambridge soon went to the front, and at Craven's steps led by a length. Hawing with ran< dash and admirable i rhythm, the Light Blues had increased their advantage to two lengths and ahalf at Hammersmith Bridge, -where the Oxford boat "was rolling badly. The Cambridge men continued to forge ahead, and at Barnes' Bmlge were five lengths dear of their oppoi-ents. • j From this out tb/>y had things all their j own way. the elosipg stages proving a ; mere exercise paddle for them. ' The Oxford crew made a plucky and despairing spurt, but the men were abso- : lately rowed out, and the Light Blues j won as they liked by four lengths. Id I 19min. 24sec. It may be stated that owing to ill- j health and accidents several of the Ox- \ ford crew had to fee replaced.l I [pile record for the Oxford and Cam-' bridge boat race is now:—Oxford 34. Cambridge 28, dead heat (1577) 1. Tak- j ing the more recent Taces, Oxford won I every year from IS9O to 183S; Cami bridge put in two victories (1899 and 1900J ; Oxford won the 1901 race; Cambridge the nest three; last year went to Oxford again; and the present race is to the credit of Cambiidge. So that five of ' j the last seven years' races hare been won by Cambridge. The whole of the records of this event show a strong tendency to Ibe cyclic, each university usually getting j a long run of victories. The record time ■is ISmin. 47sec.,an-l was reached in 1593 jand 1597-]