THE 'VARSITY BOAT RACE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7726, 28 March 1904, Page 5

THE 'VARSITY BOAT RACE.

Cambridge Again Victorious.

London, Saturday. In the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, Cambridge won by 2£ lengths.

There was fine weather and the water was smooth for the boat race. Cambridge won the toss and chose the Surrey side of tho river, Cambridge going off at 85, and Oxford at 86, strokes per minute. At Walden's Cobtree Oxford was leading by a length. Cambridge then began to improve the position. At tho Saccharine Works they had reduced the lead to threequarters of a length, and passing Hammersmith Bridge, where both had settled down to 32 strokes per minute, Oxford had a quarter length of the advantage, which at the Lead Mills had increased to half a length. Cambridge began to forge ahead at Thorneycroft's and had established a slight lead, which gradually increased, eventually winning, after a splendid struggle, by 2£ lengths.

The Cambridge crew showed perfect form throughout the race, and were never " bustled." At Tnorneycroft's the" Oxford rowing was rather "ragged," and Cambridge, spurting, took the lead and came right away, winning by four and a half lengths. Time, 21min 34sec. The Oxford crew rowed a dogged, stern race.

[The Oxford-Cambridge University boat race was rowed on April Ist, last year, when Cambridge led from the start, and at Hammersmith Bridge were leading by 2£ lengths, the time being 7min 15sec. At Chiswick Ferry they had increased the lead to 3-k lengths. As the boats passed under Barnes Bridge, about ten lengths separated them, and Cambridge passed the Umpire's barge six lengths ahead, after an eventful race, in 19min 32iscc. Since 1836, Cambridge has won the race twenty-seven times and Oxford thirty-three times. In 1837,1838, 1843, 1844,1847, 1848, 1850, 1851 and 1853 the event did not come off. Two races were rowed in 1849. In 1877 the race resulted in a dead heat, the time being 24min Bsec. With a few exceptions in tho early days of this time-honoured event, the course has been from Putney to Mortlake. Cambridge's fastest time over this course was 19min ssec, in 1902, when they won by five lengths; Oxford's fastest time (and fastest time on record) was 18min 47sec, in 1893, the team winning by one length and four feet. The slowest time on record is 26min, in 1860, when Cambridge won by one length.]