The 39th Boat Race took place on 1 April 1882.

The Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. There are separate men's ...

is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

along the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

. In the race, umpired by former Cambridge rower

Robert Lewis-Lloyd Robert Lewis-Lloyd (9 January 1836 – 7 September 1915) was a Welsh rower and barrister who was High Sheriff of Radnorshire and who umpired the Boat Race between 1881 and 1888. Lewis-Lloyd was born at Cardigan, Ceredigion, the son of Thomas Le ...

, Oxford won by a margin of seven lengths in a time of 20 minutes 12 seconds, taking the overall record to 21–17 in their favour.

Background

is an annual

rowing eight An eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing (crew). It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or "cox". Each of the eight rowers has one oar. The rowers, who sit in ...

competition between the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

and the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. First held in 1829, the competition is a race along

The Championship Course The Championship Course is a stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England. It is a well-established course for sport rowing, rowing races, particularly the The Boat Race, Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The course ...

on the

in southwest London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide. Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous year's race by three lengths, and held the overall lead, with 20 victories to Cambridge's 17 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877). Oxford were coached by

Tom Edwards-Moss Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss, (7 April 1855 – 16 December 1893), was a British amateur oarsman who rowed in the Boat Race four times and twice won the Diamond Challenge Sculls, and a Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1 ...

(who rowed for the Dark Blues four times between the

1875 Events January–March * January 1 – The Midland Railway of England abolishes the Second Class passenger category, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies follow Midland's lead during the rest of the ...

and 1878 race) and

Walter Bradford Woodgate Walter Bradford Woodgate (20 September 1841 – 1 November 1920) was a British barrister and oarsman who won the Wingfield Sculls three times, and various events at Henley Royal Regatta including the Silver Goblets five times and the Diamond Cha ...

(who represented Oxford in the

1862 Events January–March * January 1 – The United Kingdom annexes Lagos Island, in modern-day Nigeria. * January 6 – French intervention in Mexico: French, Spanish and British forces arrive in Veracruz, Mexico. * January ...

and 1863 races). There is no record of Cambridge's coaches. The Oxford boat was manufactured by Swaddle and Winship and was used in preference to one built by

Harry Clasper Harry Clasper (5 July 1812 – 12 July 1870) was a professional rower and boat builder from Tyneside in England. He was an innovative boat designer who pioneered the development of the racing shell and the use of outriggers. He is said to have ...

which had been tested extensively in practice. The umpire for the race was

(who had rowed for Cambridge four times between 1856 and 1859) and the starter was Edward Searle.

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11 st 11.125 lb (74.7 kg), more than their opponents. Cambridge saw five former

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

return, including Llewellyn Rhys Jones whose poor health had prevented him from rowing since the 1878 race. The Light Blue crew also included the only non-British competitor in the race in Australian

Steve Fairbairn Stephen Fairbairn (25 August 1862 – 16 May 1938) was a rower and an influential rowing coach at Jesus College Boat Club, Cambridge University, Thames Rowing Club and London Rowing Club in the early decades of the 20th century, and founded the ...

(whose brother Charles had competed in the 1879 race).Burnell, p. 38 Oxford's crew also contained five individuals with Boat Race experience, including R. S. Kindersley and

David Edward Brown David Edward Brown (born 1858) was a British rower who won several events at Henley Royal Regatta in the 1880s. Brown was the son of David Brown of Llandaff Glamorgan. He matriculated at New College, Oxford in 1877 but migrated to Hertford Co ...

, both of whom were rowing in their third race.

Race

Oxford were firm pre-race favourites, having rowed the course twenty seconds quicker than Cambridge in practice.Drinkwater, p. 82 Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Oxford. The race commenced at 1:02 p.m. in conditions described by author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater as "fine and warm" with a "breeze from the north-west". Cambridge made the better start, taking a lead of a canvas length, but were in front for less than a minute. Oxford took the lead and were clear of the Light Blues by the Mile Post and held a three-length lead at

Hammersmith Bridge Hammersmith Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames in west London. It links the southern part of Hammersmith in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the north side of the river, and Barnes in the London Borough ...

. Cambridge encountered choppy water and, according to Drinkwater, "fell to pieces". Oxford drew away to win by seven lengths in a time of 20 minutes 12 seconds.Burnell, p. 62 It was Oxford's third consecutive win and the fastest winning time since the 1873 race. The result took the overall record to 21–17 in their favour.

References

Notes Bibliography * * *

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boat Race 1882 The Boat Race 1882 in English sport April 1882 sports events