The 65th Boat Race took place on 4 April 1908. Held annually, the Boat Race is a 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 ...

. Cambridge were reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In a race umpired by

Frederick I. Pitman Frederick (Freddie) Islay Pitman (18 April 1863 – 22 January 1942) was a British rower who rowed in the Boat Race three times and won the Diamond Challenge Sculls and the Wingfield Sculls in 1886. Biography Pitman was born at Edinb ...

, Cambridge won by lengths in a time of 19 minutes 20 seconds. It was their third consecutive victory and their sixth win in seven races, taking the overall record in the event to 34–30 in Oxford's favour.

Background

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 a side-by-side rowing 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 ...

(sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") 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 ...

(sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on 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 rowing races, particularly the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The course is on the tidal reaches of th ...

on the

in southwest London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and, as of 2015, broadcast worldwide. Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1907 race by lengths, while Oxford led overall with 34 victories to Cambridge's 29 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877). Cambridge's coaches were L. H. K. Bushe-Fox, Francis Escombe (for the fifth consecutive year),

Stanley Muttlebury Stanley Duff Muttlebury (29 April 1866 – 3 May 1933) was an English rower notable in the annals of rowing and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Parentage Muttlebury was born 29 April 1866 in London, England, the only child of Captain Jame ...

, five-time Blue between 1886 and 1890, and David Alexander Wauchope (who had rowed in the 1895 race). Oxford were coached by Harcourt Gilbey Gold (Dark Blue president for the 1900 race and four-time Blue) and R. P. P. Rowe, who had rowed four times between 1889 and 1892. For the fifth year the umpire was old

Etonian Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

who rowed for Cambridge in the

1884 Events January–March * January 4 – The Fabian Society is founded in London. * January 5 – Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Princess Ida'' premières at the Savoy Theatre, London. * January 18 – Dr. William Price atte ...

1885 Events January–March * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 4 – ...

and 1886 races.

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 12 st 3.25 lb (77.5 kg), per rower more than their opponents.Burnell, p. 69 Oxford's crew contained four members with previous Boat Race experience, including

Alister Kirby Alister Graham Kirby (14 April 1886 – 29 March 1917) was a British rower who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He died on service during the First World War. Kirby was born at Brompton, West London, the son of Arthur Raymond Kirby, a B ...

and

Albert Gladstone Sir Albert Charles Gladstone, 5th Baronet, (28 October 1886 – 2 March 1967) was a British businessman and rower who won a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Gladstone was born at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, Wales, the eldest son of t ...

who were rowing in their third race. Six of the Dark Blue crew were educated at Eton College. Cambridge also saw four members return, with Douglas Stuart and Eric Powell making their third appearances in the event. Light Blue number two George Eric Fairbairn was following in his uncle's footsteps:

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 ...

rowed for Cambridge four times in the 1880s. Oxford's number three, Australian

Collier Cudmore Sir Collier Robert Cudmore (13 June 1885 – 16 May 1971) was an Australian lawyer, politician and Olympic rower who won the gold medal in the 1908 Summer Olympics for Great Britain. Early life and rowing career Cudmore was born at Avoca, W ...

, was the only non-British participant registered in the race.Burnell, p. 39 Former Oxford rower and author George Drinkwater assessed the Cambridge crew as "better and stronger than in the previous year".Drinkwater, p. 119 Conversely, "misfortune dogged the xfordcrew": firstly their number five of 1907,

James Angus Gillan Sir James Angus Gillan (11 October 1885 – 23 April 1981) was a Scottish rower and colonial service official. He competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics. Biography Gillan was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and was ...

was available but forbidden to row by his doctors.

Influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

then swept through the crew, before Kirby was struck down by

jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme meta ...

; despite not fully recovering, he took part in the race. Stuart DCR Vanity Fair 1907-03-13

Race

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge. In a strong head-wind, umpire Pitman started the race at 3:30 p.m. The Light Blues made the better start, and slightly out-rating Oxford, began to pull away. Rough water favoured Cambridge's style of rowing, and they were clear of Oxford by the time they passed the Mile Post. The crews passed

Harrods Furniture Depository The Harrods Furniture Depository buildings flank the south bank of the River Thames near Hammersmith Bridge in Barnes, London, built on the site of an old soap factory in 1894 as a storage centre for the larger items that could not be taken into ...

with the Light Blues two lengths ahead and although the Dark Blues spurted again and again, they failed to make any inroads in the Cambridge lead, who began to pull away once again after passing under

Barnes Bridge Barnes Bridge railway station, in Travelcard Zone 3, is on The Terrace, Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. It is on the Houn ...

.Drinkwater, p. 120 They passed the finishing post leading by two and a half lengths in a time of 19 minutes 20 seconds.Ross, p. 228 It was Cambridge's third consecutive victory, and their sixth in seven years, and took the overall record to 34–30 in Oxford's favour. The winning time was the fastest since the 1902 race and it was the narrowest margin of victory since the 1901 race. Drinkwater described the race as "a much finer struggle than those of the two previous years".

References

Notes Bibliography * * *

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boat Race 1908 1908 in English sport The Boat Race April 1908 sports events 1908 in rowing 1908 sports events in London