The inaugural
Women's Boat Race
The Women's Boat Race is an annual rowing race between Cambridge University Women's Boat Club and Oxford University Women's Boat Club. First rowed in 1927, the race has taken place annually since 1964. Since the 2015 race it has been rowed on ...
took place on 15 March 1927. The contest was 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 College town, 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. Cam ...
and held on
The Isis
"The Isis" () is an alternative name for the River Thames, used from its source in the Cotswolds until it is joined by the Thame at Dorchester in Oxfordshire. It derives from the ancient name for the Thames, ''Tamesis'', which in the Middle ...
in Oxford.
Race
''The Times'' reported that "large and hostile crowds gathered on the towpath", while ''The New York Times'' stated "a crowd of fully five thousand persons was on hand as a willing cheering section".
The crews were forbidden from racing side-by-side, and the winners were judged "rowing down stream for style and back again for speed" along the course "from the Free Ferry from the top of
Iffley Reach to the
Keble barge",
a distance of approximately .
The Cambridge crew wore "white jumpers and chocolate shorts and stockings" while Oxford sported "white and dark blue shorts".
[
The judges for the contest were T. H. Henn (representing Cambridge) and J. G. Geoffreys (representing Oxford). Reports differ as to the judges' opinions on style: one suggests they failed to agree on a winner,][ another indicates that they deemed the style of each crew to be equal.][ As a result, the judges based the result on speed:][ the race was won by Oxford in a time of 3 minutes 36 seconds, beating Cambridge by 15 seconds.]
Crews
See also
* The Boat Race 1927
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Women's Boat Race 1927
Women's Boat Race
1927 in English sport
March 1927 sports events
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically found on inl ...
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically found on inl ...