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The Boat Race 1908

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 and Cambridge along the River Thames. Cambridge were reigning champions, having won the previous year's race. In a race umpired by Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by 2+1⁄2 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.

65th Boat Race
Date4 April 1908 (1908-04-04)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory2+1⁄2 lengths
Winning time19 minutes 20 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		30–34
UmpireFrederick I. Pitman
(Cambridge)
← 1907 1909 →

Background

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Former Cambridge University Boat Club rower Stanley Muttlebury coached the Light Blues.

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.[2][3] 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.[4] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1907 race by 4+1⁄2 lengths,[5] while Oxford led overall with 34 victories to Cambridge's 29 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).[6]

Cambridge's coaches were L. H. K. Bushe-Fox, Francis Escombe (for the fifth consecutive year), Stanley Muttlebury, 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.[7] For the fifth year the umpire was old Etonian Frederick I. Pitman who rowed for Cambridge in the 1884, 1885 and 1886 races.[8]

Crews

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The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 12 st 3.25 lb (77.5 kg), 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) per rower more than their opponents.[9] Oxford's crew contained four members with previous Boat Race experience, including Alister Kirby and Albert Gladstone 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.[10] Light Blue number two George Eric Fairbairn was following in his uncle's footsteps:[11] Steve Fairbairn rowed for Cambridge four times in the 1880s.[12] Oxford's number three, Australian Collier Cudmore, was the only non-British participant registered in the race.[13]

Former Oxford rower and author George Drinkwater assessed the Cambridge crew as "better and stronger than in the previous year".[14] Conversely, "misfortune dogged the [Oxford] crew": firstly their number five of 1907, James Angus Gillan was available but forbidden to row by his doctors. Influenza then swept through the crew, before Kirby was struck down by jaundice; despite not fully recovering, he took part in the race.[15]

 
Douglas Stewart rowed at stroke for Cambridge.
Seat Oxford
  		Cambridge
 
Name College Weight Name College Weight
Bow Hon. R. P. Stanhope Magdalen 9 st 10 lb F. H. Jerwood Jesus 11 st 10 lb
2 C. R. Cudmore Magdalen 12 st 0 lb G. E. Fairbairn Jesus 11 st 13 lb
3 E. H. L. Southwell Magdalen 12 st 3 lb O. A. Carver 1st Trinity 12 st 10 lb
4 A. E. Kitchin St John's 12 st 7 lb H. E. Kitching Trinity Hall 13 st 2 lb
5 A. G. Kirby (P) Magdalen 13 st 7 lb J. S. Burn 1st Trinity 12 st 10.5 lb
6 A. McCulloch University 12 st 9.5 lb E. G. Williams 3rd Trinity 13 st 0.5 lb
7 H. R. Barker Christ Church 12 st 0.5 lb E. W. Powell (P) 3rd Trinity 11 st 6 lb
Stroke A. C. Gladstone Christ Church 11 st 3.5 lb D. C. R. Stuart Trinity Hall 11 st 2 lb
Cox A. W. F. Donkin Magdalen 8 st 7 lb R. F. R. P. Boyle Trinity Hall 8 st 10 lb
Source:[9]
(P) – boat club president[16]

Race

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The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is contested

Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge.[17] 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 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.[15] They passed the finishing post leading by two and a half lengths in a time of 19 minutes 20 seconds.[17] 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.[5] Drinkwater described the race as "a much finer struggle than those of the two previous years".[14]

References

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Notes

  1. ^ a b "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer. 6 April 2003. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  2. ^ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  3. ^ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  7. ^ Burnell, pp. 110–111
  8. ^ Burnell, pp. 49, 108
  9. ^ a b Burnell, p. 69
  10. ^ Burnell, pp. 68–69
  11. ^ "Fairbairn, George Eric (1888–1915)". Obituaries Australia. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  12. ^ D. De B. Collins Persse, Michael. Fairbairn, Stephen (Steve) (1862–1938). Obituaries Australia. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  13. ^ Burnell, p. 39
  14. ^ a b Drinkwater, p. 119
  15. ^ a b Drinkwater, p. 120
  16. ^ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  17. ^ a b Ross, p. 228

Bibliography

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