The Boat Race 1846

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Date3 April 1846 (1846-4-3)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory3 lengths
Winning time21 minutes 5 seconds
8th Boat Race
Date3 April 1846 (1846-4-3)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory3 lengths
Winning time21 minutes 5 seconds
Overall record
(CambridgeOxford)
6–2
UmpireC. J. Selwyn

The 8th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 3 April 1846. Umpired by Charles Jasper Selwyn, Cambridge won in a time of 21 minutes 5 seconds, with a winning margin of three lengths. The race was held on the ebb tide, starting in Mortlake and ending in Putney. For the first time, outriggers were used by both crews.

The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is competed. For the 1846 event, the crews raced on the ebb tide, so started at Mortlake (marked as Finish) and ended in Putney (marked as Start).

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]

Following their ten-length defeat in the previous year's race,[4] Oxford sent their challenge to Cambridge in February 1846, proposing that the race should take place at Easter.[5] The umpire for the race was Charles Jasper Selwyn.[6][7] Cambridge went into the race leading the contest overall, with five wins to Oxford's two since the inaugural race in 1829.[4] On one of only a handful of occasions, the race was rowed on the ebb tide, from Mortlake to Putney.[8]

For the first time in the history of the race, both boats used outriggers.[9] Both crews had professional coaches: Oxford used John Noulton while Cambridge were trained by Robert Coombes, a champion sculler.[10] It marked the start of the debate over the use of professional coaches which was not resolved until the 1852 race.[8]

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11 st 8.375 lb (73.5 kg), 3.25 pounds (1.5 kg) more per rower than their opponents.[11] Oxford saw three Blues return from the 1845 race in Royds, Stapylton and Milman; Harkness and Hill returned for Cambridge.[11]

Seat Cambridge
Oxford
Name College Weight Name College Weight
BowGeorge Francis MurdochLady Margaret Boat Club10 st 2 lbH. S. PolehamptonPembroke10 st 9 lb
2George Frederick Holroyd1st Trinity11 st 1 lbE. C. BurtonChrist Church11 st 0 lb
3Stephen Thomas Clissold3rd Trinity12 st 0 lbW. U. HeygateMerton11 st 8 lb
4William Pickering Cloves1st Trinity12 st 12 lbE. H. PenfoldSt John's11 st 8 lb
5Edmond WilderMagdalene13 st 2 lbJohn W. ConantSt John's12 st 4 lb
6Robert Harkness (P)Lady Margaret Boat Club11 st 6 lbF. C. RoydsBrasenose11 st 9 lb
7Ed. Parker Wolstenholme1st Trinity11 st 1 lbW. C. StapyltonMerton10 st 12 lb
StrokeCharles Gray Hill2nd Trinity11 st 1 lbW. H. Milman (P)Christ Church11 st 0 lb
CoxT. B LloydLady Margaret Boat Club9 st 8 lbC. J. SoanesSt John's9 st 13 lb
Source:[11]
(P) boat club president

Race

References

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