The Boat Race 1962

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] First held in 1829, the race takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.^[2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and, as of 2014, broadcast worldwide.^[3][4] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1961 race by 4+1⁄4 lengths,^[5] and led overall with 58 victories to Oxford's 48 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).^[6]

Cambridge were coached by J. R. F. Best, James Crowden (who rowed twice for Cambridge, in the 1951 and 1952 races), Brian Lloyd (a three-time Blue, rowing in the 1949, 1950 and 1951 races) and Harold Rickett (who rowed in the 1930, 1931 and 1932 races). Oxford's coaches were Jumbo Edwards (who rowed for Oxford in the 1926 and 1930 races), Ronnie Howard (who represented Oxford in the 1957 and 1959 races) and Antony Rowe (who had rowed in the 1948 and 1949 races).^[7] Although the Cambridge crew were favourites on their arrival at Putney, and were reckoned to be "one of the best Boat Race crews for ten years", their early performances in practice did not impress the critics.^[8] However, in their final row before the race, Cambridge took four seconds off the record time from the Mile Post to Putney Bridge, covering the distance in 4 minutes 6 seconds.^[9]

The race was umpired by Ran Laurie who had rowed for Cambridge in the 1934, 1935 and 1936 races,^[10] and had gone on to win a gold medal for Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics.^[11]

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 13 st 2.75 lb (83.6 kg), 2.75 pounds (1.2 kg) per rower more than their opponents.^[12] The Cambridge crew saw two former Blues return, bow R. Nicholson, and number four A. J. Collier. Similarly, Oxford's crew contained two rowers with Boat Race experience, including C. M. Davis who was rowing at stroke for the third consecutive year.^[13] Two non-British participants were registered in the race, both in the Cambridge crew: John Lecky, rowing at number five was a Canadian Olympic oarsman while American Boyce Budd occupied the six seat.^[14] Budd, at 15 st 1 lb (95.5 kg) was the heaviest oarsman to feature in the Boat Race since J. J. Toogood who rowed for Oxford in the inaugural race in 1829.^[15]

Seat	Oxford			Cambridge
	Name	College	Weight	Name	College	Weight
Bow	N. D. Tinne	Keble	12 st 7 lb	R. G. Nicholson (P)	St Catharine's	12 st 4 lb
2	D. D. S. Skailes	Keble	13 st 4 lb	C. T. Davey	Jesus	11 st 6 lb
3	J. Y. Scarlett	Christ Church	13 st 10 lb	R. A. Napier	Lady Margaret Boat Club	13 st 0 lb
4	R. A. Morton	Keble	13 st 8 lb	A. J. Collier	Lady Margaret Boat Club	13 st 4 lb
5	J. C. D. Sherratt	St Edmund Hall	13 st 4 lb	J. M. S. Lecky	Jesus	14 st 1 lb
6	T. W. Tennant	New College	13 st 12 lb	H. B. Budd	1st & 3rd Trinity	15 st 1 lb
7	P. C. D. Burnell	Magdalen	12 st 13 lb	J. N. L. Tollemache	1st & 3rd Trinity	13 st 9 lb
Stroke	C. M. Davis (P)	Lincoln	12 st 6 lb	Lord Chewton	1st & 3rd Trinity	11 st 3 lb
Cox	C. M. Strong	Keble	8 st 6 lb	R. Walmsley	Queens'	9 st 0 lb
Source:[12] (P) – boat club president[16]