15th Boat Race | |||
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Date | 27 March 1858 | ||
Winner | Cambridge | ||
Margin of victory | 7 and 1/2 lengths | ||
Winning time | 21 minutes 23 seconds | ||
Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) |
9–6 | ||
Umpire |
Joseph William Chitty (Oxford) |
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The 15th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 27 March 1858. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1858 race, disrupted by poor rowing and a collision with a barge, was won by Cambridge who defeated Oxford by seven-and-a-half lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds.
The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). 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. Oxford went into this year's race as reigning champions, having defeated Cambridge by eleven lengths in the previous year's race. Cambridge however led overall with eight wins to Oxford's six.
Cambridge were coached for the fifth time by Thomas Selby Egan, (who had coxed the Light Blues in the 1836, 1839 and 1840 races), while Oxford's coach was Alfred Shadwell (cox for the Dark Blues in the 1842 race and coach for the fourth time). The race was umpired by Joseph William Chitty who had rowed for Oxford twice in 1849 (in the March and December races) and the 1852 race, while the starter was Edward Searle.