The Boat Race 1920

72nd Boat Race
London Underground poster advertising the 1920 Boat Race
Date	27 March 1920 (1920-03-27)
Winner	Cambridge
Margin of victory	4 lengths
Winning time	21 minutes 11 seconds
Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford)	32–39
Umpire	Frederick I. Pitman (Cambridge)
← 1914 1921 →

The 72nd Boat Race took place on 27 March 1920. Generally 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. As a result of the First World War, this was the first race for six years: Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the previous race held in 1914. Both universities had participated in various Peace Regattas in 1919. In this year's race, umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by four lengths in a time of 21 minutes 11 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 39–32 in Oxford's favour.

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. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide. Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1914 race by four and a half lengths, and led overall with 39 victories to Cambridge's 31 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877).

The First World War caused a six-year hiatus in the event: during the conflict, at least 42 Oxbridge Blues were killed, including four of the previous race's Cambridge crew and one from the Oxford boat. No race was arranged for 1919, but the crews participated in the Peace Regatta at the Henley Royal Regatta that year. Taking part in the King's Cup, Cambridge were defeated by the Australian Army crew in the semi-final, the latter going on to defeat Oxford in the final. The Light Blues also took part in the Inter Allied Peace Regatta in Paris the same year, victorious in the final against New Zealand and Australia crews.