The Boat Race 1959
| 105th Boat Race | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 28 March 1959 | ||
| Winner | Oxford | ||
| Margin of victory | 6 lengths | ||
| Winning time | 18 minutes 52 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) |
58–46 | ||
| Umpire | George Douglas Clapperton (Oxford) |
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The 105th Boat Race took place on 28 March 1959. 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. It was won by Oxford by six lengths in a time of 18 minutes 52 seconds, their first victory in five years. The victory took the overall record to 58–46 in Cambridge's favour.
During the buildup to the race, a number of the returning Oxford crew attempted to oust both coach Jumbo Edwards and Oxford University Boat Club president Ronnie Howard. Cambridge stated that they would only row against the president's crew and Oxford's college boat club captains voted in favour of Howard.
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"). 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. 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. Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1958 race by three-and-a-half lengths, and led overall with 58 victories to Oxford's 45 (excluding the "dead heat" of 1877). Cambridge had won the four previous races, and had lost only three times since the Second World War.
Cambridge were coached by Harry Almond (who rowed for Cambridge in the 1950 and 1951 races), James Crowden (who rowed twice for Cambridge, in the 1951 and 1952 races), Harold Rickett (who rowed in the 1930, 1931 and 1932 races) and J. J. Vernon (who rowed in the 1955 race). Oxford's coach was Olympic rower "Jumbo" Edwards who rowed in the 1955 race. The race was umpired by George Douglas Clapperton who had coxed Oxford in the 1923 and 1924 races. He later umpired in the 1967 boat race.
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