# Henley Boat Races

The Henley Boat Races were a series of annual rowing races between various crews representing the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
The event included the Lightweight Men's Boat Race from 1975 to 2018, the Women's Boat Race from 1977 to 2014, the Lightweight Women's Boat Race from 1984 to 2019, and the Collegiate Boat Races from 2010 to 2019. Between 2015 and 2020, the openweight and lightweight Varsity races previously held at Henley were relocated to the Championship Course to match the openweight men's Boat Race, at which point the Collegiate Boat Races were scrapped.

## History

Henley Boat Races took place annually in late March or early April the week before the University Boat Races, which are held on the Championship Course on the Thames in London.
The Henley Boat Races began as men's lightweight races in 1975 and enlarged to incorporate the Women's Boat Race and their reserve crew race from 1977 and the women's lightweight race from 1984. In 2000, the lightweight men added a race for their reserve crews, Nephthys (Oxford) and Granta (Cambridge). The races took place in 2001, at the Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre in Nottingham. The lightweight men's race fell into abeyance after 2009 as a result of Cambridge not fielding a Granta crew from 2007, giving Oxford a row over for three years. From 2016, Nephthys and Granta raced again, sometimes on a different date or location to the main Henley Boat Races. A women's lightweight reserve race was held in 2012 prior to race day and took place from 2016 on race day. The 2013 event was moved to Dorney Lake as a result of flooding on the Thames.
In 2015, the Women's Boat Race moved further down the River Thames to the Tideway to take place as a combined men's and women's Boat Race. The event was moved to Dorney Lake again in 2018 due to "adverse river conditions on the Thames at Henley" and the collegiate races were cancelled. The Lightweight Men's Boat Race made the same move to the Tideway in 2019, followed by the Lightweight Women's Boat Race in 2020, although the Lightweight Boat Races continue to operate separately to their openweight counterparts.
The races received annual press coverage, and competitors from both Universities have gone on to compete at international and Olympic levels.

## Events

Crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge raced side by side over a 2000-meter course on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, racing downstream—the opposite direction to the Henley Royal Regatta course—and finishing halfway down Temple Island. The collegiate races took place over a shorter 1750 m course. The races typically included:
* Women's Boat Race (OUWBC vs CUWBC)
* Lightweight Men's Boat Race (OULRC vs CULRC)
* Lightweight Women's Boat Race (OUWLRC vs CUWBC Lightweights)
* Women's Reserves (Osiris vs Blondie)
* Lightweight Men's Reserves (Nephthys vs Granta) [held separately on an earlier date]
* Lightweight Women's Reserves (Tethys vs CUWBC Lightweight Reserves)
* Men's Intercollegiate Boat Race (between one college representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge)
* Women's Intercollegiate Boat Race (between one college representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge)
An Alumnae race was typically held in later years. The lightweight races constituted the varsity race. The first crew received university half-blues, and was therefore more commonly known as the Lightweight Blue Boat. The reserve crew received university colours. The intercollegiate races were between the fastest crews from the Oxford Torpids and the Cambridge Lent Bumps; Oxford selection was done by time trial and Cambridge gave the right of first refusal to headship crews.

## Results

The history of the results of the races are as follows.

### Women's Boat Race

The Women's Boat Race and its Reserve race became part of the Henley Boat Races in 1977. With the Women's Boat Race moving to the Tideway Championship Course and forming part of The Boat Races 2015, the race as well as the race of the reserve boats Osiris and Blondie ceased to be part of the Henley Boat Races. For the full results tables, see the main article on the Women's Boat Race.
* Cambridge: 21 wins at Henley
* Oxford: 17 wins at Henley
| No. | Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 32 | 1977 | Cambridge | | | 11 | 21 |
| 33 | 1978 | Cambridge | | | 11 | 22 |
| 34 | 1979 | Cambridge | | | 11 | 23 |
| 35 | 1980 | Oxford | | | 12 | 23 |
| 36 | 1981 | Oxford | | | 13 | 23 |
| 37 | 1982 | Cambridge | | | 13 | 24 |
| 38 | 1983 | Cambridge | | | 13 | 25 |
| 39 | 1984 | Cambridge | | | 13 | 26 |
| 40 | 1985 | Oxford | | | 14 | 26 |
| 41 | 1986 | Oxford | | | 15 | 26 |
| 42 | 1987 | Cambridge | | | 15 | 27 |
| 43 | 1988 | Oxford | | | 16 | 27 |
| 44 | 1989 | Cambridge | 6:20 | 1 | 16 | 28 |
| 45 | 1990 | Cambridge | 7:17 | 3+1⁄4 | 16 | 29 |
| 46 | 1991 | Oxford | 7:29 | 3 | 17 | 29 |
| 47 | 1992 | Cambridge | 6:20 | 1⁄3 | 17 | 30 |
| 48 | 1993 | Cambridge | 6:10 | 4+1⁄2 | 17 | 31 |
| 49 | 1994 | Cambridge | 6:11 | 1 | 17 | 32 |
| 50 | 1995 | Cambridge | 6:02 | 1+1⁄3 | 17 | 33 |
| 51 | 1996 | Cambridge | 6:12 | 4 | 17 | 34 |
| 52 | 1997 | Cambridge | 6:26 | 1+1⁄4 | 17 | 35 |
| 53 | 1998 | Cambridge | 6:25 | 1+1⁄4 | 17 | 36 |
| 54 | 1999 | Cambridge | 6:01 | 1 | 17 | 37 |
| 55 | 2000 | Oxford | 6:18 | 2+1⁄4 | 18 | 37 |
| 56 | 2001 | Cambridge | 7:27 | 3 ft. | 18 | 38 |
| 57 | 2002 | Oxford | 6:02 | 2+1⁄2 | 19 | 38 |
| 58 | 2003 | Oxford | 6:35 | 3+1⁄2 | 20 | 38 |
| 59 | 2004 | Oxford | 6:06 | 4 | 21 | 38 |
| 60 | 2005 | Cambridge | 6:27 | 2+1⁄3 | 21 | 39 |
| 61 | 1 April 2006 | Oxford | 5:44 | 1⁄2 | 22 | 39 |
| 62 | 1 April 2007‡ | Cambridge | 4:03 | 1⁄2 | 22 | 40 |
| 63 | 23 March 2008 | Oxford | 6:39 | 1⁄2 | 23 | 40 |
| 64 | 22 March 2009 | Oxford | 6:24 | 1+1⁄4 | 24 | 40 |
| 65 | 28 March 2010 | Oxford | 5:56 | 4 | 25 | 40 |
| 66 | 27 March 2011 | Oxford | 6:24 | 1 | 26 | 40 |
| 67 | 25 March 2012 | Cambridge | 6:38 | 1⁄4 | 26 | 41 |
| 68 | 24 March 2013 | Oxford | 7:21 | 1+3⁄4 | 27 | 41 |
| 69 | 29 March 2014 | Oxford | 5:50 | 4 | 28 | 41 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see Women's Boat Race (Results) |||||||
Notes
‡ – The course was shortened in 2007 due to rough water during the Henley Boat Races. It was reduced from 2000 m to less than 1500 m with the start between the Upper Thames Rowing Club and Old Blades.

### Lightweight Men's Boat Race

* Cambridge: 28 wins
* Oxford: 16 wins
| Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 1975 | Cambridge | | | - | 1 |
| 1976 | Oxford | | | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | Oxford | | | 2 | 1 |
| 1978 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 2 |
| 1979 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 3 |
| 1980 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 4 |
| 1981 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 5 |
| 1982 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 6 |
| 1983 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 7 |
| 1984 | Cambridge | | 1+1⁄3 | 2 | 8 |
| 1985 | Cambridge | | 6 ft | 2 | 9 |
| 1986 | Cambridge | | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1987 | Cambridge | 6:09 | 1⁄2 | 2 | 11 |
| 1988 | Cambridge | | | 2 | 12 |
| 1989 | Cambridge | 5:51 | 4+1⁄2 | 2 | 13 |
| 1990 | Cambridge | 6:40 | 4+3⁄4 | 2 | 14 |
| 1991 | Cambridge | 6:39 | 1⁄3 | 2 | 15 |
| 1992 | Oxford | 5:40 | 2+1⁄2 | 3 | 15 |
| 1993 | Cambridge | 5:39 | 1⁄2 | 3 | 16 |
| 1994 | Oxford | 5:35 | 3⁄4 | 4 | 16 |
| 1995 | Cambridge | 5:29 | 1⁄3 | 4 | 17 |
| 1996 | Oxford | NRO disq | | 5 | 17 |
| 1997 | Oxford | 5:49 | 1 | 6 | 17 |
| 1998 | Cambridge | 5:45 | 1⁄2 | 6 | 18 |
| 1999 | Oxford | 5:31 | 1+1⁄2 | 7 | 18 |
| 2000 | Cambridge | 5:40 | 2 | 7 | 19 |
| 2001 | Cambridge | 6:33 | 4 | 7 | 20 |
| 2002 | Oxford | 5:21 | 2 | 8 | 20 |
| 2003 | Oxford | 5:55 | 1+1⁄4 | 9 | 20 |
| 2004 | Oxford | 5:36 | 1⁄2 | 10 | 20 |
| 2005 | Oxford | 5:51 | 3 | 11 | 20 |
| 1 April 2006 | Oxford | 5:18 | 2+1⁄4 | 12 | 20 |
| 1 April 2007 | Oxford | 3:44 | 1 | 13 | 20 |
| 23 March 2008 | Oxford | 6:15 | 2+1⁄2 | 14 | 20 |
| 22 March 2009 | Cambridge | 5:49 | 3 | 14 | 21 |
| 28 March 2010 | Cambridge | 5:28 | 2 ft | 14 | 22 |
| 27 March 2011 | Oxford | 5:54 | Canvas | 15 | 22 |
| 25 March 2012 | Cambridge | 6:00 | 3⁄4 | 15 | 23 |
| 24 March 2013 | Oxford | 6:49 | 1+2⁄3 | 16 | 23 |
| 30 March 2014 | Cambridge | 5:30 | 3+1⁄2 | 16 | 24 |
| 5 April 2015 | Cambridge | 5:55 | 4 ft | 16 | 25 |
| 19 March 2016 | Cambridge | 6:19 | Easily | 16 | 26 |
| 26 March 2017 | Cambridge | 6:07 | 1+3⁄4 | 16 | 27 |
| 18 March 2018 | Cambridge | 6:26 | 1⁄3 (Raced at Dorney) | 16 | 28 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see The Lightweight Boat Races ||||||

### Lightweight Women's Boat Race

* Cambridge: 19 wins
* Oxford: 17 wins
| Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 1984 | Cambridge | | | - | 1 |
| 1985 | Cambridge | | | - | 2 |
| 1986 | Oxford | | | 1 | 2 |
| 1987 | Cambridge | | | 1 | 3 |
| 1988 | Cambridge | | | 1 | 4 |
| 1989 | Cambridge | 6:37 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 1990 | Cambridge | 7:35 | 2+1⁄3 | 1 | 6 |
| 1991 | Cambridge | 7:48 | 2+1⁄4 | 1 | 7 |
| 1992 | Cambridge | 6:35 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 1993 | Cambridge | 6:18 | Easily | 1 | 9 |
| 1994 | Cambridge | 6:23 | 1 ft. | 1 | 10 |
| 1995 | Oxford | 6:19 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1996 | Cambridge | 6:36 | Canvas | 2 | 11 |
| 1997 | Cambridge | 6:37 | Canvas | 2 | 12 |
| 1998 | Oxford | 6:36 | Canvas | 3 | 12 |
| 1999 | Oxford | 6:01+1⁄2 | 2+3⁄4 | 4 | 12 |
| 2000 | Oxford | 6:22 | 2+1⁄2 | 5 | 12 |
| 2001 | Cambridge | 7:37 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
| 2002 | Oxford | 6:06 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| 2003 | Oxford | 6:51 | 2 | 7 | 13 |
| 2004 | Oxford | 6:08 | 3⁄4 | 8 | 13 |
| 2005 | Oxford | 6:55 | 1⁄2 | 9 | 13 |
| 1 April 2006 | Cambridge | 6:00 | Canvas | 9 | 14 |
| 1 April 2007 | Oxford | 4:11 | 1 | 10 | 14 |
| 23 March 2008 | Cambridge | 7:01 | 1⁄3 | 10 | 15 |
| 22 March 2009 | Oxford | 6:30 | 2+1⁄2 | 11 | 15 |
| 28 March 2010 | Oxford | 6:01 | 2+3⁄4 | 12 | 15 |
| 27 March 2011 | Cambridge | 6:43 | 1+1⁄2 | 12 | 16 |
| 25 March 2012 | Oxford | 6:48 | 1+1⁄3 | 13 | 16 |
| 24 March 2013 | Oxford | 7:33 | 4+3⁄4 | 14 | 16 |
| 29 March 2014 | Oxford | 6:08 | 3+1⁄2 | 15 | 16 |
| 5 April 2015 | Cambridge | 6:26 | 3 ft. | 15 | 17 |
| 19 March 2016 | Oxford | 6:54 | Canvas | 16 | 17 |
| 26 March 2017 | Cambridge | 6:45 | 3 | 16 | 18 |
| 18 March 2018 | Cambridge | 7:24 | 1⁄2 (Raced at Dorney) | 16 | 19 |
| 30 March 2019 | Oxford | 6:28 | 2+1⁄2 | 17 | 19 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see The Lightweight Boat Races ||||||

### Women's Reserves (Osiris vs Blondie)

* Cambridge: 19 wins at Henley
* Oxford: 19 wins at Henley
| Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 1977 | Cambridge | | | - | 5 |
| 1978 | Cambridge | | | - | 6 |
| 1979 | Cambridge | | | - | 7 |
| 1980 | Cambridge | | | - | 8 |
| 1981 | Oxford | | | 1 | 8 |
| 1982 | Cambridge | | | 1 | 9 |
| 1983 | Oxford | | | 2 | 9 |
| 1984 | Oxford | | | 3 | 9 |
| 1985 | Oxford | | | 4 | 9 |
| 1986 | Cambridge | | | 4 | 10 |
| 1987 | Cambridge | | | 4 | 11 |
| 1988 | Oxford | | | 5 | 11 |
| 1989 | Oxford | 6:33 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| 1990 | Cambridge | 7:34 | 1+1⁄4 | 6 | 12 |
| 1991 | Cambridge | 7:36 | 2+3⁄4 | 6 | 13 |
| 1992 | Cambridge | 6:32 | 3+1⁄2 | 6 | 14 |
| 1993 | Cambridge | 6:22 | 1+1⁄2 | 6 | 15 |
| 1994 | Cambridge | 6:22 | Canvas | 6 | 16 |
| 1995 | Cambridge | 6:08 | 1 | 6 | 17 |
| 1996 | Cambridge | 6:33 | 5 | 6 | 18 |
| 1997 | Cambridge | 6:36 | 1⁄4 | 6 | 19 |
| 1998 | Cambridge | 6:32 | 4 | 6 | 20 |
| 1999 | Oxford | 6:09 | 1+3⁄4 | 7 | 20 |
| 2000 | Cambridge | 6:27 | 1+3⁄4 | 7 | 21 |
| 2001 | Oxford | 7:32 | Easily | 8 | 21 |
| 2002 | Oxford | 6:09 | 1+3⁄4 | 9 | 21 |
| 2003 | Oxford | 6:43 | 2 | 10 | 21 |
| 2004 | Oxford | 6:16 | 1⁄2 | 11 | 21 |
| 2005 | Oxford | 6:41 | 1+3⁄4 | 12 | 21 |
| 1 April 2006 | Oxford | 5:54 | 2+1⁄2 | 13 | 21 |
| 1 April 2007‡ | Oxford | NTT | 1 | 14 | 21 |
| 23 March 2008 | Oxford | 7:09 | Easily | 15 | 21 |
| 22 March 2009 | Cambridge | 6:50 | 1+1⁄2 | 15 | 22 |
| 28 March 2010 | Oxford | 6:10 | 3+1⁄2 | 16 | 22 |
| 27 March 2011 | Cambridge | - | Disq | 16 | 23 |
| 25 March 2012 | Oxford | 6:57 | 3+1⁄2 | 17 | 23 |
| 24 March 2013 | Oxford | 7:41 | 6 | 18 | 23 |
| 29 March 2014 | Oxford | 6:01.5 | 1⁄2 | 19 | 23 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see Women's Boat Race (Results) ||||||

### Lightweight Men's Reserves (Nephthys vs Granta)

* Oxford: 9 wins
* Cambridge: 4 wins
| Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 2000 | Cambridge | 5:50 | 2+3⁄4 | - | 1 |
| 2001 | Oxford | 7 | 1⁄2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | Oxford | 5:33 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2003 | Cambridge | 6:19 | 2+1⁄2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | Oxford | 5:45 | Canvas | 3 | 2 |
| 2005 | Oxford | 6:07 | 4+1⁄2 | 4 | 2 |
| 1 April 2006 | Oxford | 5:26 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 1 April 2007 | Oxford | 4:08 | R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys. | 6 | 2 |
| 23 March 2008 | Oxford | 6:29 | R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys. | 7 | 2 |
| 22 March 2009 | Oxford | 6:15 | R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Beat Durham. | 8 | 2 |
| | | | Race in abeyance 2010 - 2015 | | |
| 13 March 2016 | Cambridge | - | 1+1⁄4 (Raced in 4x) | 8 | 3 |
| 26 March 2017 | Oxford | 6:19 | 1⁄2 (Raced in 4+) | 9 | 3 |
| 18 March 2018 | Cambridge | 7:24 | 3⁄4 (Raced in 4+ at Dorney) | 9 | 4 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see The Lightweight Boat Races ||||||

### Lightweight Women's Reserves (Tethys vs CUWBC Lightweight Reserves)

* Cambridge: 4
* Oxford: 1
Raced on the Friday before the main event in a 4+ in 2012, and incorporated into main race day in 2016.
| Date | Winner | Time | Winning Margin (Lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 2012 | Cambridge | | (Raced in 4+) | - | 1 |
| 19 March 2016 | Cambridge | 8:55 | 3⁄4 (Raced in 2-) | - | 2 |
| 26 March 2017 | Cambridge | | easily (Raced in 2-) | - | 3 |
| 18 March 2018 | Oxford | 8:15 | easily (Raced in 4+ at Dorney) | 1 | 3 |
| 30 March 2019 | Cambridge | | 1+1⁄2 (Raced in 2-) | 1 | 4 |
| Race moved to the Championship Course: see The Lightweight Boat Races ||||||

### Men's Collegiate Boat Race

* Cambridge: 7
* Oxford: 2
| Year | Oxford | Cambridge | Time | Verdict (lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 2010 | Balliol | First & Third | | easily | - | 1 |
| 2011 | Christ Church | Caius | 4:06 | 3 | - | 2 |
| 2012 | Pembroke | Caius | | | - | 3 |
| 2013 | Balliol | Caius | | | - | 4 |
| 2014 | Oriel | Downing | | 1⁄2 | - | 5 |
| 2015 | Oriel | Jesus | | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 2016 | Pembroke | Caius | | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2017 | Oriel | Lady Margaret | | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 2018 | Wolfson | Lady Margaret | | - | 2 | 6 |
| 2019 | Wadham | Caius | | | 2 | 7 |
* $^a$ Collegiate races cancelled due to adverse weather conditions

### Women's Collegiate Boat Race

* Cambridge: 5
* Oxford: 4
| Year | Oxford | Cambridge | Time | Verdict (lengths) | Oxford Wins | Cambridge Wins |
| 2010 | Worcester | Queens' | | narrowly | - | 1 |
| 2011 | Magdalen | Pembroke | 4:47.5 | 1⁄3 | - | 2 |
| 2012 | Pembroke | | | | 1 | 2 |
| 2013 | St John's | Downing | | | 1 | 3 |
| 2014 | Wadham | First & Third | | 2+1⁄2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2015 | Green Templeton | Christ's | | 3⁄4 | 2 | 4 |
| 2016 | Christ Church | Jesus | | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 | Keble | Jesus | | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2018 | Keble | Jesus | | - | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | Wadham | Newnham | | | 4 | 5 |
* $^a$ Collegiate races cancelled due to adverse weather conditions