The Detroit times., 1910-03-23
OXFORD WINS
BIC BOAT RACE.
Rows True To Form in Sixty-Seventh
Struggle, Defeating Cambridge by
Three and Half Lengths.


true to form today and defeated Cam
bridge In the sixty-seventh struggle
between them. by three and a half
lengths. The race was rOwAd on the
Thames. from Putnss a. Mortlake. q
distance of four and q h31f miles. and
after the first mile there was never
any question as TO the result. At the
first mile the lighter Cambridge men
were quarter OF length ahead. but
they had shot their bolt In this early
squirt and began dropping behind. The
race was In many respects q repeti-
ton OF last years struggle. Oxford
was hot favorite.
The time was 20 minutes and II sec
ondG, one minute and ~ seconds be-
hind the record
One OF the greatest crowds that
ever lined the Tames witnessed the
struggle. The dark blue OF oxford was
largely In the ascendant. as the Ok
onians confident their crew would
win. poured out In larger numbers
than the cantab supporters.
Cambridge won the toss and chose
the Mlddlesex side OF the river, get
ting some slight advantage from the
wind The oxford boat had the Sur
rey side. The wind was not enough.
however. TO rough the water. which
was another advantage to the cantabs,
rs their lighter crew would have been
at disadvantage In rough water.
The average weight OF the crews
was: oxford 176 "a: Cambridge.
l72S-i
The start was made at 1927. Cam
bridge began using stroke OF SO TO
Oxiord's 80, which sent the light blue
boat slightly in the lead. Oxford,
taking things easy. permitted this lead
10 be maintained. throughout the hrst
mile, when the cnntabs seemed 10 tire.
At Hammsrsmth's bridge, one-thi-i
OF the distance 10 the finish, OXFORD
was leading by three-fourths OF
length and her supporters knew moth
ing but an accident could rob her or
the race.
! So sure was oxford OF the result,
that just beyond Hammersmith's
! bridge she dropped her stroke to 81.
Cambridge cllnging desperately to her
initial stroke.
| Cambridge made her final squirt near
the halfway point, when she succeed
Ell in cutting down Oxfords lead of
one and a bals lengths by half b
| length.
The effort told on the light blue,
however, for between the halfway
point and the ihree.fourths station.
oxford drew steadily away and IN
creased her lead 10 two and three-quar-
ter lengths.
Cambridge rowed game race IN
| tho face of defeat and In the last mile
of the race lost only three-fourths OF
u length.
| The oxford crew was far stronger
,,hysically than the Cambridge men.
The cantabs looked % though they had
been overworked. Their stroke. II. J.
&. Shields. was criticised for the short
stabbing thrust OF his oar, which CON-
pared more unfasorably with the enec-
tive swing of the rival stroke, Capt.
3. c. Bourne. Most spectators thought
that Cap. T.. G. Williams, who pulled
No :. should have stroked the Cam
| ! ridge boat.
The dual regatta was instituted In
| Is43 and has continued annually with
out interruption ever since. In THIS
time oxford has won 80 times and
Cambridge has come home In front
! In 80 races. The regatta or 1877 was
dead heat.
| The course is about four miles In
| length and the crews row against the
current. which Is severe strain
upon the men. AS general thing
men in both shells collapse after the
race from sheer exhaustion, having
rowcd THEMSELVES out In the struggle.
The best record for the course Is
IS minutes and AZ seconds. made by
oxford in 1893 and Cambridge In
/ 1900