 Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge. The umpire, Nickalls, started the race at 11: 30 a.m. The Dark Blues took an early lead and were half a length ahead after the first minute of the race. They were clear of Cambridge by Craven Steps, and by the time the crews passed the Mile Post, were a length ahead. In the headwind along Chiswick Reach, and with the bend in the river in their favour, Cambridge slowly redressed the balance and by Chiswick Eyot they had begun to overlap Oxford's boat.
