 The Oxford crew weighed an average of 12 st 13.75 lb (82.2 kg), 7.25 pounds (3.3 kg) per rower more than their opponents. Cambridge's crew contained three participants with Boat Race experience, in A. Burrough, T. B. Langton and T. H. Hunter. Oxford saw five former Blues return to the crew, including John Cherry who was making his third consecutive appearance in the event. Two of the participants were registered as non-British, both in the Cambridge crew: number six G. Keppel and cox T. H. Hunter were both American.
