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WOMEN'S BOAT RACE HISTORY - Oxford University v Cambridge University

1927: OXFORD won based on 'time and style'. OXFORD v NUNEHAM COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE on the Isis at Oxford

Large and hostile crowds gathered on the towpath

The eights were not allowed on the river at the same time


1929: NEWNHAM COLLEGE won based on 'time and style'

The eights were not allowed on the river at the same time


1930: NEWNHAM COLLEGE won based on 'time and style'


1934: OXFORD won based on 'time and style'


1935: OXFORD won against NUNEHAM COLLEGE.
From 1935 the races were over 1000 yards or half a mile on either the Cam or the Isis (or on one occasion the Tideway at Barnes)


1936: OXFORD won against NUNEHAM COLLEGE.
Betty Francombe, who had stroked the Oxford boat in 1929 and subsequently coached them from 1931-36, donated a cup for the winner of a race between Oxford and Cambridge University women. For a while the cup was lost but has been recovered and is currently used as the victor ludorum trophy at the Henley Boat Races.


1937: OXFORD won against NUNEHAM COLLEGE.


1939: OXFORD won against NUNEHAM COLLEGE.


1941: OXFORD won against CAMBRIDGE.
Cambridge University Women's Boat Club CUWBC was founded. The only other all female college, Girton joined Nuneham in representing CAMBRIDGE.
From 1941 the crews were awarded full blues (University colours)


1942: CAMBRIDGE won


1945: CAMBRIDGE won


1946: CAMBRIDGE won


1948: CAMBRIDGE won


1949: OXFORD won


1950: OXFORD won


1951: OXFORD won


1952: CAMBRIDGE won


In the mid 1950s an Oxford women's boat had an unfortunate accident with a weir and were banned from the river. That, together with a lack of funds at Oxford, meant that races ceased until 1964.
CUWBC almost folded in the 1960s

The race was revived by two engineering students between 1962-64, though they still faced male opposition, even to row in the bumps races during the mid-60’s. The Captain of Selwyn College summed up the prevailing view in a letter to CUWBC:

I personally do not approve of women rowing at all. It is a ghastly sight, an anatomical impossibility and physiologically dangerous.


1964: CAMBRIDGE WON


1965: CAMBRIDGE WON
Canon Duckworth of Churchill College, an old Blue, gave the women much needed support at Cambridge; coaching the Blue Boat (whom he referred to as Perspiring Persephones or Swetty Bettys) to an impressive run of success.


1966: CAMBRIDGE WON


1967: CAMBRIDGE WON


1968: CAMBRIDGE WON
I had the task of coaching Cambridge for a few weeks. As I remember it I reckoned they were about the skill level of our college second boat - but lacked that male aggresiveness that gave that boat its bumping ability.
Today I would certainly not accuse the Women's Eights I have seen of lacking that racing edge - whether that is to be called female aggresiveness I leave to others ...


1969: CAMBRIDGE WON


1970: CAMBRIDGE WON


1971: CAMBRIDGE WON
Colleges gradually became mixed gender - and this placed Women's rowing on a much more secure footing. And was also a challenge to Men's rowing. My College at Cambridge, had previously about 450 undergraduates and this was therefore the number from whom the boat club recruited. When half became women, the Men's crews had to be recruited from 225 men who were at Cambridge based on academic rather than physical qualifications. The decline in Oxbridge College participation at Henley Regatta for instance may be partly traced to this.
I don't in the least regret it - the boathouse is a happier more efficient, (cleaner!) place that it was before - and to my college the women have brought considerable success.


1972: CAMBRIDGE WON


1973: CAMBRIDGE WON


1974: CAMBRIDGE WON


1975: CAMBRIDGE WON


1976: OXFORD WON


1977: CAMBRIDGE WON (rowing downstream over the Henley course finishing mid Temple Island from 1977 on)


1978: CAMBRIDGE WON


1979: CAMBRIDGE WON


1980: OXFORD WON


1981: OXFORD WON


1982: CAMBRIDGE WON


1983: CAMBRIDGE WON


1984: CAMBRIDGE WON


1985: OXFORD WON


1986: OXFORD WON


1987: CAMBRIDGE WON


1988: OXFORD WON


1987: CAMBRIDGE by 1 length in 6:20


1987: CAMBRIDGE by 3.25 lengths in 7:17


1988: OXFORD by 3 lengths in 7:29


1989: CAMBRIDGE by 1/3 length in 6:20


1990: CAMBRIDGE by 3.25 lengths in 7:17


1991: OXFORD by 3 lengths in 7:29


1992: CAMBRIDGE by 1/3 length in 6:20


1993: CAMBRIDGE by 4.5 lengths in 6:10


1994: CAMBRIDGE by 1 length in 6:11


1995: CAMBRIDGE by 1 1/3 lengths in 6:02


1996: CAMBRIDGE by 4 lengths in 6:12


1997: CAMBRIDGE by 1.25 lengths in 6:26


1998: CAMBRIDGE by 1.25 lengths in 6:25


1999: CAMBRIDGE by 1 length in 6:01


2000: OXFORD by 2.25 lengths in 6:18


2001: CAMBRIDGE by 3 feet in 7:27


2002: OXFORD by 2.5 lengths in 6:02


2003: OXFORD by 3.5 lengths in 6:35


2004: OXFORD by 4 lengths in 6:06


2005: CAMBRIDGE by 2.33 lengths in 6:27


2006: OXFORD by 0.5 length in 5:44


2007: CAMBRIDGE by 0.5 length in 4:03 (!)


2008: OXFORD by 0.5 length in 6:39


2009: OXFORD by 1.25 lengths in 6:24


2010: OXFORD by 4 lengths in 5:56


2011: OXFORD by 1 length in 6:24


2012: CAMBRIDGE by 0.25 length in 6:38


2013: OXFORD by 1.75 lengths in 7:21


2014: OXFORD by 4 lengths in 5:50
The last Oxford v Cambridge University Women's Boat Race at Henley


It has been announced that the Women's Boat Race, will from 2015, be held on the same day over the same course as the Men's Boat Race.

[So from this point onwards the Women's results will be found beside the men's results]

In 1866 PUNCH produced this cartoon -


Boat-Race of the Future - Drifting Down to the Start-Point



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