 Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station , handing the Middlesex side of the river to Oxford . In bright sunshine , a light wind and smooth water , umpire Pitman started the race at 2 : 20 p.m. Although rating slower than Oxford , Cambridge took a lead and were three @-@ quarters of a length ahead by Craven Steps . They extended their lead to a length and a quarter by the Mile Post and continued to pull away as they passed below Hammersmith Bridge . According to Drinkwater , they took " things easy in the rough water " towards Barnes Bridge and went on to pass the finishing post four and a half lengths ahead , in a time of 20 minutes 23 seconds . It was Cambridge 's first victory since the 1908 race and took the overall record in the event to 39 – 31 in Oxford 's favour . Drinkwater concluded that while " Oxford were a poor crew ... individually they had quite a lot of talent " . By comparison , he noted that Cambridge " were a reasonably high @-@ class crew ... but they lacked quickness " . 
