 The Dark Blues took the lead and were three @-@ quarters of a length up at Barnes Bridge . Elin increased Cambridge 's stroke rate ; Charles Kent , the Oxford stroke responded and although the bend in the river favoured the Dark Blues , Cambridge closed the gap . However , it was too late to stop Oxford taking the victory . The Dark Blues passed the finishing post with a half @-@ length lead in a time of 21 minutes 48 seconds . It was their second consecutive victory and the narrowest winning margin since the 1867 race , taking the overall record to 25 – 22 in Oxford 's favour . 
