 The 100th Boat Race took place on 3 April 1954 . Held annually , the Boat Race is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames . In a race umpired by former Cambridge rower Kenneth Payne , Oxford won by four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half lengths in a time of 20 minutes 23 seconds , taking the overall record in the competition to 54 – 45 in Cambridge 's favour . 
