 The 71st Boat Race took place on 28 March 1914 . 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 . Oxford went into the race as reigning champions , having won the previous year 's race . In this year 's race , umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman , Cambridge won by four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half lengths in a time of 20 minutes 23 seconds . The victory took the overall record to 39 – 31 in Oxford 's favour . It would be the last race for six years following the outbreak of the First World War . 
