 The 82nd Boat Race took place on 12 April 1930 . 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 Oxford rower Charles Burnell , Cambridge won by two lengths in a time of 19 minutes 9 seconds . Their seventh consecutive victory , it took the overall record to 41 – 40 in their favour , the first time for 68 years that they held the lead in the event . 
