 During the build @-@ up to the race , the rowing correspondent for The Times had suggested that " until three weeks ago a Cambridge victory seemed almost certain " but practice rows had proved disappointing . The Oxford crew had been struck down by influenza in training , and had to reshuffle their order a month before the race . Although the new order " seemed weak " , they made better progress in training than Cambridge , yet the Light Blues , who were described as " well drilled " but with " erratic timekeeping " nevertheless remained " precarious favourites " . 
