 Oxford were pre @-@ race favourites . They won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station , handing Cambridge the Surrey side of the river . The race commenced at <unk> , with Oxford pulling away from the start . The Dark Blues were clear of Cambridge by the time the crews reached the Crab Tree . By Hammersmith Bridge both coxes were forced to take evasive action as a result of a barge blocking their route . With a lead of two lengths after the bridge , Oxford continued to increase their lead , eventually passing the flag @-@ boat with a seven @-@ length advantage in a time of 25 minutes 29 seconds . It was their third consecutive victory and took the overall record to 7 – 5 in Cambridge 's favour . 
