 The race commenced at 2 @.@ 35 pm . Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station . The boats raced side @-@ by @-@ side for the first three @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half miles of the race , for fourteen minutes neither crew held a lead of more than half @-@ a @-@ length over the other , and umpire Roger Stephens was forced to issue warnings to both coxes for steering too close to one another . The Dark Blues held a slight early advantage but Cambridge pulled ahead at Hammersmith Bridge . Oxford edged ahead at Barnes Bridge , and passed the finishing post in a time of 17 minutes 44 seconds , one @-@ and @-@ a @-@ quarter lengths ahead of Cambridge , the closest finish in the last 20 years . Oxford 's Yugoslav rower Boris <unk> had to be lifted from the boat at the end of the race . The Beefeater Gin Trophy was presented to the winning boat club president by Raymond Seitz . 
