▁two ▁univers ities ▁and ▁followed ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁broadcast ▁world wide . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁race ▁as ▁reign ing ▁champions , ▁having ▁be aten ▁Cambridge ▁by ▁ ▁lengths ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁year ' s ▁race . ▁ ▁However ▁Cambridge ▁held ▁the ▁overall ▁lead , ▁with ▁ 6 8 ▁vict ories ▁to ▁Oxford ' s ▁ 6 1 ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁" de ad ▁heat " ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 7 ). ▁ ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁spons ored ▁by ▁Lad bro kes ▁for ▁the ▁nin th ▁consecutive ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Women ' s ▁Bo at ▁Race ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁become ▁an ▁annual ▁fi xture ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁Until ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁contest ▁was ▁conducted ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Hen ley ▁Bo at ▁R aces , ▁but ▁as ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁race , ▁it ▁is ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁River ▁Th ames , ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁as ▁the ▁men ' s ▁main ▁and ▁reserve ▁races . ▁ ▁The ▁reserve ▁race , ▁cont ested ▁between ▁Oxford ' s ▁Is is ▁boat ▁and ▁Cambridge ' s ▁Gold ie ▁boat ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁It ▁usually ▁takes ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁T ide way , ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁main ▁Bo at ▁Race . ▁ ▁C rew s ▁Oxford ▁were ▁pre - race ▁favour ites , ▁and ▁we ighed ▁an ▁average ▁of