▁row ing ▁competition ▁between ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge ▁( s ometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" D ark ▁Blues " ▁and ▁the ▁" Light ▁Blues " ▁respectively ). ▁First ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁the ▁race ▁takes ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁ ▁Championship ▁Cour se ▁on ▁the ▁River ▁Th ames ▁in ▁south west ▁London . ▁ ▁The ▁rival ry ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁point ▁of ▁honour ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁univers ities ▁and ▁is ▁followed ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ; ▁the ▁races ▁are ▁broadcast ▁world wide . ▁ ▁Cambridge ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁race ▁as ▁reign ing ▁champions , ▁having ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁race ▁by ▁seven ▁lengths , ▁and ▁led ▁overall ▁with ▁ 6 9 ▁vict ories ▁to ▁Oxford ' s ▁ 6 2 ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁" de ad ▁heat " ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 7 ). ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁race ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁race ▁to ▁be ▁spons ored ▁by ▁Be efe ater ▁G in . ▁ ▁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 . ▁Up ▁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