▁event . ▁H eld ▁ann ually , ▁the ▁Bo at ▁Race ▁is ▁a ▁side - by - side ▁row ing ▁race ▁between ▁cre ws ▁from ▁the ▁Univers ities ▁of ▁Oxford ▁and ▁Cambridge ▁along ▁the ▁River ▁Th ames . ▁ ▁The ▁Cambridge ▁crew ▁were ▁consider ably ▁heav ier ▁than ▁their ▁oppon ents . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁won ▁the ▁toss ▁but ▁Cambridge ▁won ▁the ▁race ▁by ▁ ▁lengths ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 7 ▁minutes ▁ 4 9 ▁seconds . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁reserve ▁race ▁Gold ie ▁beat ▁Is is ▁and ▁Cambridge ▁won ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁Bo at ▁Race . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁Bo at ▁Race ▁is ▁a ▁side - by - side ▁row ing ▁competition ▁between ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁( s ometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" D ark ▁Blues ") ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge ▁( s ometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" Light ▁Blues "). ▁ ▁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 ▁followed ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁broadcast ▁world wide . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁race ▁as ▁reign ing ▁champions , ▁having ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁race ▁by ▁five ▁lengths , ▁although ▁Cambridge ▁led ▁overall ▁with ▁ 7 8 ▁vict ories ▁to ▁Oxford ' s ▁ 7 3 ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁" de ad