▁race ▁featured ▁the ▁most ▁non - B rit ish ▁row ers ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁event , ▁and ▁in ▁German ▁Thor sten ▁Engel mann , ▁the ▁heav iest ▁ro wer ▁ever . ▁ ▁Reb e cca ▁Dow big gin ▁became ▁the ▁th ir teenth ▁female ▁co x ▁in ▁the ▁race ' s ▁history ▁and ▁the ▁sevent h ▁female ▁co x ▁for ▁Cambridge . ▁ ▁Cambridge ' s ▁head ▁coach ▁was ▁Dun can ▁Holland , ▁his ▁Oxford ▁counter part ▁was ▁Se an ▁Bow den . ▁ ▁Race ▁description ▁ ▁Oxford ▁won ▁the ▁toss ▁and ▁elected ▁to ▁start ▁from ▁the ▁Sur rey ▁station . ▁ ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁u mp ired ▁by ▁former ▁Oxford ▁Blue ▁Peter ▁Bridge . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁took ▁an ▁early ▁lead , ▁and ▁were ▁just ▁ahead ▁at ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁Bridge . ▁ ▁Cambridge ▁ed ged ▁back ▁into ▁cont ention ▁by ▁the ▁Ch is wick ▁Ste ps ▁and ▁heading ▁under ▁Bar nes ▁Bridge ▁were ▁a ▁length ▁clear . ▁ ▁They ▁passed ▁the ▁finishing ▁post ▁first , ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 7 ▁minutes ▁ 4 9 ▁seconds , ▁a ▁length - and - a - qu arter ▁ahead ▁of ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁Cambridge ' s ▁first ▁victory ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁took ▁their ▁overall ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁contest ▁to ▁ 7 9 – 7 3 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁finish , ▁following ▁tradition , ▁the ▁Cambridge ▁crew ▁threw ▁their ▁co x , ▁Dow big gin , ▁into ▁the ▁water ▁in ▁celebr ation . ▁