▁an ▁American , ▁while ▁Oxford ' s ▁compr ised ▁four ▁Americans , ▁three ▁Brit ons , ▁an ▁Australian ▁and ▁a ▁German . ▁ ▁Both ▁co xes , ▁Nick ▁Bro die ▁and ▁Reb e cca ▁Dow big gin , ▁were ▁former ▁Blues , ▁while ▁Cambridge ▁also ▁saw ▁ 3 0 - year - old ▁Tom ▁Edwards ▁return , ▁having ▁row ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Cambridge ' s ▁boat ▁club ▁president ▁Dan ▁O ' Sh augh ness y ▁was ▁the ▁sevent h ▁Light ▁Blue ▁president ▁not ▁to ▁row ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁Blue ▁Bo at . ▁ ▁Race ▁ ▁Oxford ▁were ▁pre - race ▁favour ites , ▁but ▁Cambridge ▁won ▁the ▁toss ▁and ▁elected ▁to ▁start ▁from ▁the ▁Sur rey ▁station . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁took ▁an ▁early ▁lead , ▁but ▁the ▁boats ▁closed ▁on ▁each ▁other , ▁and ▁the ▁u mp ire ▁John ▁Gar rett ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁issue ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁warnings ▁to ▁both ▁co xes ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁prevent ▁a ▁collision . ▁ ▁By ▁Cra ven ▁C ott age , ▁Oxford ▁were ▁nearly ▁a ▁length ▁ahead ▁and ▁Cambridge ▁respond ed ; ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁cre ws ▁passed ▁under ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁Bridge ▁they ▁were ▁level . ▁ ▁Al ong ▁Ch is wick ▁E y ot ▁Oxford ▁moved ▁ahead ▁once ▁again , ▁and ▁were ▁clear ▁of ▁Cambridge ▁after ▁ 3 0 ▁stro kes . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁extended ▁their ▁lead ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁finishing ▁post ▁in ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes ▁ 5 3 ▁seconds , ▁six ▁lengths ▁and ▁