▁returning ▁Blues ▁while ▁Oxford ▁wel com ed ▁back ▁just ▁one , ▁in ▁Mac don ald . ▁ ▁Oxford ' s ▁coach ▁was ▁Top ol ski , ▁his ▁counter part ▁was ▁Alan ▁In ns . ▁ ▁Race ▁ ▁With ▁a ▁more ▁experienced ▁crew ▁and ▁less ▁dis ruption ▁in ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁race , ▁Cambridge ▁were ▁considered ▁favour ites . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁won ▁the ▁toss ▁and ▁elected ▁to ▁start ▁from ▁the ▁M idd les ex ▁station . ▁ ▁A ▁mal function ▁to ▁u mp ire ▁Col in ▁Mo yn ih an ' s ▁bar ge ▁caused ▁a ▁delay ▁to ▁the ▁start ; ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁the ▁cre ws ▁avoided ▁racing ▁in ▁a ▁light ning ▁storm . ▁ ▁Stra ight ▁from ▁the ▁start , ▁Oxford ▁ste ered ▁towards ▁M idd les ex ▁to ▁seek ▁shelter ▁from ▁the ▁inc lement ▁weather . ▁ ▁Cambridge ▁eventually ▁followed , ▁taking ▁on ▁water , ▁and ▁receiving ▁warnings ▁for ▁enc ro aching ▁into ▁Oxford ' s ▁water . ▁ ▁Al most ▁a ▁length ▁ahead ▁by ▁Cra ven ▁C ott age , ▁Oxford ▁ste ered ▁across ▁and ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁Cambridge ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁race ▁before ▁the ▁M ile ▁Post . ▁ ▁A ▁seven - second ▁advantage ▁at ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁Bridge ▁became ▁twelve ▁seconds ▁by ▁Bar nes ▁Bridge ▁and ▁remained ▁so ▁by ▁the ▁finishing ▁post , ▁with ▁Oxford ▁winning ▁by ▁four ▁lengths ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁minutes ▁ 5 9 ▁seconds . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁reserve ▁race , ▁Cambridge ' s ▁Gold ie ▁beat ▁Oxford