text: the boat race 1885 the 42nd boat race took place on 28 march 1885 . held annually , the boat race is a side - by - side rowing race between crews from the universities of oxford and cambridge along the river thames . in a race umpired by former cambridge rower robert lewis - lloyd , the lead changed hands several times . oxford won by a margin of two - and - a - half lengths in a time of 21 minutes 36 seconds . the victory took the overall record to 23 – 18 in favour of oxford . background the boat race is a side - by - side rowing competition between the university of oxford ( sometimes referred to as the " dark blues " ) and the university of cambridge ( sometimes referred to as the " light blues " ) . first held in 1829 , the race takes place on the 4 . 2 miles ( 6 . 8 km ) championship course on the river thames in southwest london . the rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities ; it is followed throughout the united kingdom and as of 2014 , broadcast worldwide . cambridge went into the race as reigning champions having won the previous year 's race by two - and - a - half lengths , while oxford held the overall lead , with 22 victories to cambridge 's 18 ( excluding the " dead heat " of 1877 ) . oxford 's coach was g. c. bourne who had rowed for the dark blues in the 1882 and 1883 races . there is no record of who coached cambridge , who were seriously disrupted in the build - up to the race , with edric wolseley haig contracting mumps , j. c. brown breaking a floating rib and william king being introduced to the crew days prior to replace him . the umpire for the race was robert lewis - lloyd ( who had rowed for cambridge four times between 1856 and 1859 ) . crews the oxford crew weighed an average of 12 st 6 . 75 lb ( 79 . 1 kg ) , 7 . 75 pounds ( 3 . 5 kg ) more than their opponents . it was the heaviest crew to have ever featured in the boat race . cambridge 's crew contained four rowers who had boat race experience , including fraser elmslie churchill and sidney swann , both of whom were participating in their third race . similarly , oxford saw four former blues return , with douglas mclean making his third appearance and rowing with his brother hector for the first time . the race featured one registered non - british participant in oxford 's number two , j. s. clemons , who originated from tasmania . race cambridge were pre - race favourites . oxford won the toss and elected to start from the surrey station , handing the middlesex side of the river to cambridge . the race started at 12 : 26 p.m. in fine weather on a moderate tide . although oxford made the better start , cambridge held a half - of - a - length lead by the time the crews passed the craven steps . with the advantage of the bend in the river , the oxford stroke h. girdlestone , without increasing the stroke rate , took his crew level , and ahead at the mile post . although the cambridge stroke frederick pitman tried to restore parity by encouraging a spurt , oxford held the light blues off and by hammersmith bridge held a length 's lead . despite appearing " as if the crew going to pieces " after some difficult conditions , oxford extended their lead to two lengths by the doves pub . approaching barnes bridge , the dark blues had to avoid a skiff , allowing cambridge to come back at them , before pushing on once again on to win by two - and - a - half lengths in a time of 21 minutes 36 seconds . after the race it was noted that the oxford number three , p. w. taylor , had dislocated his shoulder but had continued despite his injury .