THE VARSITY BOAT RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 697, 24 June 1929, Page 13

THE VARSITY BOAT RACE

The recent Oxford and Cambridge boat race recalls the fact that this was the centenary year, and it brings them dead level—4o each. The first race undoubtedly took place in 1829, but not on its present course. The founders of this annual struggle were Wordsworth, of Christ Church, Oxford, and two old Etonians, Staniforth, of Oxford, and Snow, of Cambridge. Spiritual as well as muscular strength must have been keen in that first race, as in late years the Church claimed a few—two bishops, three deans, a prebendary, arid three vicars. Seven years later the second race took place, and the course was even longer than the present one, as it used to be from Westminster to Putney (six miles). The present course, from Putney to Mortlake (42 miles) is gruelling enough. From 1856 the contest has been an annual one, and had never been interrupted until the outbreak of the war. Some of the races have been very close and exciting. There has been only one foul, two boats have sunk, and there was one dead heat through the dark blue bow man breaking his oar. The Oxford —ISmin. 29sec.