The 8th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 3 April 1846. Umpired by Charles Jasper Selwyn, Cambridge won in a time of 21 minutes 5 seconds, with a winning margin of three lengths. The race was held on the ebb tide, starting in Mortlake and ending in Putney. For the first time, outriggers were used by both crews.
Background
The Championship Course along which the Boat Race is competed. For the 1846 event, the crews raced on the ebb tide, so started at Mortlake (marked as Finish) and ended in Putney (marked as Start).
Following their ten-length defeat in the previous year's race,[4] Oxford sent their challenge to Cambridge in February 1846, proposing that the race should take place at Easter.[5] The umpire for the race was Charles Jasper Selwyn.[6][7] Cambridge went into the race leading the contest overall, with five wins to Oxford's two since the inaugural race in 1829.[4] On one of only a handful of occasions, the race was rowed on the ebb tide, from Mortlake to Putney.[8]
For the first time in the history of the race, both boats used outriggers.[9] Both crews had professional coaches: Oxford used John Noulton while Cambridge were trained by Robert Coombes, a champion sculler.[10] It marked the start of the debate over the use of professional coaches which was not resolved until the 1852 race.[8]
Crews
The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11 st 8.375 lb (73.5 kg), 3.25 pounds (1.5 kg) more per rower than their opponents.[11] Oxford saw three Blues return from the 1845 race in Royds, Stapylton and Milman; Harkness and Hill returned for Cambridge.[11]
At Hammersmith Bridge Cambridge had drawn half a boat's length ahead, but Oxford put on such a desperate spurt and came up as before. But this was their final effort; for pulling with unparalleled pluck and resolution, they had taken it all out of themselves.
Conditions for the race were described by MacMichael as "very fine, and the little wind there was with the tide."[6] The race commenced shortly after 11.10 a.m., started by Edward Searle.[13] Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station, handing Cambridge the Middlesex side of the river.[6][14] Despite taking an early lead, Oxford were soon caught and Cambridge drew away, holding a third-of-a-length lead by Chiswick. As the long bend began to favour Oxford, Cambridge slowed in shallow water allowing the Dark Blues to close some of the discrepancy, but by Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge were back to a half-length lead. A final surge from Oxford once again closed the gap, but Cambridge pulled away to take the victory in a record time of 21 minutes 5 seconds and by a margin of three lengths.[15]
