June 10 – The First University Boat Race

nPostednon June 10, 2014

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nIndoubt very much if June 10, 1829, was the date of the very first boatnrace at a university. But it is the date of the first “UniversitynBoat Race.” n

nWhichnis to say, Cambridge vs. Oxford.

nThatnrivalry may mean nothing to you, but trust me, people in England andnthe United Kingdom generally know all about the rivalry between thesentwo universities.

nActually,nthe universities have a lot in common. They are the two oldestnuniversities in the U.K. – and two of the three oldest survivingnuniversities in the world. And when I say “old”…well, they’renpretty darned old! They were founded more than 800 years ago. n

nBetweennthe two of them (the two are sometimes called “Oxbridge”), theynhave produced many of Britain’s most important scientists, writers,nand politicians. They still have the top two rankings for academicnreputation in all of the U.K., and in all of the world other than thenU.S. (the top six universities in the world are considered to benOxford, Cambridge, Harvard, MIT, the University ofnCalifornia-Berkeley, and Stanford). They both have publishing houses,nbotanical gardens, museums, debating societies, science parks, andntheatrical groups.

nAndnlet’s not forget their boat clubs!

nThentwo universities started in rivalry with each other, actually, since Cambridge wasnfounded by scholars who had fled from a fight with the townsfolk ofnOxford.

nAndnnow for The Race:

Cambridgenstudent Charles Merivale challenged his friend at Oxford, CharlesnWordsworth, in a boat race in 1829. In that June 10 race, Cambridge lost – and rathernbadly, too!

nThenrace had been held at the town of Henley-on-Thames (Thames being thenriver’s name). There were a few re-matches held in other places, andnit took a while for the tradition to become an annual event. Butnsince 1856, the Boat Race has been held in Henley, on the Thames River, every year except duringnWorld Wars I and II.

It’sna race of the blues: Cambridge’s color is light blue, and Oxford’s isndark blue. So far, Cambridge has one 81 times, and Oxford 78 times.nThere was one year when they finished in a “dead heat” – ancomplete and total tie! (But that was back in 1877, before TV camerasnand replays. Modern judges would probably be able to call a winner inna similarly close race.)

Hownexciting is blue-vs.-blue? Well, from 250,000 to 270,000 people watchnfrom the banks of the river each year, and millions more people watchnit on TV. n

nAfternall, you never know when something exciting like a mutiny (1987) or ansinking (1912) will happen! Not to mention clashing oars (2001 andnthis year!) and a protester stopping the race (2012)!

nAlsonon this date: