16 January 2026

By Tim Koch

Tim Koch suggests that Oxford looks to its past to improve its present.

In 1861, Oxford won the first in a series of nine Boat Race victories. It repeated a nine-win run again between 1890 and 1897 and achieved ten wins in a row 1976 – 1985. Cambridge’s two best winning runs have been seven, 1993 – 1999, and the all time record of thirteen, 1924 – 1936.

The University Boat Race Official Centenary History 1829-1929, compiled by GC Drinkwater and TRB Sanders, says of the first win of these Oxford long runs:

In 1861 came the first of the long series of Oxford victories with the smashing defeat of Cambridge by no less than 47 seconds. It cannot be gainsaid that Morrison, now President for the second time, was the architect of Oxford’s success… (He) instituted a new system of training which may be given in his own words:

In the morning the old system of a mile run before chapel was dropped, and a walk of half a mile substituted, which was found a great improvement.

Breakfast of chops and steaks, bread-and-butter and tea.

Lunch, half a pint of beer and bread-and-butter or a sandwich, or a glass of sherry and some biscuits, which suited some men better.

At half-past two started for our row after which we always had a run for a mile or half a mile, in the earlier part of training usually one mile. A clean jersey for rowing every day was insisted on.

For dinner we had four days a week beef or mutton, on others fowls, fish (on Sundays) and once or twice a week a light pudding.

We were always careful to have the same beer, a pint every day. After dinner, a glass of port, never allowed large glasses but occasionally after hard work an extra glass.

For supper, a basin of gruel or a cup of chocolate – and to bed at 10.30 sharp.

We rowed twice to Wallingford, about 20 miles downstream, which had a good effect. Also, during the week at Putney, we used to run for two or three bursts of 100 years each in our morning walk which we also found beneficial.

The work of the crew for one week in February 1861 quoted in WE Sherwood’s History of Boat Racing at Oxford (1900) was as follows: 

Monday, 11th February: Long (Isis) course, 23 min 30 sec. Wind, great guns against, stream average, waves very high.  

Tuesday, 12th February: Long course, 21 min 30 sec. Wind not so bad, waves worse; raced a scratch crew, and passed them at the last corner.

Wednesday, 13th February: Three times to Iffley.

Thursday, 14th February: Abingdon, 21 min. Wind slight against, stream average.

Friday, 15th February: Abingdon, 20 min. 35 sec. Wind slight against, stream average.

Saturday, 16th February: Beat a scratch crew easy, 21 min 3 sec. Wind moderate against, stream slack.

When the crew went to Putney for Tideway Week, they rowed the Putney to Mortlake course four times.

Monday, 11th March: 23 min 30 sec. 

Tuesday, 12th: 24 min 30 sec on a slack tide.

Wednesday, 13th: 21 min 45 sec. 

Thursday, 14th: 20 min 35 sec, beating a crew of watermen.

Friday, 15th: Starts.

Saturday, 16 March: “Beat Cambridge easily.”

Oxford 2026 take note.

The Fixture Races for the 2026 Boat Race begin on 16 January and go through to 22 March. The dates and times can be viewed on the Port of London Authority’s Notice to Mariners.