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"). 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
1933 race by two and a quarter lengths, and led overall with 44 victories to Oxford's 40 (excluding the
"dead heat" of 1877). Cambridge were coached by T. A. Brocklebank (who had rowed for Cambridge three times between 1929 and 1931), Francis Escombe, F. E. Hellyer (who had rowed for the Light Blues in the
1910 and
1911 races) and Peter Haig-Thomas (four-time Blue for Cambridge between 1902 and 1905). Oxford's coaches were
Stanley Garton (who had rowed three times between 1909 and 1911), John Houghton Gibbon (who had rowed for the Light Blues in the
1899 and
1900 races) and A. E. Kitchin (who had rowed in the
1908 race). The race was umpired by the former Cambridge rower Herbert Aylward Game, who had represented the Light Blues in the
1895 and
1896 races. Both crews rowed in boats built by Sims and used
Ayling oars. including president
Gerald Ellison, and were forced to reorganise the boat. Cambridge had difficulty finding a suitable
stroke for the race, eventually opting to place N. J. Bradley in that seat, even though
The Timess correspondent noted that he "is not, and never could be, anything but a makeshift stroke". By the time of the race, Cambridge were markedly favourite to win, with former Oxford rower E. P. Evans, writing in
The Manchester Guardian that the Light Blues would "win with comparative ease". ==Crews==