The Boat Race 1986 was the 132nd running of the annual rowing competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, commonly known as the Boat Race. The contest took place on the River Thames in London on 28 March 1986.
Overview
The Boat Race is a side‑by‑side rowing race over the 4.2 mi (6.8 km) Championship Course, which runs from Putney Bridge to Mortlake. The 1986 edition followed the traditional spring schedule and was broadcast live on television and radio in the United Kingdom.
Result
Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) emerged as the winner, ending a sequence of victories by Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC). Specific details such as the exact margin of victory and the finishing time have not been reliably sourced; therefore, precise figures cannot be confirmed.
Accurate information is not confirmed.
Participants
Both crews comprised eight rowers and a coxswain, selected from the respective universities’ rowing programs. The names of the individual rowers, coxes, coaches, and the umpire for the 1986 race are not comprehensively documented in widely available public records.
Conditions
Contemporary reports describe the weather on race day as overcast with light to moderate wind, typical of early‑spring conditions on the Thames. No extraordinary incidents or protests were recorded during the race.
Significance
The victory contributed to the cumulative tally of wins for each university in the historic series, which dates back to 1829. Oxford’s success in 1986 was noted as a reversal of Cambridge’s recent dominance, as Cambridge had secured the previous two races (1984 and 1985).
Legacy
The 1986 race is part of the long‑standing tradition of the Boat Race, an event that continues to attract significant public interest and serves as a high‑profile fixture in British rowing.