The Boat Race 1865

[10] Cambridge saw the return of five former Blues, including the cox Francis Archer and number four Robert Kinglake, both of whom had represented the university twice before.

[11] Both crews had initially returned to the boathouses upon the instruction of their boat club president's who had demanded the steamers stay behind the start.

[13] Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey side of the river to Cambridge.

To avoid the steamers pressing from behind, the Light Blue cox Archer steered his boat to the middle of the river, while his counterpart, Charles Tottenham, manoeuvred too close to the bank, resulting in a two-length lead for Cambridge by Craven Cottage.

Oxford's better line in the river saw them draw away rapidly from Cambridge, whereupon the Light Blues were regarded as "falling to pieces".