[5][6] The First World War caused a six-year hiatus in the event: during the conflict, at least 42 Oxbridge Blues were killed,[7] including four of the previous race's Cambridge crew and one from the Oxford boat.

The Light Blues also took part in the Inter Allied Peace Regatta in Paris the same year, victorious in the final against New Zealand and Australia crews.

[13] Three of the participants in the race were registered as non-British: Oxford's Hugh Cairns and Neil Harcourt MacNeil,[14] and Cambridge's John Alan Campbell were all Australian.

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

[12][17] Both crews rowed 38 strokes and were level for the first minute until Cambridge, slightly reducing their rating began to pull ahead, holding a canvas-length lead by the Mile Post.

Facing a strong headwind, Oxford pulled in behind Cambridge and attempted a "bold bid for the inside of the Barnes corner".