The Boat Race 1982

Their number five, Boris Rankov, won a record fifth Boat Race as a rower, and Oxford's Clay brothers became the first twins to win the event.

[8] During the pre-race preparations, the Cambridge crew struck a floating railway sleeper near Chiswick Eyot, damaging their boat, which needed repair before the race.

[9] Oxford's crew suffered illness in the days leading up the race, in particular the president Nick Conington who was moved from stroke to bow to reduce the chances of a possible recurrence of glandular fever.

[11][12] Despite retiring from rowing, Boris Rankov, a junior fellow at St Hugh's was persuaded back into the crew by the Oxford boat club president Nick Conington.

[10] River conditions were calm: Jim Railton of The Times described the course as "a smooth and flat Queen's highway from Putney to Mortlake.

From Harrods Furniture Depository, Oxford fought their way back into contention with cox Brown forcing her counterpart Bernstein to steer towards the centre of the river.

Both crews shot Hammersmith Bridge a second apart, with Oxford quickly gaining a length's lead and a clear water advantage.

[8] Rankov, who became the first rower to win five consecutive Boat Races (C. R. W. Tottenham had won five as a cox in the 1860s),[12] admitted, "The beginning was all right.