| 127th Boat Race | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 4 April 1981 | ||
| Winner | Oxford | ||
| Margin of victory | 8 lengths | ||
| Winning time | 18 minutes 11 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 68–58 | ||
| Umpire | Ronnie Howard (Oxford) | ||
| Other races | |||
| Reserve winner | Isis | ||
| Women's winner | Oxford | ||
| |||
The 127th Boat Race took place on 4 April 1981. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Umpired by former Oxford rower Ronnie Howard, it was won by Oxford who passed the finishing post eight lengths ahead of Cambridge, their largest margin of victory since 1898. The race saw Oxford coxed by Sue Brown, the first female cox in the history of the event.
In the reserve race, Isis beat Goldie by 4+1⁄2 lengths, and in the Women's Boat Race, Oxford were victorious.