The Boat Race 1879

36th Boat Race
Date5 April 1879 (1879-04-05)
WinnerCambridge
Margin of victory3 lengths
Winning time21 minutes 18 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)
17–18
UmpireJoseph William Chitty
(Oxford)

The 36th Boat Race took place on 5 April 1879. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Each crew contained four Blues. In a race umpired by former Oxford rower Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge led all the way, and won by a margin of three lengths in a time of 21 minutes 18 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 18–17 in Oxford's favour.