Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs often take the opportunity to travel to Spain in the early months of the new year, to train in less testing weather conditions than those which tend to prevail in the UK. Perhaps if this had happened 20 years ago the events of 1987 may have been different.

1987 will always be remembered in the history of this great Race as the year of the “mutiny” at Oxford. It is a tale which has since been retold and reworked in both a book and a movie.

This was the season for which mature Scottish student, Donald Macdonald, was elected President, having already won a Blue in 1986. Macdonald re-appointed Daniel Topolski (now a renowned rowing journalist and broadcaster) as Chief Coach.

Part of the 1986/87 squad at Oxford included American Chris Clark, now a coach at an American University, and four fellow US internationals.

Allegedly, a schism appeared in the squad between the American quintet, all experienced and leading oarsmen, and those rowers closest to Macdonald. The Scot’s group were happy to follow Topolski’s regime whilst the others were not so sure.

Following a contentious seat racing trial in January of 1987, Topolski decided to move Clark to the bow-side of the boat. Clark disagreed. Toposki held firm. As a result Clark and his “group” within the squad decided not to row and sought a takeover.

The squabble was played out extensively in the UK national media and caught the public imagination. Macdonald sought support from the college captains and eventually won a vote of confidence by 28 votes to 11.

Without the Americans, the Oxford crew was immediately considered a lost cause. Cambridge were overwhelming favourites to win.

At it turned out, though, this was a Race which would prove why sport, and particularly The Boat Race, can be so fascinating.

On the day of the Race a thunderstorm blew up and turned the Tideway into a churning mass of wind and waves. Oxford, who started the Race on the Middlesex station, sped towards the shelter of the Fulham Wall. Cambridge, exposed to the elements for a few minutes longer as they followed suit, shipped too much water to take advantage of their superiority later in the race. Oxford took the verdict by four lengths.

Add a bit of hyperbole, a touch of celluloid gloss and it’s not hard to see why this particular spat turned into the fabric of myth and legend with the underdogs emerging triumphant.