At Oxford this was the second year of George Morrison’s time as President and after the 1860 result, everything was gloom and despondency.

Luckily Morrison was not only excellent as a coach but he was one of those who completed the record of the year assiduously in the Presidents’ book. Thus we see in relation to the challenge to be sent to Cambridge:

“though many thought it was folly to do so, so bad did our prospects look: Of the eight of [18]60’ only Mr Halsey and myself remained and the [college] eightsof the previous summer had been so excessively bad that no new oars had been found”

Oxford held their trial eights early, excluded any of the old rowers and applied the policy which was to stand him well during the time when he coached of chosing the trial crews purely on the basis of their strength.

Morrison undertook the coaching himself for the first few weeks and then took his place in the 5 seat about the middle of February when there was about 5 weeks to go before the race. He defined his own form of training and we know all about it from another entry which he made in the Presidents’ book.

“Our training differed in many respects from any before described in these books, so a longer account than usual may be pardoned. In the morning the old system of a mile run before chapel was dropped and a walk of half a mile substituted, which was found a great improvement. Breakfast of chops and steaks, bread and butter and tea. Lunch: half a pint of beer and bread and butter or a sandwich, or glass of sherry and biscuits, which suited some men better. At half-past two started for out row; after which we always had a run of a mile or half a mile, in the earlier part of training usually a mile.

"A clean jersey for rowing in every day was insisted on. For dinner, four days a week we had beef or mutton, on the others fowl, fish (on Sundays) and once or twice a light pudding. We were always careful to have the same beer: a pint every day. After dinner, two glasses of port, never allowed large glasses, but occasionally after hard work, an extra glass. For supper a basin of gruel, or a cup of chocolate and so to bed at 10.30 sharp.

"We rowed twice to Wallingford, about 20 miles downstream, which had a good effect. Also during the week at Putney, we used to run for two or three bursts of 100 yards each in our morning walk, which also we found beneficial. So much for our training which brought the crew to the post in as good a condition as any crew ever was.”

He therefore describes the coaching that year, presumably while he was actually rowing in the boat and this makes surprising reading when judged against modern practice.

“During our practice Mr Finch, of Wadham, sometimes rode down, but (not being a Universty oar) could hardly do much for us and once or twice Mr Baxter and Lane, but the turning point in the formation of the crew was Mr Warre’s visit on March 21 [i.e. only two days before the Race]. So that we laboured under the disadvantages of hardly any coaching from the bank and of having only one old oar in the boat, so that our winning must be attributed to the willing patience of the crew and to the great strength and size of its members, for it was one of the biggest crews ever sent from Oxford”

This explanation can scarcely be accurate, unless he was talking about height, which was not recorded in those days. The average weight of Oxford was just over 11 stone 4 lbs, lighter than their Cambridge counterparts.

Moreover the average weight of Oxford in previous years was greater. The most likely explanation was that this was a tall lean fitter crew that most at that time, perfectly drilled by the obsessional Morrison.

It is clear that when Cambridge came to Putney, even though they were favourites as a result of their performance the previous year, they were neither fit nor together, certainly not enough to cope with the very high rate of striking that they were set (in boats which were still fixed seats).

Cambridge won the toss and chose Middlesex in a south west wind which was clearly going to produce some difficulties over the second half of the course. Walter Hoare (the Oxford stroke) took them off at a ‘quiet’ (sic) 37, whereas John Hall, who had also been stroke and President of Cambridge the previous year, when they had won, rated 44.

Their initial rush took them into the lead but the steady long strokes soon had an effect and by Craven steps the Dark Blues were clear, and by the mile were three lengths ahead, despite the fact that the accompanying steamers were making such a wash that rowing was far from easy. This obstruction continued all the way to Hammersmith, by which time they were some six lengths ahead, at which stage it was Cambridge who suffered more than their rivals by the close attention of the steamers.

Oxford went on to win at a paddle in 23 minutes 30 seconds, no less than 47 seconds ahead of Cambridge for the first of what was to be a record nine successive wins.