Oxford wins a boat race ! Cambridge defeated in annual women ' s events . Oxford women ' s crew did somethig to make amends for the long series of defeats sustained by Oxford men ' s crew in the annual boat race with Cambridge when they defeated a Cambridge women ' s crew over a half mile course on the Upper river at Oxford . This was the first time in the history of the women ' s event that the crews had started simultaneously instead of rowing seperately and relying on time test . Photo shows , the finish of the race , Oxford nearer camera . 29 February 1936