The 91st Boat Race took place on 1 April 1939. 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. In a race umpired by the former Oxford rower William Rathbone, Cambridge won by four lengths in a time of 19 minutes 3 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 48–42 in Cambridge's favour. It would be the last race for seven years as following the outbreak of the Second World War.