The Boat Race 1982 fellow at St Hugh's was persuaded back into the crew by the Oxford boat club president Nick Conington. Rankov was rowing in his fifth consecutive Boat Race, alongside Steve Foster whom he supervised in classics. Oxford's crew also contained the Clay twins, Robert and Hugh. River conditions were calm: Jim Railton of "The Times" described the course as "a smooth and flat Queen's highway from Putney to Mortlake." Michael Muir-Smith was the umpire for the race, for which Oxford were "heavily favoured". They won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station. A good start from the Light
The Boat Race 1864 of Putney Bridge in order to reduce interruptions to the race from steamers. Indeed, both boat club presidents had issued a caution to the steamer captains, indicating that the race would be conducted on the ebb tide should any interruption take place which would risk the steamers becoming grounded at Mortlake. The finish was moved the corresponding distance upstream to maintain the traditional length of the race. Oxford rowed in the same boat as the previous race, which was constructed by J. and S. Salter while Cambridge utilised a new vessel built for them by Taylor of Newcastle. Oxford were