The 154th Boat Race took place on 29 March 2008 . Held annually , the event is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames . Oxford won the race . Oxford 's crew featured the oldest competitor in Boat Race history . The race took place in very difficult weather conditions – strong winds and heavy rain – resulting in the slowest winning time in over sixty years . Oxford won by six lengths , the largest margin of victory since the 2004 race .