It’s the 154th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race on Saturday, and merry patrons of London’s riverside pubs will be spilling out onto the streets to unite in a chorus of: “Sink!” Hitlist recalls five humdingers from boat race history.

1860 – the one with the yawns
Taking a staggering 10 minutes longer than the course record, Cambridge’s 1860 victory was hard fought because of some “distinctly lumpy water”. Their 26min 5sec win is the slowest to this day.

1877 – the one with the dead heat
With Cambridge looking the stronger of the two teams, the race began just after 8am. A heavy westerly wind unsettled the light blues (Cambridge), who weren’t good on choppy water. Oxford took an early lead, Cambridge caught them up – and then, for the only time in history, a dead heat was recorded.

1959 – the one with the splinter group
Disenchanted by the training policy of “Jumbo” Edwards, their senior coach, the Oxford rowers attempted to challenge the Establishment by selecting their own crew. They were beaten down – but still went on to win.

1984 – the one with the barge
With just 20 minutes to go before the start of the race, disaster struck the Cambridge team when they collided with a barge moored in the middle of the Thames, writing off their boat. The race was postponed for a day, but in their stand-by vessel Cambridge were no match for an on-form Oxford.

2002 – the one with the tired chap
When an Olympic rower collapses from exhaustion just before the finish, you get an inkling that this annual jamboree is actually jolly hard work. Kindly described at the time as having “completely rowed himself out”, Sebastian Mayer of Cambridge had an asthma attack – brought on by exhaustion – in the last stages of the race, allowing Oxford to edge ahead to victory.