Boat Race 2022: Our guide on where to watch it, when to see it on TV and all you need to know about the Cambridge v Oxford contest
Tim Jones is delighted that the Gemini Boat Race will return to the Championship Course in London on Sunday (April 3) after a two-year absence.
The last time Oxford and Cambridge raced from Putney to Mortlake was in 2019.
After a late cancellation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a combination of the pandemic and repair work on Hammersmith Bridge meant that the 2021 races were moved to the River Great Ouse in Ely.
Cambridge’s Light Blues beat Oxford’s Dark Blues in both the men’s and women’s races 12 months ago.
“The Boat Race is one of the most iconic events in world sport and we are looking forward to welcoming our supporters and crews back to the Tideway,” said Jones, the chairman of the Boat Race Company Ltd.
“Thanks to the support of our principal partner Gemini, who have recommitted to the race for three years after they were with us last year in Ely, we have been able to support our athletes to train to a world-class standard and also reach out to local communities to introduce a whole new generation to rowing and its ability to empower, unite and transform.
““This year the crews are of a phenomenal standard, including numerous Olympic and world class rowers from all over the world.
“It is a unique feature of the Boat Race that oarsmen and women who have learned to row at school or College can be in a crew racing alongside recent Olympians.
“We are very proud of the opportunities that the Boat Race gives to athletes who meet the requisite standard regardless of background and look forward to a series of excellent races on April 3.”
When are the races?
- Sunday, April 3.
- The 76th Women’s Boat Race starts at 2.23pm.
- The 167th Men’s Boat Race begins at 3.23pm.
- The women’s reserve race is at 2.38pm, followed by the men’s reserves at 2.53pm.
Where can I watch the race on TV?
- Coverage of the races is on BBC One on Saturday, from 1.50pm and 4.20pm.
- It can also be steamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Who has won the most races?
- In the men’s event, Cambridge lead the way with 85 wins, with Oxford having had 80 successes. There was one dead heat, in 1877.
- In the women’s race, Cambridge have 45 victories and Oxford have triumphed 30 times.
- As for the reverse races, the men’s event has been rowed 56 times and Cambridge’s Goldie have 32 to Oxford’s Isis’ 24.
- The women’s reserve race sees Cambridge’s Blondie lead with 26 to Oxford’s Osiris’ 20.
Who are in the crews?
Meet the Cambridge University and Oxford University men's crews.
Meet the Cambridge University and Oxford University women's crews.
How long is the Championship Course?
- The stretch of water that the crews compete over is 4miles 374yards, or 6.8km, from Putney to Mortlake.
- It is rowed upstream but is timed to start on the incoming ‘flood’ tide.
- The Fulham and Chiswick north side of the course is known as the Middlesex
- station and the Putney and Barnes south side of the course is known as the Surrey
- Station.
- The crew that wins the toss more often than not chooses the Surrey station which means they have the inside of the long bend round Hammersmith and Chiswick Reach.
- Crews must stay on their side of the river - and receive a warning from the umpires if they do not or stray into their opponents water - unless they get ‘clear water’ which means a lead of more than one boat length.
Where to watch the Boat Race in person?
- Putney Embankment is one of the most popular places for spectators to gather to see the action, it is where the crews boat and where the coin toss takes place.
- There is an official Boat Race fan park at Furnival Gardens, in Fulham, and another on the Middlesex or north side of the river at Bishop’s Park in Putney.
Read more:
Boat Race 2022: South African Paige Badenhorst is driven to succeed at Cambridge University
Boat Race 2022: George Finlayson swaps Sydney and California for Ely with Cambridge University
