Cambridge University Boat Club athletes undergoing training sessions in Portugal and Italy

Cambridge University Boat Club’s athletes have swapped the floods and the freezing weather in the United Kingdom for calmer and more favourable conditions overseas.

Groups of rowers have headed out to the Italian coastal town of Sabaudia and Avis in Portugal as preparations for this year’s Boat Race ramp up.

Both venues provide long stretches of water to help boost aerobic conditioning, while 2km courses allow the coaches to put the squad through their paces when it comes to seat racing.

The men’s and women’s crews will row their first fixtures of the year on January 28.

Meanwhile, the date for this year’s women’s and men’s Lightweight Boat Races has been confirmed.

The Tideway Course on the River Thames will once again be the venue for the races on Friday, March 29 – 24 hours before the Openweight Boat Races.

The Women’s Lightweight Boat Race is scheduled the get under way at 2.13pm, with their male counterparts following an hour later.

The two races, both of which were won by Cambridge University Boat Club last year, will get started from the University Stone on the south bank.