The build-up to this year’s Boat Race has been beset by controversy. Oxford insisted that Tom Ford, a gold-medal winner from last year’s Paris Olympics, was ineligible to row for Cambridge because he started his undergraduate degree more than 12 years ago. The dispute then expanded to include three other potential Cambridge rowers, all of whom are studying for PGCE qualifications, which Oxford say makes them ineligible to row too.
James Cracknell, writing exclusively for Telegraph Sport, said: “The situation does not surprise me because there is a bizarre level of pettiness between the two universities.”
Both crews are hoping that the tradition of throwing the winning cox into the Thames will be revived. Last year the water was deemed too dirty to risk the stunt but a new £5 billion “super sewer” has cut the amount of sewage entering the river.
What date is the 2025 Boat Race?
Sunday, April 13, 2025. The date of the boat race changes every year dependent on tides, university calendars and major London events.
The men’s Boat Race was first raced in 1829 and now spans 196 years of rivalry. The women’s event first took place in 1927.
The 2025 Boat Race will be the 170th time that Oxford and Cambridge’s men have raced against each other and the 79th time the women’s crews have done so. In the men’s head-to-head, Cambridge lead Oxford 87-81. Cambridge women have won the race 48 times to Oxford’s 30.
What time does the race start?
The main events are as follows:
- 1.21pm: 79th women’s Boat Race
- 1.36pm: Women’s reserve race: Osiris v Blondie
- 1.51pm: Men’s reserve race: Isis v Goldie
- 2.21pm: 170th men’s Boat Race
What is the course?
The course stretches over 4.25 miles (6.8km) of tidal Thames from Putney to Mortlake, commonly referred to as the Championship Course. There is a coin toss before the race to determine which team gets to pick their station: either Middlesex or Surrey.
What TV channel is the Boat Race on?
More than 250,000 people will line the banks of the Thames to watch this year’s race, with many more following on television. BBC One will carry live coverage, starting at 12.45pm. It will also be available to stream online via the BBC website and The Boat Race YouTube Channel. Coverage is broadcast in about 200 countries ...
