Buckle up for the annual boat race between Cambridge and Oxford, synonymous with British tradition, on Sunday, March 26. This year will celebrate the 168th Men's Boat Race and the 77th Women's Boat Race and will follow the route of The Championship Course, which is 4 miles long, between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames. A route that's been followed every year since the race started in 1845.
Where to watch the race
Find a spot on Putney Bridge to see the very start of the race, or head to Chiswick Bridge at the finish line to soak up the party atmosphere - but make sure you arrive in ample time to bag a good spot.
There are two official fan zones where you can anchor up and get stuck into the celebrations: The Hammersmith Fan park in Furnival Gardens and the Fulham Fan Park in Bishops Park. Both spots open from midday and are chock with wine and beer bars, tasty street food vendors, and big screens broadcasting the race live.
If you'd rather find a riverside pub to cheer your favourite team from, The Boathouse is right at the start of the route and has a spacious terrace boasting views over Putney Bridge. The Crabtree, also at the beginning of the route, has ten screens broadcasting the race live. They're also hosting an exclusive Crabtree Boat Race, free to enter. There's also the Hammersmith-based riverside pub, The Blue Boat, about halfway around the route.
Schedule for the day
- 4 pm – Oxford vs Cambridge Women's boat race commences
- 4.15pm – Osiris vs Blondie boat race
- 4.30 pm – Isis vs Goldie boat race
- 5 pm – Oxford vs Cambridge Men's boat race
- 5.30-6 pm – Awards ceremony
Find out more about the races here.
