Boat Race 2023 LIVE: Cambridge and Oxford compete over four mile course on River Thames

Cambridge men hope to regain their title after Oxford won the 2022 race

(Action Images via Reuters)

The 2023 Boat Race between Cambridge and Oxford takes place London this afternoon as the two famous universities clash on the River Thames.

In the men’s race last year, Oxford ended three years of Cambridge victories with a win of two and a quarter lengths. It was their first victory since 2017 after the race was abandoned in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The margin of victory was the same in the women’s race but the spoils went to Cambridge who extended their winning run to five years.

The 77th women’s race starts at 4pm and the 168th men’s follows at 5pm. An estimated 250,000 people are expected to watch the races from the banks of the river as the annual event takes place over 4.25 miles from Putney to Mortlake.

Follow all the action from the Boat Races with our liveblog below:

Boat Race 2023

• Cambridge and Oxford universities clash on the River Thames for the 2023 Boat Race
• Cambridge regain their title in the women’s race for a sixth consecutive year
• It’s two from two for Cambridge who win the men’s race as well

[26 March 2023 15:33 · Michael Jones]

Boat Race 2023

The weather is an issue today. It’s wet, rainy and windy meaning conditions far from ideal to row just over four miles. Coverage is just starting on BBC One with the Women’s event kick off in just under half an hour.

(PA)

[26 March 2023 15:30 · Michael Jones]

Oxford hold the edge over Cambridge

Reigning champions Oxford have claimed 13 wins for the men’s team since 2000, while Cambridge has won the race nine times in the last 13 years.

However, the longest consecutive streak for either side is just three wins which was by Cambridge before between 2018-2021.

[26 March 2023 15:25 · Michael Jones]

Boat Race 2023 - the route

The Boat Race takes place on the 4.2 mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in south-west London.

It starts downstream of Putney Bridge, passing under Hammersmith Bridge and Barnes Bridge, before finishing just before Chiswick Bridge in Mortlake.

The timings for both races are based on the tides to allow teams the best possible chance of recording fast times.

[26 March 2023 15:20 · Michael Jones]

Who’s in the Cambridge Men’s team?

There are three roles in rowing - bow, stroke and cox. The race is rowed in eights and the cox can be of any gender.

Cambridge Men’s Team

Bow: Matt Edge (St Catharine’s), Brett Taylor (Queens’), Noam Moulle (Hughes Hall), Seb Benzecry (Jesus), Thomas Lynch (Hughes Hall), Nick Mayhew (Peterhouse), Ollie Parish (Peterhouse)

Stroke: Luca Ferraro (King’s)

Cox: Jasper Parish (Clare)

[26 March 2023 15:15 · Michael Jones]

Who’s in the Oxford Men’s team?

There are three roles in rowing - bow, stroke and cox. The race is rowed in eights and the cox can be of any gender.

Oxford Men’s team

Bow: James Forward (Pembroke), Alex Bebb (St. Peter’s), Freddy Orpin (St. Catherine’s), Tom Sharrock (Magdalen), James Doran (Oriel), Jean-Philippe Dufour (Lincoln), Tassilo von Mueller (Hertford)

Stroke: Felix Drinkall (Wolfson)

Cox: Anna O’Hanlon (Somerville)

[26 March 2023 15:10 · Michael Jones]

Who’s in the Cambridge Women’s team?

There are three roles in rowing - bow, stroke and cox. The race is rowed in eights and the cox can be of any gender.

Cambridge Women’s team

Bow: Carina Graf (Emmanuel), Jenna Armstrong (Jesus), Rosa Millard (Trinity Hall), Alex Riddell-Webster (Murray Edwards), Claire Brillon (Fitzwilliam), Freya Keto St (Edmund’s), Isabelle Bastian (Jesus)

Stroke: Caoimhe Dempsey (Newnham)

Cox: James Trotman (Sidney Sussex)

[26 March 2023 15:05 · Michael Jones]

Who’s in the Oxford Women’s team?

There are three roles in rowing - bow, stroke and cox. The race is rowed in eights and the cox can be of any gender.

Oxford Women’s team

Bow: Laurel Kaye (Worcester), Claire Aitken (Oriel), Sara Helin (St. Peter’s), Ella Stadler (Exeter), Alison Carrington (Hertford), Freya Willis (Magdalen), Sarah Marshall (Jesus)

Stroke: Esther Austin (St Anne’s)

Cox: Tara Slade (St Peter’s)

[26 March 2023 15:00 · Michael Jones]

How to watch the Boat Race 2023

The action will be shown on BBC One, with coverage getting underway at 3:30pm.

The women’s race will start at 4pm BST on Sunday 26 March followed by the men’s race at 5pm.

[26 March 2023 13:25 · Michael Jones]

Boat Race 2023

The Boat Race returns to the River Thames today as the light blue of Cambridge University take on the dark blue of Oxford University.

In the men’s race last year, Oxford ended three years of Cambridge victories with a win of two and a quarter lengths whilst the Cambridge women where victorious by the margin of victory to extend their winning run to five years.

The race returned to the Thames last year after it wasn’t held in 2020 and was held on the Great Ouse in 2021.

The women’s race kicks off first at 4pm BST followed by the men’s race an hour later. Who will be triumphant this time around?