The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
The annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is also known as the BNY Mellon Boat Race. It is contested by two male rowing crews from Oxford and Cambridge universities.
It covers a four-and-a-quarter mile course, known as the Championship Course, along the River Thames. The route stretches from Putney to Mortlake, starting downstream of Putney Bridge and finishing just before Chiswick Bridge.
Oxford’s crew wear dark blue whereas Cambridge crews wear light blue.
First Boat Races between Oxford and Cambridge universities.
The first Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race took place in 1829 in Henley on Thames. The Boat Race 1849 notes that since the second race, in 1836, the contest has taken place in London.
Almost 100 years after the men started racing, the women of Oxford and Cambridge universities began racing too. The first Newton Women’s Boat Race took place in Oxford in 1927, despite male objections. The Newton Women’s Boat Race moved to Henley in the 1970’s.
Both races have become regular Oxbridge sporting events.
Sporting history will be made on Saturday April 11th 2015
This year is the first that the men’s crews and the women’s crews will share the same race day on the Tideway. The Newton Women’s Boat Race takes place at 4.50pm, followed by the BNY Mellon Boat Race at 5.50pm. Both races will be shown live on the BBC
Photo by Katie Chan
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boat_Race_2014_-_Main_Race_(83).jpg