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
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Your support makes all the difference.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:
Women’s Boat Race 2023
There’s now a visible difference between the rhythms of both boats. Cambridge are flying and have pulled ahead. Usually the crews start at around 40 strokes per minute and then settle around 34.
Cambridge seem to be pushing above that average.
Women’s Boat Race 2023
The water is fairly bouncy and is expected to get worse as the crews make their way around the bend. Cambridge are starting to close the gap on Oxford.
Oxford started with the inside bend but they’ll be forced into a wider turn later down the river.
Women’s Boat Race 2023
Right then, 4.2 miles to go on a cloudy and overcast day. The crowds are packed in on the side of the river as the boats approach Craven Cottage.
Cambridge seem to have developed a good rhythm early on.
Women’s Boat Race 2023
And they’re off! It’s a decent start for Oxford who edge slightly in front of Cambridge. It was a punchy and aggressive start.
Women’s Boat Race 2023
Almost time for the race to get underway. Who will triumph this time out?
What happened last year?
Cambridge women claimed their fifth successive victory by also setting a record time of 18 minutes and 23 seconds, 10 seconds faster than their previous recorded time from 2017.
Oxford triumphed in the men’s race last year for the first time since 2017, but can they do it again?
Cambridge win the toss
The toss for the women’s race takes place with Cambridge victorious after the coin lands on tails (Oxford had called heads). Cambridge choose to the Surrey station which should give them a slight advantage around Hammersmith Bridge.
Oxford won the men’s toss and interestingly they also chose Surrey. That has been the winning play for the last few years.
Dame Katherine Grainger said: “Interesting call at the toss. The weather is changing hour by hour.”
What does the Boat Race mean to the competitors?
Grace Prendergast, a New Zealand Olympic gold medal winner, took part in the Boat Race last year winning with Cambridge for the women’s team.
She’s on duty with the BBC today and says: “There’s nothing quite like the boat race. The event is for the people on the bank.”
A change in fortunes?
Former Cambridge student Tara Slade has made the switch to the dark blue upon undertaking medicine at the University of Oxford.
She will race alongside astronomer Laurel Kaye in the women’s race.
An international event
The men’s boats feature rowers from across the world with Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France, Taiwan and Switzerland all represented.
Ollie Parish, a world junior champion for Great Britain, makes his third consecutive race start for Cambridge, with a new crew that includes four-time French champion Noam Mouelle.
Parish’s brother Jasper has switched to the men’s boat following victory last year as the cox in the women’s boat.
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