Boat Race 2021

The battle of Oxbridge

University Boat Race 2021, Cambridge or Oxford for the win?

One of the most traditional sporting events in the British calendar is set to begin in less than two days time. The Boat Race, see rivals, Cambridge and Oxford, go head to head in a battle of the rowers. Instead of the usual grand venue of the River Thames, this sporting event will be brought to a corner of Cambridgeshire for the 166th boat race.

For 2021 only, the race will be held on the Great Ouse near to the village of Littleport. The venue is not the only change this year, the length of the course has also altered. What is normally a 4.2 mile race is now going to be a little over 3 miles. Following a straight stretch of the River Ouse, the crews will also be competing against each other without the usual cheers of spectators pushing them along. And to maintain safety for all, the race is going to be a closed event. So as you can see the Boat Race will look and feel slightly different this year, but you better believe the competition between the two University’s is still as fierce as ever.

Cambridge Boat Race, Oxford University, Cambrigde University, River Cam, Rowing, Boat Race

The beginnings of the Boat Race

The annual Oxford-Cambridge University Boat Race was established back in 1829, to offer an unrivalled educational experience to the students who partake. Two friends from Harrow School, Charles Wordsworth of Christ Church College, Oxford, and Charles Merivale of St. John’s, Cambridge decided to set up a rowing challenge during Easter vacation which has now turned into an annual spectacle, with the women’s race founded a little later, in 1927. Since the 1800’s most races have taken place in London, along the Thames. However, in 1944 during the war, the race had to move due to the activity that was going on in London, so Ely was the venue of choice 77 years ago. Now due to COVID-19, the boat race has had to move location once again back to Cambridgeshire.

 

Cambridge Boat Race, Oxford University, Cambrigde University, River Cam, Rowing, Boat Race

Cambridge v Oxford 2021

The 2021 event will see the 166th Men’s Boat Race and the 75th Women’s Boat Race. It is returning after the cancelled 2020 event due to the pandemic, with the current champion’s, Cambridge, looking to regain their title which they secured back in 2019.

The event is planned to take place on Sunday, April 4, with the women’s race due to begin at 3.50pm and the men’s race starting at around 4.50pm.

Since the race is a closed event you will not be able to attend but you can catch all the excitement on BBC 1 with live coverage from 3pm onwards. So, make sure to grab your snacks, and get ready to shout at the TV to see whether Cambridge can be victorious once again.


Posted on April 2nd, 2021, by the Traditional Punting Company