LONDON — Oxford and Cambridge are rekindling their traditional rowing rivalry as the River Thames hosts the 197th edition of the Boat Race, and you can follow it live on ESPN.
The women’s race, in its 99th year, is predicted to be a close-run thing, while Cambridge are the overwhelming favourites to win the men’s race once again.
– The Boat Race: Schedule, winners’ list, how to watch Oxford vs. Cambridge
– Boat Race hoping Jamie Laing, revamped Channel 4 coverage boosts relatability
The Boat Race, competed between two of the country’s most illustrious institutions, is one of the country’s longest-running sporting traditions.
Supremacy has ebbed and flowed between Oxford and Cambridge over the near-200-year history of the contest, but Cambridge have had the upper hand of late.
The light blues (Cambridge) lead the dark blues (Oxford) 49-30 in the women’s race and 88-81 in the men’s.
As ever in this race, Olympians and world champions are mixing it with regular student athletes in a bid for glory in west London.
The 4.2-mile Championship Course winds from Putney Bridge past Fulham’s Craven Cottage home and under Hammersmith Bridge before the finish line just before Chiswick Bridge.
This year marks a break with tradition as Channel 4 broadcast the race for the first time. Boat Race organisers are hoping the channel’s revamped coverage, featuring presenters such as Jamie Laing, will help boost the event’s appeal.
Organisers are expecting more than 200,000 spectators to line the banks of the Thames to watch the race unfold.
