Cambridge Men, Oxford Women Favorites For The Boat Race

By Martin Cross

The world’s first intercollegiate athletic contest, The Boat Race, pitting Oxford and Cambridge universities against one another for the 171st time, goes off Saturday, April 4 on London’s River Thames, starting with the women’s event.

On Tuesday morning, March 30, the overwhelming favorites to win the CHANEL J12 men’s Boat Race rowed flat-out bursts into the teeth of a gusting north westerly wind.

The Cambridge men had been asked to set their mettle by coach Rob Baker in the rought, whitecapping water on the championship course after hearing that the forecast for Saturday’s race means that the Thames will cut up rough after halfway.

Oxford will be hoping that the conditions will disrupt the slick and powerful rhythm of the Cambridge Light Blues. The Oxford Dark Blues may entertain thoughts of a  famous victory but in truth the measure of their success, according to coach Mark Fangen-Hall, will be determined by how well they row under pressure on the day.

Most neutrals and Dark Blues would love to see an Oxford win though.  The race needs that, they say. The women haven’t won since 2016 and the men since 2022.

It’s most likely the Oxford women will deliver that victory. Their race will no doubt be close—the Cambridge crew is both polished and strong.

But the Dark Blues showed, in their fixture against the mighty Leander Club, that they have both impressive pace off the line and incredible staying power.

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