On Sunday 2 April - the day of the 152nd Boat Race - a strong wind of around 15 knots is expected on The University Course. The direction of this wind is not yet known precisely, but is expected to be Westerly or South-Westerly.

Westerly

If it is Westerly, the wind will blow along the course against the rowers, making the water roughest on the corner at Hammersmith Bridge and for the last three minutes of The Race. It will also create a difficult cross-head wind for the crews off the start at the University Stone by Putney Pier.

South-westerly

If the direction is South-westerly, however, then rough water can be expected in the long stretch of water between Chiswick Eyot and Barnes Bridge, which takes the crews past the landmarks of Chiswick Pier and the Bandstand. It will be cross-tail or cross for the last seven minutes of The Race.

Southerly

In the past two or three days the crews training on the Tideway have, from time to time, experienced a Southerly wind. If this were to occur on Race Day - although this is unlikely - this would produce a tail-wind and cross-tail wind in the early part of the Course, followed by a cross-wind from Hammersmith through to Chiswick Eyot with rough conditions expected at The Crossing and up to and beyond Barnes Bridge.

Past Races - Strong Winds

Since 1829, only 43 Boat Races have been classified as taking place in ‘Strong’ or ‘Very Strong’ wind conditions. In the last 50 years, however, only 10 Races have fallen into these particular wind conditions, and only two of those have been in ‘Very Strong’ wind conditions.

On both of those occasions the wind direction was Westerly, the same as is possible on Sunday. This does not indicate a potential winner, however, as Oxford and Cambridge have won one each of the two Races.

Only one Race in recent years has taken place in ‘Strong’ South-Westerly winds, in 2000 when Oxford won by three lengths.

In 2002, the Race was conducted in conditions just below the ‘Strong’ classification, in a stiff South-Westerly breeze.

In the last 50 years only one other race has taken place in ‘Strong’ South-Westerly conditions. This was in 1986, which Cambridge went on to win by seven lengths.

Since the start of the Boat Race in 1829, only seven Races have ever taken place in ‘Strong’ South-Westerly winds.