Both Oxford and Cambridge Universities will travel to Moscow next week to compete in the ‘Race of Champions’, an invitational regatta to be held on the 1st September on the Moskva River, meeting each other for the first time since the 2007 Boat Race

The race to be held over 3.5km also includes crews from Moscow State University (who are hosting the event) and the University of Washington. As evening falls, the crews will race down a course that passes several famous landmarks, including Red Square and the Kremlin.

Despite the Moscow course being nearly twice as long than the standard Olympic-length course of 2km, the British crews should be more at home than their foreign competition, given that The Boat Race is held over approximately 7km.

The event is intended to mark the 860th anniversary of the foundation of the City of Moscow, as well as the 140th anniversary of the foundation of the First Imperial Rowing Club in Russia.

Just after their return from Moscow, CUBC will travel again, this time to race in the Bremen Achter-Cup in Germany. The Achter-Cup is part of a city-wide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Bremen Regatta as well as the 125th birthday of the local rowing club, the Bremen Ruderverein, which was founded in 1882.

Organisers are hoping that over 50 eights will take to the water on Saturday 15th September, with large crowds expected to watch the event, which will run right through the centre of the town, from the riverbanks. The event is open to juniors, women and veterans, as well as elite crews.

Cambridge will compete in two events: a short-distance sprint event over 400m; and a long distance event over 4.2 km.

Cambridge’s attendance has been organised by former Cambridge Blue, and former Bremen resident, Marc Weber (Blue Boat ‘98).

Both British clubs will then return to their respective universities to begin training for The 2008 Boat Race.