The Boat Race was first raced by crews from Oxford and Cambridge University in 1829 and is now one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events, offering an unrivalled educational experience to the student athletes who take part.

The world-famous sporting event between the UK’s two greatest universities now spans nearly 200 years of rivalry and The Boat Race has become synonymous with British tradition and excellence. The Boat Race has established itself as the epitome of amateur sport, raced by student athletes who combine academic rigour with elite physical prowess. There is no greater occasion.

The Boat Race takes place in London on the famous Championship Course that stretches over 4.25 miles of tidal Thames in West London between Putney and Mortlake.

The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 200,000 spectators at the banks of the river and watched by millions more on television.

The 2026 Boat Race will take place on Saturday 4 April 2026: Easter Saturday.

  • Women’s race: 14:21
  • Men’s race: 15:21

The Boat Race Company Limited (BRCL)

We at The Boat Race Company are honoured to deliver the event on behalf of the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs. We will continue to focus on operational excellence in all aspects and showcase the event’s heritage to grow reach and appeal.

We are committed to delivering a well-organised, safe race for the student athletes and clubs, and are working to create an inclusive, engaging experience for the local community, supporters, and the wider Boat Race family.

Our ambition is help build a better shared future and inspire others with the transformative potential of sport, while working sustainably to secure the longevity of the event.

The Boat Race Company is a company limited by Shares (no. 02544376) established by the Oxford and Cambridge Rowing Foundation to deliver the annual Boat Race between Cambridge University and Oxford University.

The Boat Race Company Board

The Boat Race Company Board consists of:

Siobhan Cassidy – Chair

James Behrens – Cambridge University Boat Club Board Representative

Jo Burch – Oxford & Cambridge Rowing Foundation Representative

Iain Edmondson – Non-Executive Independent Board Director (Event Strategy)

George Gilbert – Non-Executive Independent Board Director (Chair – Race and Operations Committee)

Guto Harri – Non-Executive Independent Board Director (PR and Communications)

Phelan Hill MBE – Non-Executive Independent Board Director (Chair – Marketing and Communications Committee)

Howard Jacobs – Board Advisor

Sara Kushma – Oxford University Boat Club Board Representative

Rob Mason – Commercial Board Advisor

Krystyna Nowak – Oxford & Cambridge Rowing Foundation Representative

Seb Pearce – Oxford University Boat Club and Board Representative (Chair – Commercial Committee)

Fay Sandford – Cambridge University Boat Club Board Representative

Our strategy

Purpose 

To deliver a world class rowing event on an annual basis, while working to build a sustainable and healthy long-term future for The Boat Race.

Ambition

To strengthen our heritage brand and attract new audiences, while championing a tradition that combines academic and sporting excellence.

Our foundation pillars (guiding principles):

Preserving a unique ethos:  we aim to maintain the sporting spirit of a fiercely contested traditional amateur race, blended with the stature, profile and organisation of a world class event. 

Responsible leadership: as a pioneer in gender equality, we will also support efforts to preserve our environment, and seek to generate funds to create opportunity for young people. 

Our Values

Teamwork, Passion, Excellence
All this is underpinned by our values, which we embody in all our behaviours and interactions with with our community of supporters, partners and stakeholders.