Challenges Made and Accepted
On Thursday 18th November The Boat Race Season 2022 started officially with the Presidents’ Challenge.
As tradition dictates the President of last year’s losing crew challenges the President of last year’s winning crew to an eight oared race over The Championship Course on the agreed date, which is Sunday 3 April 2022.
As the women’s race takes place first in 2022 Amelia Standing, St Anne’s College and President of Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, made the challenge to Bronya Sykes, Gonville and Caius College and President of Cambridge University Boat Club. This was followed by Martin Barakso, Oriel College and President of Oxford University Boat Club, making his challenge which was accepted by Charlie Marcus, Trinity College and President of Cambridge University Boat Club.
As tradition dictates the President of last year’s losing crew challenges the President of last year’s winning crew to an eight oared race over The Championship Course on the agreed date, which is Sunday 3 April 2022.
As the women’s race takes place first in 2022 Amelia Standing, St Anne’s College and President of Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, made the challenge to Bronya Sykes, Gonville and Caius College and President of Cambridge University Boat Club. This was followed by Martin Barakso, Oriel College and President of Oxford University Boat Club, making his challenge which was accepted by Charlie Marcus, Trinity College and President of Cambridge University Boat Club.
View the Presidents' Challenge here
Following the official challenge, which was hosted by Macquarie Group, the stars of the show, our student athletes answered questions which brought to life their motivations for being part of The Boat Race 2022 and demonstrated some of the breadth of nationalities and range of subjects represented in the crew this year. There are architects, anthropologists, theologians, linguists, medics, engineers and scientists of every discipline you can think of representing a total of 19 nationalities.
We learned how Bronya Sykes (CUBC) and James Forward (Pembroke College and OUBC) had both been inspired by their Dad to get into rowing, Daniel Toy (Gonville and Caius College and CUBC) told us about his rapid rise from novice rower to squad member in just over a year, Anastasia Posner (Pembroke College and OUWBC), the most experienced ‘boatracer’ in the room with four Blues already to her name, shared her hope of supporting the more junior rowers in the squad as she herself had been supported when she started.
We learned how Bronya Sykes (CUBC) and James Forward (Pembroke College and OUBC) had both been inspired by their Dad to get into rowing, Daniel Toy (Gonville and Caius College and CUBC) told us about his rapid rise from novice rower to squad member in just over a year, Anastasia Posner (Pembroke College and OUWBC), the most experienced ‘boatracer’ in the room with four Blues already to her name, shared her hope of supporting the more junior rowers in the squad as she herself had been supported when she started.
We were delighted to hear from Blair Halliday, the UK Managing Director of Gemini, the Principal Partner for The Boat Race 2022 to 2024 as well as welcome Jenny Stevenson and Ryan Morrison, founders of Rival Kit, our new Official Kit Partner, to The Boat Race family.
The evening was also an opportunity to showcase the seven projects who received funding as part of the Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme in 2021. The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme supports the goal of The Boat Race Company to engage young people across the UK to help develop physical and mental well-being, alongside life and academic skills. The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme aims to engage a new generation of potential rowers across a broader range of socio-economic backgrounds and build a bridge between sport and under-served communities.
The initial two bursary awards were made to Fulham Reach Boat Club and to London Youth Rowing. The Boat Race has had a long-standing relationship with both of these clubs and this funding will continue to support the fantastic work they are doing,
In September a further five projects were selected as the recipients of The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Fund and these were:
• Brixton Wings
• Behind Every Kick
• Ely College
• Firhill Youth Project and Community Sports Hub
• Warrington Youth Rowing
Representatives from the projects were invited to attend the Presidents’ Challenge and the audience heard from Jason a staff member at Ely College and Ava a beneficiary of Behind Every Kick about the impact of the work they do.
The next key event in The Boat Race 2022 season will be the Trial VIII races taking place over the Championship Course on Sunday 19 December (Oxford) and Monday 20 December (Cambridge). More details on how you can follow these races and the main event itself on Sunday 3 April 2022 will be available on the website and our other channels in the coming weeks.
The evening was also an opportunity to showcase the seven projects who received funding as part of the Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme in 2021. The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme supports the goal of The Boat Race Company to engage young people across the UK to help develop physical and mental well-being, alongside life and academic skills. The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme aims to engage a new generation of potential rowers across a broader range of socio-economic backgrounds and build a bridge between sport and under-served communities.
The initial two bursary awards were made to Fulham Reach Boat Club and to London Youth Rowing. The Boat Race has had a long-standing relationship with both of these clubs and this funding will continue to support the fantastic work they are doing,
In September a further five projects were selected as the recipients of The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Fund and these were:
• Brixton Wings
• Behind Every Kick
• Ely College
• Firhill Youth Project and Community Sports Hub
• Warrington Youth Rowing
Representatives from the projects were invited to attend the Presidents’ Challenge and the audience heard from Jason a staff member at Ely College and Ava a beneficiary of Behind Every Kick about the impact of the work they do.
The next key event in The Boat Race 2022 season will be the Trial VIII races taking place over the Championship Course on Sunday 19 December (Oxford) and Monday 20 December (Cambridge). More details on how you can follow these races and the main event itself on Sunday 3 April 2022 will be available on the website and our other channels in the coming weeks.
The Gemini Bursary Scheme
7 Projects Supported
11-18 year olds
Access to rowing
Life Skills
Across the UK
11-18 year olds
Access to rowing
Life Skills
Across the UK
The Boat Race Season
The Presidents ChallengeOxford Trial Eights
19th December 2021Cambridge Trial Eights
20th December 2021Training Camp
January 2022Fixtures
February - March 2022The Gemini Boat Race
3rd April 2022