When is the Boat Race 2025? Date, start times, how to watch and Oxford vs Cambridge rivalry

Cambridge won both the men’s and women’s events last year, extending their lead in the men’s event to 87-81 before this year’s 170th edition of the race

The Oxford University men's team during a training session on the River Thames in London on April 8, 2025

Zac Goodwin/PA Wire

Marc Mayo|Maryam Kara|Arielle Domb9 April 2025

The Boat Race, the highly anticipated annual rowing showdown between Oxford and Cambridge universities, returns this weekend.

Cambridge won both the men’s and women’s events last year, extending their lead in the men’s event to 87-81 before this year’s 170th edition of the race.

Meanwhile, Oxford have struggled in the women’s event, last winning in 2016. However, they entered the 2024 contest as favourites in both categories.

As always, the 6.8-kilometre (4 miles, 374 yards) River Thames course will span west London, from Putney to Mortlake. The route, known as the Championship Course, begins downstream of Putney Bridge, passing under Hammersmith Bridge and Barnes Bridge and finishing just past Chiswick Bridge.

What route does the Boat Race take?

The boat race begins at Putney Bridge.
Rowers will travel towards Hammersmith, passing under Hammersmith Bridge.
They will head towards Chiswick, passing under Barnes Bridge.
The race ends in Mortlake, just past Chiswick Bridge.

You can see the rowers start the race from the Duke’s Head pub in Putney. Further along, just past the one-mile mark, they’ll pass another riverside favourite, The Crabtree in Fulham.

As they head towards Hammersmith Bridge, several pubs are nearby, including the Blue Anchor and Rutland Arms, offering excellent views.

Around the two-mile point, The Dove and The Old Ship are popular spots for watching the race while enjoying a drink. Alternatively, the Bull’s Head or Waterman’s Arms provide a great setting for a sunny pint by the water.

As the race nears its conclusion, the rowers will pass under Barnes Bridge, gliding past the White Hart pub before crossing the finish line just after Chiswick Bridge in Mortlake.

What is the Boat Race?

The Boat Race was first held on June 10, 1829. Two friends — Charles Merivale of Cambridge and Charles Wordsworth of Oxford — arranged the inaugural race on the Thames at Henley-on-Thames.

Since 1856, it has been an almost yearly tradition, except for significant disruptions during wartime. The event moved to its current course in 1845 and has become one of the most renowned fixtures in British sporting history.

The University of Cambridge men's team (back) celebrate after winning the 169th men's Boat Race against the University of Oxford on the River Thames in London on March 30, 2024

AFP via Getty Images

The women's race, first contested in 1927, has been held on the same Tideway course as the men’s event since 2015. With deep-rooted rivalries, elite athletes, and dramatic on-water battles, the Boat Race continues to captivate audiences both in the UK and worldwide.