Every year a team of 8 rowers from Oxford University and a team of 8 rowers from Cambridge University have a race on the River Thames in London.
The first race happened in 1829, and it has been an annual event since 1856.
The race in 2017 was the 163rd race.
Cambridge has won 82 times
Oxford has won 80 times
There has been 1 draw (in 1877)!
The two teams race for 4.25 miles (6.8km) on the River Thames.
The race starts from Putney and finishes in Mortlake.
The race usually takes about 20 minutes.
The record time was set by Cambridge in 1998 – 16 minutes 19 seconds
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- The course along the River Thames
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- Oxford (left) slightly ahead
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- Both crews trying hard
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- Cambridge (bottom) win in 2007
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- Oxford with the trophy in 2015
The date of the race changes from year to year.
It usually takes place on the last weekend of March or the first weekend of April.
More than 250,000 people watch the race from the river banks every year. More than 15 million people watch the race on TV.
You can watch the race for free from any of the bridges and pubs on the route of the race. So if you are in London on the race day, go down to one of the pubs and enjoy the atmosphere!
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- A crowd of people lining the river
