Ordnance Survey – Great Britain's national mapping agency

Oxford and Cambridge go head-to-head in boat race

27 March 2008

The 154th annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race will kick off in Putney and travel four and a half miles down the river to Mortlake, as the two teams battle it out for first place.

Over 250 000 spectators are expected to crowd the banks of the Thames to witness the race, which dates back to March 1829 when Cambridge challenged Oxford to a race down the river.

Cambridge currently leads the series by 79 to 73 races and it also won 2007's event by one and a quarter lengths in a time of 17 minutes and 49 seconds.

The heaviest oarsman to ever take part in the race was Thorsten Englemann, who weighed 17 stone and six pounds, while Robert Ross was the youngest competitor at 18 years and 200 days old when he rowed in 1977.

Spectators who want to make a day out of the event are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy a stroll along the riverbank as the race progresses.

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