The Boat Race 2024 was a series of side-by-side rowing races in London which took place on 30 March 2024.
| The Boat Race 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 30 March 2024 | ||
| Men's race | |||
| Winner | Cambridge | ||
| Margin of victory | 3 1/2 lengths | ||
| Winning time | 18 minutes 56 seconds | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 87–81 | ||
| Umpire | Matthew Pinsent | ||
| Women's race | |||
| Winner | Cambridge | ||
| Margin of victory | 7 lengths | ||
| Overall record (Cambridge–Oxford) | 48–30 | ||
| Umpire | Richard Phelps | ||
| Reserves' races | |||
| Men's winners | Goldie | ||
| Women's winners | Osiris | ||
| |||
Held annually, The Boat Race is contested between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, usually along a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames, known as the Tideway, in south-west London. This was the 78th women's race and the 169th men's race. Cambridge led the longstanding rivalry 86–81 and 47–30 in the men's and women's races, respectively.
Background
The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues")[1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues").[1] First held in 1829, the race usually takes place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course, between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames in south-west London.[2] The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities; the race is followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide.[3][4]
Details
The crews for both men's and women's boats were announced earlier in March 2024 at Battersea Power Station.[5] The women's race was umpired by Richard Phelps and the men's race was umpired by former Olympian Matthew Pinsent.[6]
Cambridge retained their title as winners of the Women's Boat Race for the seventh consecutive year, 7 lengths ahead of rivals Oxford.[7] This took the overall record in the women's race to 48–30 to Cambridge. Cambridge beat the Oxford men by 31⁄2 lengths in a time of 18m 56s in a tense encounter which featured the collapse of the Cambridge stroke Matt Edge in the closing stages of the race. As a result of Cambridge's victory the head-to-head record after the race stood at 87–81 in Cambridge's favour.[8][7] Oxford women's boat Osiris won the women's reserves race.[9] Cambridge's Goldie won the men's reserves race.[10] Cambridge's men and women secured victory in The Lightweight Boat Races.[11][12]
The race was broadcast internationally on television.[13] Fox News, CNN, The New York Times, CBS and other international media organisations ran stories about the poor water quality in the Thames, specifically citing excrement in the water during the race.[14][7] Thames Water said improving river health was a "key focus" for the company,[15] which recently completed the Thames Tideway Tunnel super sewer to stop sewage overflows and improve water quality in the Thames.[16][17]