When does the Boat Race take place in 2027?
The Boat Race is a rowing contest between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, rowed on the tidal Thames in west London. The date of the next race is shown above.
The two crews race side by side along the Championship Course, a little over four miles from Putney to Mortlake, following the bends of the river. The women’s race and the men’s race are rowed on the same afternoon.
It is free to watch from the towpath and from the bridges along the route, and each result is added to a running tally that both universities keep a close eye on.
The Championship Course and the tide
The course is rowed upstream on the flood tide, so the start time is set by the water rather than falling at the same hour every year. That is why the race can begin in the early afternoon one year and later the next.
The bends of the river favour first one station and then the other, which is what makes the toss for the Surrey or Middlesex station worth winning.