Oxford and Cambridge prepare for 2025 Boat Race

Cambridge will face Oxford in the 170th Boat Race on April 13, 2025. This annual event features both men's and women's races on the River Thames. The men's race starts at 2:21 PM after the women's race at 1:21 PM. Tensions are high this year due to an eligibility issue involving Tom Ford. Ford, an Olympic gold medallist from the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been barred from competing because of a rule related to his earlier enrollment at Newcastle University. This rule was introduced after James Cracknell, a former Olympic champion, caused controversy by competing as the oldest rower in 2019. Oxford claims three Cambridge rowers are also ineligible due to studying for PGCE degrees. Matt Heywood and two others were disqualified, which has drawn criticism. Former Olympic rower Cath Bishop expressed concern that this could unfairly impact women, as they are more likely to be teachers. The official teams for both universities will be announced on March 26 at Battersea Power Station. Cambridge has enjoyed recent success, winning seven consecutive women's titles and five out of the last six men's races. Overall, Cambridge leads with 87 wins in the men's category and 48 wins in the women's. The event will be broadcast live on BBC One.