ONE of the traditional highlights of the London sporting calendar, the Oxford v. Cambridge boat race, will have to cope with strong winds and rain this Saturday, as the Dark Blues of Oxford try to gain revenge for last year’s defeat.


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Oxford go in as bookmakers’ favourites, with the heavier crew and with the knowledge that their one of their Light Blue opponents had to pull out of the race with injury this week.

But easy predictions have a habit of coming unstuck in bad weather. Oxford coach Sean Bowden believes the winner will be the crew “that is able to deal not just with the rough water but with the headwind and the slowing conditions.”

The race for rowing boats is held over a four and a quarter mile course between Mortlake and Putney bridges in south west London in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered on the banks of the Thames, many of them former students of the two old universities.

First run in 1829, it was the idea of two students from the rival universities, one of them the nephew of famous poet William Wordsworth. This year it starts at 5.15pm.

More info of that kind and where to watch the race on the official site here