Introduction

Above: Nave / Lantern / Tower / Octagon Ely Cathedral

Welcome to The Boat Race, the first edition of our e-magazine.

It certainly has been an eventful year and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic means we are looking at everything through a new lens.

Having to cancel the 2020 Boat Race was a hard but necessary decision. The loss of the race was particularly tough on the athletes who had trained hard for many months. It was the first time the men’s race had been cancelled in peacetime since its inception in 1845, and the first time the women’s race had been cancelled since its revival in 1964. The 2020 races would also have seen both Blue boat races umpired by women for the first time.

After the disappointment of last year’s cancellation, we are excited to see how well our plans for the 2021 Boat Races are taking shape. Scheduled to take place on April 4, 2021 on the River Great Ouse at Ely, the races will mark the 166th men’s race and the 75th women’s race; both Blue boat races will be umpired by women for the first time. The men’s race has an Ely precedent. The Blues last competed in Ely on February 26, 1944.

The decision to relocate the 2021 races to Ely reflects the challenges we face in staging a high-profile, Covid-secure, amateur event, combined with continuing uncertainty surrounding the safety and navigation of Hammersmith Bridge.

We hope to return to the Tideway in 2022.

On behalf of the Boat Race Company, we would like to extend Season’s Greetings and best wishes for 2021 and thank you for your continued support.

Board of Directors
Boat Race Company

This e-magazine, The Boat Race, is produced by Row360 for the Boat Race Company.