Henley Boat Races

The Lightweight Boat Races are a series of annual rowing races between men's and women's lightweight crews representing the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

Not to be confused with Henley Royal Regatta or Henley Women's Regatta.

The Lightweight Boat Races
Contested by
CULRC / CUWBC	OULRC / OUWLRC
Lightweight Men	contested since 1975[1]
Lightweight Women	contested since 1984[1]
Lightweight Men's reserves	2000 – 2009 and since 2016[1]
Lightweight Women's reserves	contested since 2016
Collegiate Boat Races	contested since 2010[1]
Former races	Women's Boat Races 1977 – 2014[2]
Course	Henley Regatta course (downstream) River Thames[3]
Course length	Blue Boats: 2000 m[2] Collegiate races: 1750 m[2]
Number of wins[4]
CULRC	OULRC
28	16
CUWBC	OUWLRC
19	17
Note: Last races on 31 March 2019 at Dorney Lake
Official website
henleyboatraces.com

The men's race first took place in 1975 and the women's race in 1984, taking place on the River Thames over the 4.2 mile (6.8km) Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake. Previously the race was held over 2000m in Henley with the Lightweight Men moving to the tideway in 2019 and the Lightweight Women in 2020. Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues or half blues and each boat as a "Blue Boat". Competitors at the events have gone on to compete at international and olympic levels.

In addition to the lightweight races, the leading men's and women's college crews from each university race on a 1750 m course. From 1977 to 2014, Henley Boat Races hosted the Women's Boat Race and its reserve race.

History

The Henley Boat Races began as men's lightweight races in 1975 and enlarged to incorporate the Women's Boat Race and their reserve crew race from 1977 and the women's lightweight race from 1984.[5][6][7] In 2000, the lightweight men added a race for their reserve crews, Nephthys (Oxford) and Granta (Cambridge).[4] This fell into abeyance after 2009 as a result of Cambridge not fielding a Granta crew from 2007, giving Oxford a row over for three years. Since 2016, Nephthys and Granta have raced again, sometimes on a different date or location to the main Henley Boat Races. A women's lightweight reserve race was held in 2012 prior to race day and has taken place since 2016 on race day.[8]

In 2015, the Women's Boat Race moved further down the River Thames to the Tideway to take place as a combined men's and women's Boat Race.[9][10]

An alternative venue is used if the water conditions are very rough at Henley.[11] The 2013 event was moved to Dorney Lake as a result of flooding on the Thames.[12][13] The event was moved to Dorney Lake again in 2018 due to "adverse river conditions on the Thames at Henley" and the collegiate races were cancelled.[14]

The races receive annual press coverage,[15][16][17][13][18] and competitors from both Universities have gone on to compete at international and Olympic levels.[19][20][21][22] Henley Boat Races takes place annually in late March or early April the week before the University Boat Races, which are held on the Championship Course on the Thames in London.

Events

Crews from the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge race side by side over a 2000 m course on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, racing downstream — the opposite direction to the Henley Royal Regatta course — and finishing halfway down Temple Island.[3] The collegiate races take place over a shorter 1750 m course.[2] The races typically include:[23]

• Lightweight Men's Boat Race (OULRC vs CULRC)
• Lightweight Women's Boat Race (OUWLRC vs CUWBC Lightweights)
• Lightweight Men's Reserves (Nephthys vs Granta) [held separately on an earlier date][24]
• Lightweight Women's Reserves (Tethys vs CUWBC Lightweight Reserves)
• Men's Intercollegiate Boat Race (between one college representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge)
• Women's Intercollegiate Boat Race (between one college representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge)

An Alumnae race has typically also been held in recent years. The lightweight races constitute the varsity race. The first crew receive university half-blues, and is therefore more commonly known as the Lightweight Blue Boat. The reserve crew receive university colours. The intercollegiate races are between the fastest crews from the Oxford Torpids and the Cambridge Lent Bumps; Oxford selection being done by time trial [25] and Cambridge giving right of first refusal to headship crews.[26]

Previously, the following races have been held at Henley:

• Women's Boat Race (OUWBC vs CUWBC)
• Women's Reserves (Osiris vs Blondie)

Results

The history of the results of the races are as follows.[4][27]

Lightweight Men's Boat Race

• Cambridge: 28 wins
• Oxford: 16 wins

Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
1975	Cambridge			-	1
1976	Oxford			1	1
1977	Oxford			2	1
1978	Cambridge			2	2
1979	Cambridge			2	3
1980	Cambridge			2	4
1981	Cambridge			2	5
1982	Cambridge			2	6
1983	Cambridge			2	7
1984	Cambridge		​1 ^1⁄3	2	8
1985	Cambridge		6 ft	2	9
1986	Cambridge		2	2	10
1987	Cambridge	6:09	​^1⁄2	2	11
1988	Cambridge			2	12
1989	Cambridge	5:51	​4 ^1⁄2	2	13
1990	Cambridge	6:40	​4 ^3⁄4	2	14
1991	Cambridge	6:39	​^1⁄3	2	15
1992	Oxford	5:40	​2 ^1⁄2	3	15
1993	Cambridge	5:39	​^1⁄2	3	16
1994	Oxford	5:35	​^3⁄4	4	16
1995	Cambridge	5:29	​^1⁄3	4	17
1996	Oxford	NRO disq		5	17
1997	Oxford	5:49	1	6	17
1998	Cambridge	5:45	​^1⁄2	6	18
1999	Oxford	5:31	​1 ^1⁄2	7	18
2000	Cambridge	5:40	2	7	19
2001	Cambridge	6:33	4	7	20
2002	Oxford	5:21	2	8	20
2003	Oxford	5:55	​1 ^1⁄4	9	20
2004	Oxford	5:36	​^1⁄2	10	20
2005	Oxford	5:51	3	11	20
1 April 2006	Oxford	5:18	​2 ^1⁄4	12	20
1 April 2007	Oxford	3:44	1	13	20
23 March 2008	Oxford	6:15	​2 ^1⁄2	14	20
22 March 2009	Cambridge	5:49	3	14	21
28 March 2010	Cambridge	5:28	2 ft	14	22
27 March 2011	Oxford	5:54	Canvas	15	22
25 March 2012	Cambridge	6:00	​^3⁄4	15	23
24 March 2013	Oxford	6:49	​1 ^2⁄3	16	23
30 March 2014	Cambridge	5:30	​3 ^1⁄2	16	24
5 April 2015	Cambridge	5:55	4 ft	16	25
19 March 2016	Cambridge	6:19	Easily	16	26
26 March 2017	Cambridge	6:07	​1 ^3⁄4	16	27
18 March 2018	Cambridge	6:26	​^1⁄3 (Raced at Dorney)	16	28
24 March 2019	Oxford	17:43	​2 ^1⁄3 (First race on the Tideway)	17	28
15 March 2020	Oxford	18:50	​3 ^1⁄2 (Raced on the Tideway)	18	28

Lightweight Women's Boat Race

• Cambridge: 19 wins
• Oxford: 17 wins

Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
1984	Cambridge			-	1
1985	Cambridge			-	2
1986	Oxford			1	2
1987	Cambridge			1	3
1988	Cambridge			1	4
1989	Cambridge	6:37	1	1	5
1990	Cambridge	7:35	​2 ^1⁄3	1	6
1991	Cambridge	7:48	​2 ^1⁄4	1	7
1992	Cambridge	6:35	3	1	8
1993	Cambridge	6:18	Easily	1	9
1994	Cambridge	6:23	1 ft.	1	10
1995	Oxford	6:19	2	2	10
1996	Cambridge	6:36	Canvas	2	11
1997	Cambridge	6:37	Canvas	2	12
1998	Oxford	6:36	Canvas	3	12
1999	Oxford	6:​01 ^1⁄2	​2 ^3⁄4	4	12
2000	Oxford	6:22	​2 ^1⁄2	5	12
2001	Cambridge	7:37	3	5	13
2002	Oxford	6:06	4	6	13
2003	Oxford	6:51	2	7	13
2004	Oxford	6:08	​^3⁄4	8	13
2005	Oxford	6:55	​^1⁄2	9	13
1 April 2006	Cambridge	6:00	Canvas	9	14
1 April 2007	Oxford	4:11	1	10	14
23 March 2008	Cambridge	7:01	​^1⁄3	10	15
22 March 2009	Oxford	6:30	​2 ^1⁄2	11	15
28 March 2010	Oxford	6:01	​2 ^3⁄4	12	15
27 March 2011	Cambridge	6:43	​1 ^1⁄2	12	16
25 March 2012	Oxford	6:48	​1 ^1⁄3	13	16
24 March 2013	Oxford	7:33	​4 ^3⁄4	14	16
29 March 2014	Oxford	6:08	​3 ^1⁄2	15	16
5 April 2015	Cambridge	6:26	3 ft.	15	17
19 March 2016	Oxford	6:54	Canvas	16	17
26 March 2017	Cambridge	6:45	3	16	18
18 March 2018	Cambridge	7:24	​^1⁄2 (Raced at Dorney)	16	19
30 March 2019	Oxford	6:28	​2 ^1⁄2	17	19
15 March 2020	Cambridge	23:24	6 (First race on the Tideway)	17	20

Lightweight Men's Reserves (Nephthys vs Granta)

• Oxford: 9 wins
• Cambridge: 4 wins

Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
2000	Cambridge	5:50	​2 ^3⁄4	-	1
2001	Oxford	7	​^1⁄2	1	1
2002	Oxford	5:33	2	2	1
2003	Cambridge	6:19	​2 ^1⁄2	2	2
2004	Oxford	5:45	Canvas	3	2
2005	Oxford	6:07	​4 ^1⁄2	4	2
1 April 2006	Oxford	5:26	5	5	2
1 April 2007	Oxford	4:08	R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys.	6	2
23 March 2008	Oxford	6:29	R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Lost to Old Boys.	7	2
22 March 2009	Oxford	6:15	R/O due to no Cambridge crew. Beat Durham.	8	2
			Race in abeyance 2010 - 2015
13 March 2016	Cambridge	-	​1 ^1⁄4 (Raced in 4x)	8	3
26 March 2017	Oxford	6:19	​^1⁄2 (Raced in 4+)[28]	9	3
18 March 2018	Cambridge	7:24	​^3⁄4 (Raced in 4+ at Dorney)	9	4
22 March 2019	Oxford		1 (Raced in 2– from Mortlake to the Mile Post)[29]	10	4

Lightweight Women's Reserves (Tethys vs CUWBC Lightweight Reserves)

• Cambridge: 4
• Oxford: 1

Raced on the Friday before the main event in a 4+ in 2012, and incorporated into main race day in 2016.

Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
2012	Cambridge		(Raced in 4+)	-	1
19 March 2016	Cambridge	8:55	​^3⁄4 (Raced in 2-)	-	2
26 March 2017	Cambridge		easily (Raced in 2-)	-	3
18 March 2018	Oxford	8:15	easily (Raced in 4+ at Dorney)	1	3
30 March 2019	Cambridge		​1 ^1⁄2 (Raced in 2-)	1	4
14 March 2020	Oxford		12 seconds (Raced in 4+ Putney to Hammersmith)	2	4

Men's Collegiate Boat Race

• Cambridge: 7
• Oxford: 2

Year	Oxford	Cambridge	Time	Verdict (lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
2010	Balliol	First & Third		easily	-	1
2011	Christ Church	Caius	4:06	3	-	2
2012	Pembroke	Caius			-	3
2013	Balliol	Caius			-	4
2014	Oriel	Downing		​^1⁄2	-	5
2015	Oriel	Jesus		3	1	5
2016	Pembroke	Caius		1	2	5
2017	Oriel	Lady Margaret		4	2	6
2018^a	Wolfson	Lady Margaret		-	2	6
2019	Wadham	Caius			2	7

^a Collegiate races cancelled due to adverse weather conditions

Women's Collegiate Boat Race

• Cambridge: 5
• Oxford: 4

Year	Oxford	Cambridge	Time	Verdict (lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
2010	Worcester	Queens'		narrowly	-	1
2011	Magdalen	Pembroke	4:47.5	​^1⁄3	-	2
2012	Pembroke				1	2
2013	St John's	Downing			1	3
2014	Wadham	First & Third		​2 ^1⁄2	2	3
2015	Green Templeton	Christ's		​^3⁄4	2	4
2016	Christ Church	Jesus		4	3	4
2017	Keble	Jesus		2	4	4
2018^a	Keble	Jesus		-	4	4
2019	Wadham	Newnham			4	5

^a Collegiate races cancelled due to adverse weather conditions

Results (former races)

Women's Boat Race

Main article: Women's Boat Race

The Women's Boat Race and its Reserve race became part of the Henley Boat Races in 1977. With the Women's Boat Race moving to the Tideway Championship Course and forming part of The Boat Races 2015, the race as well as the race of the reserve boats Osiris and Blondie ceased to be part of the Henley Boat Races.[10] For the full results tables, see the main article on the Women's Boat Race.

• Cambridge: 21 wins at Henley
• Oxford: 17 wins at Henley

No.	Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
32	1977	Cambridge			11	21
33	1978	Cambridge			11	22
34	1979	Cambridge			11	23
35	1980	Oxford			12	23
36	1981	Oxford			13	23
37	1982	Cambridge			13	24
38	1983	Cambridge			13	25
39	1984	Cambridge			13	26
40	1985	Oxford			14	26
41	1986	Oxford			15	26
42	1987	Cambridge			15	27
43	1988	Oxford			16	27
44	1989	Cambridge	6:20	1	16	28
45	1990	Cambridge	7:17	​3 ^1⁄4	16	29
46	1991	Oxford	7:29	3	17	29
47	1992	Cambridge	6:20	​^1⁄3	17	30
48	1993	Cambridge	6:10	​4 ^1⁄2	17	31
49	1994	Cambridge	6:11	1	17	32
50	1995	Cambridge	6:02	​1 ^1⁄3	17	33
51	1996	Cambridge	6:12	4	17	34
52	1997	Cambridge	6:26	​1 ^1⁄4	17	35
53	1998	Cambridge	6:25	​1 ^1⁄4	17	36
54	1999	Cambridge	6:01	1	17	37
55	2000	Oxford	6:18	​2 ^1⁄4	18	37
56	2001	Cambridge	7:27	3 ft.	18	38
57	2002	Oxford	6:02	​2 ^1⁄2	19	38
58	2003	Oxford	6:35	​3 ^1⁄2	20	38
59	2004	Oxford	6:06	4	21	38
60	2005	Cambridge	6:27	​2 ^1⁄3	21	39
61	1 April 2006	Oxford	5:44	​^1⁄2	22	39
62	1 April 2007	Cambridge	4:03	​^1⁄2	22	40
63	23 March 2008	Oxford	6:39	​^1⁄2	23	40
64	22 March 2009	Oxford	6:24	​1 ^1⁄4	24	40
65	28 March 2010	Oxford	5:56	4	25	40
66	27 March 2011	Oxford	6:24	1	26	40
67	25 March 2012	Cambridge	6:38	​^1⁄4	26	41
68	24 March 2013	Oxford	7:21	​1 ^3⁄4	27	41
69	29 March 2014	Oxford	5:50	4	28	41

Notes

– The course was shortened in 2007 due to rough water during the Henley Boat Races. It was reduced from 2000 m to less than 1500 m with the start between the Upper Thames Rowing Club and Old Blades.[30]

Women's Reserves (Osiris vs Blondie)

Main article: Women's Boat Race

• Cambridge: 19 wins at Henley
• Oxford: 19 wins at Henley

Date	Winner	Time	Winning Margin (Lengths)	Oxford Wins	Cambridge Wins
1977	Cambridge			-	5
1978	Cambridge			-	6
1979	Cambridge			-	7
1980	Cambridge			-	8
1981	Oxford			1	8
1982	Cambridge			1	9
1983	Oxford			2	9
1984	Oxford			3	9
1985	Oxford			4	9
1986	Cambridge			4	10
1987	Cambridge			4	11
1988	Oxford			5	11
1989	Oxford	6:33	1	6	11
1990	Cambridge	7:34	​1 ^1⁄4	6	12
1991	Cambridge	7:36	​2 ^3⁄4	6	13
1992	Cambridge	6:32	​3 ^1⁄2	6	14
1993	Cambridge	6:22	​1 ^1⁄2	6	15
1994	Cambridge	6:22	Canvas	6	16
1995	Cambridge	6:08	1	6	17
1996	Cambridge	6:33	5	6	18
1997	Cambridge	6:36	​^1⁄4	6	19
1998	Cambridge	6:32	4	6	20
1999	Oxford	6:09	​1 ^3⁄4	7	20
2000	Cambridge	6:27	​1 ^3⁄4	7	21
2001	Oxford	7:32	Easily	8	21
2002	Oxford	6:09	​1 ^3⁄4	9	21
2003	Oxford	6:43	2	10	21
2004	Oxford	6:16	​^1⁄2	11	21
2005	Oxford	6:41	​1 ^3⁄4	12	21
1 April 2006	Oxford	5:54	​2 ^1⁄2	13	21
1 April 2007	Oxford	NTT	1	14	21
23 March 2008	Oxford	7:09	Easily	15	21
22 March 2009	Cambridge	6:50	​1 ^1⁄2	15	22
28 March 2010	Oxford	6:10	​3 ^1⁄2	16	22
27 March 2011	Cambridge	-	Disq	16	23
25 March 2012	Oxford	6:57	​3 ^1⁄2	17	23
24 March 2013	Oxford	7:41	6	18	23
29 March 2014	Oxford	6:01.5	​^1⁄2	19	23

See also

• Henley-on-Todd Regatta

References

1. "History". Henley Boat Races. 14 April 2015.
2. "About". Henley Boat Races. 14 April 2015.
3. "Henley Boat Races - Course Map". Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
4. "Results". Henley Boat Races. 14 April 2015.
5. "Cambridge University's top women rowers and the men's Lightweight crews are racing Oxford at Henley this Saturday 1 April". University of Cambridge. 30 March 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
6. "The Henley Boat Races". Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
7. "The Lightweight Varsity Race". Cambridge University Women's Boat Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
8. "Race schedule 2016". The Henley Boat Races. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
9. "The Cancer Research UK Boat Races". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
10. "Women's Boat Race to move to tideway". Henley Boat Races. 8 February 2012. Archived from the original on 28 February 2012.
11. "Alternative Venue". Henley Boat Races. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
12. "Change of venue for 2013 races". The Henley Boat Races. 20 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
13. "Clean sweep for Oxford over Cambridge at Henley Boat Races at Dorney Lake". The Telegraph. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
14. "Henley Boat Races - Alternative Venue". Henley Boat Races. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
15. "Rowing: Day for Light Blue celebration as Cambridge sweep Henley Boat Races". The Independent. 22 March 1993. Retrieved 3 April 2016; "Women's Boat Race: Cambridge women pass examination of rowing prowess". The Independent. 21 March 1994. Retrieved 16 April 2015; "The Henley Boat Races". Cherwell. 31 March 2010.
16. "Natalie Redgrave helps Oxford win Women's Boat Race". BBC sport. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
17. "Rivals share spoils at competitive Henley". The Telegraph. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
18. "Oxford Dominate Henley Boat Races 2013". Henley Herald. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford Dominate in Last Women's Boat Race in Henley". Henley Herald. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Cambridge Win 3 out of 4 at the Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford and Cambridge Share Race Wins at Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2017; "Oxford and Cambridge Share Race Wins at Henley Boat Races". Henley Herald. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2018; "Cambridge University lightweights enjoy success at Henley Boat Races". Cambridge Independent. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019; "Cambridge Blues make light work of Henley Boat Races". Varsity Online. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
19. "The Other Boat Race". BBC sport. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
20. "CULRC". CULRC Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
21. "Men's Lightweight Rowing Club". Oxford University Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
22. "International Success". Oxford University Women's Lightweight Rowing Club. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
23. "Race schedule". The Henley Boat Races. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
24. Cambridge Lwt Rowing [@CULRC] (13 March 2016). "Well done to Plummer, Green, Xu and Heames racing the 4x today! Official verdict 1 & 1/4 lengths. @HenleyBoatRaces" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
25. http://www.ourcs.org.uk/rules/a#A4
26. "The Light Blue men's and women's Lightweight crews race Oxford from Phyllis Court to Temple Island this spring". Cambridge University Alumni Events. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
27. "The Boat Race Lite". Hear The Boat Sing. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
28. OULRC [@OULightweights] (19 March 2017). "Final result for today's reserve race: Nephthys beat Granta by 1/2 Length #HenleyBoatRaces #LightweightBoatRace" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
29. Lightweight Boat Races [@lwtboatraces] (22 March 2019). "First blood of 2019 to Oxford in the Lwt Spare Pairs as they beat Cambridge by one length from the Boat Race start to the Mile Post" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
30. "Henley Boat Races 2007". CUWBC. 2 April 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2015.

External links

• Official website