to remind you that the Boat Race is at 5.50 this afternoon?

[grovel]

Many (most) of you probably won't give a stuff but I've loved the Boat Race since childhood. There's been even less press coverage than usual this year and I only realised this morning that the race is today.

Come on, Oxford!!

Why on earth is it on at 5.30pm on a sunday?

I only realised this morning too and had forgotten so thanks for reminding me!

is it? dh usually watches. In fact he usually goes to the rowing club to watch. He hasn't mentioned it at all!

I live in one of the university cities and I didn't realise!

Thank you. I had no idea and would have been sad to have missed it.

Fayrae the timing is all about the tides, so they race with the stream when it's still high so the river flows fast and wide. A massive part of the tactics is picking the correct course which is a fairly narrow deep channel where the water runs fastest.

Don't know about day selection apart from it always being this time of year.

Don't know why it's on a Sunday. The time is tide-related.

The women's race was last week though. It was brilliant!

The women's race will be in London from next year. Same course and distance as the men.

I was brought up in Putney. I hate it!

You're not being unreasonable at all, because I had forgotten - thank you.

I sort of like it, but as I have absolutely no preference as to who wins, it's a bit of a non-event in that respect.

Those that love it, please tell me which team you support and why, and who has the best chance this year.

Love it! I've been a few times to see it too.

Go Cambridge!

didn't it always used to be on a saturday at the same time each year?

I probably support oxford as I grew up near there. I've chopped and changed a bit over the years as had a cousin and close friend at Cambridge.

For me though is more that I like rowing. I used to Cox for the men's squad at university (not oxford or Cambridge) and loved it. Plus raced a few times at the head of the river race which is run yearly in London on the reverse of the boat race course.

From the brief reading I've done since realising it was in today I think oxford are the favourites.

Always Grand National weekend (accoriding to DH). We're looking forward to it here!

Cross posted. It's never been the same time each year Fayrae, always dependent on the tides for the reasons in my earlier post.

Yay. Go Light Blues.

Come on Light Blues!

I love it ad support Cambridge because

1. I went to Cambridge
2. I did some rowing there
3. I represented them in the Varsity match at 2 (other, far less famous) sports

Haven't read enough to have a view on who will win except an optimistic hope!

I'd forgotten it was on so thanks! Go Cambridge!

OP

YABVU

COME ON CAMBRIDGE!!!!!

I still nearly live in Putney - used to live adj. to the river. I still hate it. Putney will be crammed today, beer will swill, by 11pm tonight it will be like Malia on a bad night. By 7am tomorrow though, it will all be cleared up. DH will go though and probably the DC.

DARK BLUES HERE

I love it when the TV mics get too close to the cox and you can hear them swear their heads off.