- Overall peak audience of 2.82 million for The Boat Race 2025 – higher than UK viewership of The Masters and Bahrain Grand Prix
- Women’s Boat Race had a peak audience of 2.18 million – the most watched women’s sporting event of 2025 (*Source for broadcast figures: Kantar analysis, BARB)
- 200,000 spectators attend The Boat Race each year, delivering an economic impact in the range of £13.3m – £15.0m to the local London economy
- Confirmed date of 4 April for The Boat Race 2026
A peak audience of 2.82 million people watched the BBC coverage of The Boat Race 2025 on Sunday as Cambridge University Boat Club completed their second clean sweep in three years, extending the Club’s recent dominance on the Tideway.
The Boat Race was the most watched sporting event in the UK last weekend across free-to-air and PayTV, with more people tuning in to watch than The Masters and Bahrain Grand Prix.
In the 79th Women’s Boat Race – and on the 10th anniversary of the Women’s Boat Race first taking place on the Tideway – Cambridge beat Oxford by 2.5 lengths in a time of 19:25 after a dramatic clash of oars resulted in a restart early on. This represented the first stop and restart ever seen in the Women’s Boat Race.
A peak audience of 2.18 million watched the Women’s Boat Race, making it the most watched female sporting event in the UK this year so far. This included a 14% growth in viewership compared to 2024 and an increase in share of views to 25.2%.
In the 170th Men’s Boat Race, Cambridge put on a masterclass in increasingly choppy conditions, taking their sixth victory in seven years by 5.5 lengths in a time of 16:56. The winning time was the seventh fastest recorded in history.
The results extended Cambridge’s winning margin to 88-81 in the Men’s Boat Race and 49-30 in the Women’s Boat Race.
The Boat Race is free to attend as a spectator and each year sees 200,000 spectators lining the banks of the river, representing one of the best days of the year for pubs and restaurants along the river. Bands and music along the Championship Course route help to create a festival along the towpath, with West London becoming a destination for the weekend.
A Nielsen Sports & Entertainment Independent Economic Impact Report 2024 found that The Boat Race has a total economic impact in the range of £13.3M to £15.0M on the local London economy each year. Visitors spend on accommodation, food and beverages, transport, and retail.
Chair of The Boat Race Company, Siobhan Cassidy, commented: “The Boat Race represents the best of British – two world-leading universities competing in one of the oldest major sporting events. Each year we tell the stories of the highs and lows of the student athletes competing in this amateur race – epitomising the athletic challenge, personal sacrifice and teamwork required to secure a seat in the boat.”
A confirmed date of 4 April has been set for The Boat Race 2026.
-ENDS-
For any media enquiries related to The Boat Race, please contact: The PHA Group – [email protected]
Notes to editors
About The Boat Race
The Boat Race was first raced by crews from Oxford and Cambridge University in 1829 and is now one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events, offering an unrivalled educational experience to the student athletes who take part.
The world-famous sporting event between the UK’s two greatest universities has become synonymous with British tradition and excellence. The Boat Race has established itself as the epitome of amateur sport, raced by student athletes who combine academic rigour with elite physical prowess. There is no greater occasion.
The Boat Race takes place in London on the famous Championship Course that stretches over 4.25 miles of tidal Thames in West London between Putney and Mortlake.