Boat Race of the North date announced

Newcastle are hoping to defend their title


The sixteenth Boat Race of the North will be taking place on Saturday 7th May.

The annual event, which was relaunched in 2015, sees Durham University Boat Club race against Newcastle University Boat Club along the Newcastle – Gateshead quayside.

In 2015 there was a draw of results and therefore Newcastle retained the trophy.

The contest is raced over 1500m and will finish at the Millenium bridge. This year organisers plan to have six races in total with both universities fielding a first and second ranked eight-oared crew.

Organisers are hoping to top last year’s event which saw hundreds of spectators line the banks of Quayside. This year there will be loud-speakers broadcasting commentary on the racing to make the event an exciting spectacle for both rowing enthusiasts and members of the public.

Newcastle University Boat club president, third year, Barnaby Stroud-Turp said: “The Tyne provides an amazing waterway in which to race, it is great to see the city from a riverside perspective and have crowds lining the Quayside and cheering us on.

“Last year’s event was the first staged in over 5 years; it proved popular with the competitors and public alike so we are keen to make it an annual fixture.  We’d encourage everyone to get down to the Quayside to watch the North East’s version of the Oxford/Cambridge boat race.”

 

Photo credit: Al Johnston