When?

26th April 2008

Start time?

11.30am for the first launch.

Where?

The Harbourside, Bristol Docks

Cost?

Free! A beer tent will be available selling all manner of refreshments

The City’s two universities will once again be competing head to head at the 14th annual Varsity Boat Race on Saturday 26 April at the Harbourside in Bristol. The first race starts at 11.30 and the last race takes place at around 16:00.

The Varsity Boat Race draws huge crowds who line the Harbourside to see the best Bristol race crews compete. There is a Marquee by the finish line with a bar and brass band and a VIP area.

The event precedes the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) regatta and serves as a great launch pad for the Metropolitan, Marlow and Henley Royal and Women’s Henley Royal Regattas.

Since its inaugural race in 1995 the event has taken on a prestige of its own. Both University of the West of England and University of Bristol are now two of the biggest British Rowing Universities.

One of the most spectacular courses around, the race takes place over 1.3kilometers passing the SS Great Britain, Maritime Heritage Museum and the amphitheatre. The course should take the athletes approximately five minutes

Both Universities field Alumni crews where past students come back to represent their Universities. For the past two years UWE’s Alumni crew has included Peter Reed, an ex-UWE Club President, a double World Champion in the Men’s Coxed 4 and integral member of Great Britain’s Olympic medal hopes in Beijing this August.

Nick Quirke - UWE Club President: “Both Men and Women have been training incredibly hard for the Varsity races, having just come back from training camps over the Easter break. Although we are fielding many injuries to both the men and women I'm still confident that they will put in brilliant performances. I am looking forward to some really good racing.”