The 2025 Oxford-Cambridge women’s Boat Race will have a distinctive South African flavour to it in the form of ‘Light Blues’ cox, Jack Nicholas.
Nicholas, who holds duel South African and British citizenship, will steer the Cambridge boat against rivals Oxford on the River Thames this weekend.
Sunday’s woman’s race will be the 79th to date with Cambridge holding a 48-30 advantage.
Cambridge are the overwhelming favourites for the race, so expect to see Nicholas – as is tradition – dunked into the Thames post-race by his team-mates.
In a recent interview, Nicholas named Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard as his “earliest sporting inspiration”
More about Jack Nicholas
What course are you studying and what level?
MEng in Engineering
Why did you chose that course?
Maths and physics were always my jam in school, and I was keen to apply these to actual practical situations – after a little stint in Natural Sciences, I found my way back to Engineering and have never been happier.
When, where and why did you start rowing? And what do you love about the sport?
I started coxing in my first year of university at Pembroke College Boat Club, to finally leverage my short stature in a sporting context.
I love so much about the sport, primarily the early mornings: the structure they provide to your day is invaluable, and I absolutely adore seeing the sunrise!
The main reason why I keep coming back to rowing after all these years, though, is the social side of it.
The people you meet along the way are truly incredible (the top 20 funniest people I know are all rowers, which is convenient) and I am so grateful for all the friends I’ve made over these last few years.
Also, rowing is the only context where it’s appropriate to wear a zephyr, and I am a huge fan of zephyrs. If there is one fan of zephyrs left on the planet, it is me.
What was your first rowing club and coach?
Pembroke College Boat Club (Cambridge), Seb Matthews
What or who was the earliest sporting inspiration you remember as a child?
Handré Pollard (Springbok flyhalf)
How has rowing and being part of the Boat Race squad impacted your life?
Without rowing, I would never have had the opportunity to produce my own watersport-based memes (please get in contact if you’d like to see my portfolio) and of course being a part of one of the oldest, most well-known sporting events in the world is incredibly humbling, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you weren’t a rower, what sport do you think you’d excel at?
F1, badminton or MMA
What is your favourite non-academic book?
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Meanwhile, Sunday’s race will be the 170th occasion in which Oxford and Cambridge’s men have raced against each other.
In the history of the men’s Boat Race, Cambridge lead Oxford by 87 wins to 81.
There was a dead heat in 1877.
Boat Race course
The Boat Race will take place on the Championship Course on the River Thames in London.
Crews will start at the Putney Bridge and row upstream 6.8km to the finish just before the Chiswick Bridge, passing notable landmarks like Craven Cottage stadium and Fuller’s Brewery.
This route has been used for every single Boat Race since 1845 aside from three occasions when the race was held in the opposite direction and in 2021 when it was held on the River Great Ouse in Ely due to Covid restrictions.
A coin toss before the race determines which team gets to pick their preferred station: either Middlesex or Surrey.
Approximately 300 000 people will line the banks of the Thames to watch the race with many more following on television.
When will the 2025 Boat Race be held?
This year’s race will be held on Sunday, 13 April.
Did you know … ?
The date of the boat race changes every year dependent on tides, university calendars and major London events.
On 30 March in 1912, both boats sank and the race had to be re-run the following week.
What time does the race start?
The women’s event is set for 14:21 (SA time) with the men’s race starting an hour later at 15:21 (SA time).
The races between the reserve crews take place earlier in the day.
Crews for the 2025 Boat Race
Women
Oxford
Daniel Orton (Cox)
Heidi Long (Stroke)
Kyra Delray
Annie Anezakis
Sarah Marshall
Alexia Lowe
Tessa Haining
Lilli Freischem
Sarah Polson (Bow)
Cambridge
Jack Nicholas (Cox)
Samy Morton (Stroke)
Tash Morrice
Claire Collins
Carys Earl
Annie Wertheimer
Sophia Hahn
Gemma King
Katy Hempson (Bow)
Umpire: Sir Matthew Pinsent
Men
Oxford
Tobias Bernard (Cox)
Nico Kohl (Stroke)
Nick Rusher
Tom Mackintosh
Tass von Mueller
James Doran
Felix Rawlinson
Will O’Connell
Tom Sharrock (Bow)
Cambridge
Ollie Boyne (Cox)
Douwe de Graaf (Stroke)
Simon Hatcher
James Robson
George Bourne
Gabriel Mahler
Luke Beever
Noam Mouelle
Luca Ferraro (Bow)
Umpire: Sarah Winckless
Prediction
Men’s winner – Cambridge
Women’s winner – Cambridge
Have you ever watched an Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race live?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
