The 2026 Boat Race crews were announced at Somerset House this week, and the selection contains one of the richest sets of human stories in the event’s modern history: a pair of sisters on opposite sides of the same race, the first time ever that both men’s crews are led by French nationals, and an Oxford cox who knows the championship course from the water up.
Race day is Saturday 4 April. The women’s race starts at 2:21pm, the men’s at 3:21pm, on the 4.25-mile championship course from Putney to Mortlake. Channel 4 broadcast the event live from 1:30pm, the first time the BBC has not carried it since 2009.
Cambridge Women go into April seeking a ninth consecutive victory, having won every race since 2017. Cambridge Men are chasing a fourth straight win after last year’s double at Putney.
Sister versus sister
The sibling story runs in two directions. Mia Freischem rows at seat 7 for Cambridge Women, while her sister Lilli Freischem is at seat 3 for Oxford Women, the first sisters on opposing sides in the Women’s Race since 2004.
Then there are the King twins. Gemma King rows bow for Cambridge Women and serves as the crew’s president. Her twin sister Catherine is in the Oxford Women’s squad, though in the reserve boat rather than the Blue Boat. Catherine’s Boat Race history is itself notable: she previously rowed for Cambridge in 2019 and 2021 before switching allegiances to Oxford, where she has rowed the reserve boat in 2024 and 2025. On 4 April the twins will race on the same stretch of the Thames, if in different boats.
Two Frenchmen leading their crews, a historic first
The men’s presidents this year are both French. Noam Mouelle leads Cambridge Men, while Tobias Bernard, who holds dual British-French nationality and studies Chemistry at Magdalen College, Oxford, is the president and cox of the Oxford Men’s crew. The official announcement confirmed this is the first time in the event’s history that both men’s Blue Boats have been captained by French nationals.
Bernard is also a local figure in the truest sense. He grew up learning the cox’s craft at Westminster School, and he has spent extensive time training on the Tideway in the years since. He coxed Oxford’s Blue Boat in 2025, so he goes into April knowing this stretch of the river well.
The names to watch
Harry Geffen strokes the Oxford Men’s crew and is a four-time under-23 world champion with his eye on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Heidi Long, Oxford Women’s stroke and president, is an Olympic bronze medallist.
Cambridge Women’s seat 4, Carys Earl, is a two-time winner competing in her fourth Boat Race and seeking a third consecutive medal. Seat 6, Camille VanderMeer, is a world champion.
The Cambridge Men’s most talked-about selection is Patrick Wild at seat 4, a first-year undergraduate, who won gold in the men’s pair at the 2025 junior world championships. The last British crew to win that event was Matthew Pinsent and Tim Foster.
For Oxford Women, Annie Anezakis and Sarah Marshall are both three-time Blue Boat veterans competing on a fourth attempt and still seeking their first victory.
A family affair at Cambridge
Gabriel Obholzer rows at seat 5 for Cambridge Men and comes with a rowing pedigree that runs in both directions. His father, Rupert Obholzer, stroked Oxford to victory in 1991 and won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games as part of the British coxless four with the Searle brothers and Tim Foster. His mother also competed in 1991. The family home is in Mortlake, right at the finish line.
The broadcast change
Channel 4 have taken over Boat Race broadcasting rights from the BBC in a five-year deal, ending a run that started in 2009. Clare Balding and Ade Adepitan present, with Alex Jacques on lead commentary and Olympic gold medallist Pete Reed as pundit. Coverage runs from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.
The full crews
Cambridge Women: Cox Matt Moran; Stroke Aidan Wrenn-Walz; 7 Mia Freischem; 6 Camille VanderMeer; 5 Antonia Galland; 4 Carys Earl; 3 Charlotte Ebel; 2 Isobel Campbell; Bow Gemma King (President)
Oxford Women: Cox Louis Corrigan; Stroke Heidi Long (President); 7 Sarah Marshall; 6 Esther Briz Zamorano; 5 Kyra Delray; 4 Julietta Camahort; 3 Lilli Freischem; 2 Emily Molins; Bow Annie Anezakis
Cambridge Men: Cox Sammy Houdaigui; Stroke Frederik Breuer; 7 Will Klipstine; 6 Lexi McClean; 5 Gabriel Obholzer; 4 Patrick Wild; 3 Kyle Fram; 2 Noam Mouelle (President); Bow Simon Hatcher
Oxford Men: Cox Tobias Bernard (President); Stroke Harry Geffen; 7 Alex Sullivan; 6 Jamie Arnold; 5 Alex Underwood; 4 Fergus Pim; 3 James Fetter; 2 Julian Schoeberl; Bow Felix Crabtree
🏅 Want to explore the crews? We’ve built an interactive guide to all 36 rowers. Tap any seat in the boat diagram to see who faces whom, or search by name, college or nationality. Explore the interactive crew guide
The London Rowing Club balcony, almost complete after months of work, will be ready in time for the race. If you are looking for a spot to watch from Putney Embankment itself, the Half Moon pub will be open from early for race day.
According to the Boat Race Company, more people have climbed Everest than have ever competed in the Boat Race.
🚣 Everything you need for Boat Race day in Putney: where to stand, which pubs open early, transport tips and all the build-up is on our dedicated Boat Race guide page.
