Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs will name their crews for the 152nd Boat Race, sponsored by Xchanging, in Putney, London, on Monday March 6, 2006, at 10.30am*.
This year's Boat Race is on April 2nd at 4.35pm. It will be televised live by ITV, whose audience reached 6 million people in 2005, and broadcast on LBC radio. Worldwide, over 100 million look set to watch The Race in 2006.
For the first time in 10 years Cambridge enter this year's Boat Race with a new coach. Duncan Holland has taken over from Robin Williams who moved to a role with the GB rowing squad after the 2005 Race which Oxford won.
Both Holland and Sean Bowden, Oxford's coach, have a wealth of domestic and international talent from which to pick their crews.
The Boat Race dates back to 1829 and Cambridge lead the series by 78-72. In recent years the Boat Race has produced some thrilling finishes, including the 2003 Race which Oxford won by just one foot in the closest verdict of all-time.
On March 6th, Cambridge will also issue the formal Race Challenge to Oxford, last year's winners, in a tradition going back to the 1800s.