The Boat Race of the North Contested by DUBC NUBCFirst boat race18 May 1997Current championNewcastle (2023)CourseRedheugh Bridge to Gateshead Millennium Bridge River Tyne, NewcastleCourse lengthSponsorNorthumbrian Water (− 2010)NE1 (2015 –)Siemens (2017 –)Number of wins Durham Newcastle 8 84 drawsOfficial website
The Boat Race of the North is an annual rowing event between the boat clubs of Durham and Newcastle universities in England. The event is usually staged on the River Tyne in Newcastle, although the 2018 race was held on the River Wear in Durham.
The inaugural event took place on 18 May 1997. Durham won eight of the first twelve competitions, before a hiatus between 2011 and 2014. Races recommenced in 2015, and Newcastle has won six of the seven events since then.
The event was sponsored for a number of years until 2010 by Northumbrian Water, and hence was known as the Northumbrian Water University Boat Race for this period. Since 2015 the race had been sponsored by the NE1 business development company, with Siemens also sponsoring from 2017, when the race became the Siemens Boat Race of the North.
Races
The main rowing event consists of six races (from 2016), with trophies for the first and novice eights commemorating 19th century Tyne rowers Race Trophy 1 Men's senior eights The Clasper Trophy 2 Women's senior eights The Chambers Trophy 3 Men's novice eights The Renforth Trophy 4 Women's novice eights The Taylor Trophy 5 Men's second eights - 6 Women's second eights -
Local entertainment is often provided, and other spectacles such as a parade of tall ships, a University Sailing Contest and a University Canoe Water Polo contest have enlivened the atmosphere prior to the main race.
Presentations are made after the races have finished in Baltic Square on the Gateshead side of the river.
The 2006 race and the crews' build up to the race was filmed for an ITV television show about rowing in the North East.
A race for junior rowers takes place before the main university races over the same course. It is usually contested between Tyne Amateur Rowing Club representing Newcastle and a composite of Durham Schools (usually Durham School and St Leonard's) representing Durham. The event does not count towards the overall trophy.
Recent years
2009 event The 2009 boat race took place on Saturday 9 May; this was the 13th event, although only ten of the twelve prior competitions had taken place, owing to bad weather. River-based entertainment started at 3:30pm, with the start of racing at 4:40pm. Newcastle took the overall title for the first time.
2010 event In 2010 the event was held on Sunday 9 May, beginning at 1:00pm, following a race between schoolchildren (won by the Durham crew). It was moved from the Saturday to get better spectator numbers. The Boat Race was a draw, with Newcastle taking both the Freshmen's and Freshwomen's races and Durham both Senior races.
2011 & 2012 events The 2011 boat race was scheduled to take place on Saturday 7 May 2011 at 5pm. There had been tensions between the teams the previous year, and the weekend before, all four Newcastle boats (Men's senior eights & Freshmen and Women's senior eights & Freshwomen) had beaten their Durham counterparts in finals at the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) Regatta held at Nottingham. Durham declined to challenge Newcastle for the Boat Race trophies and conceded all races for this year without a contest. Newcastle therefore retained the overall trophy. In 2012, Durham again declined to challenge, leading to the event being abandoned until revived in 2015.
2015 event In 2015, the race was held on Saturday 9 May. Durham won both Women's and Men's Beginner races by 1 1/4 lengths and a canvas respectively. Newcastle Senior Women fought back with a win by 2 lengths, setting up a decider between the Senior Men. Newcastle won the Senior Men's race by 3 lengths. Newcastle retained the trophy.
2016 event The 2016 race took place on 7 May 2016. In addition to the four main races, there was also a race between the men's and women's 2nd eights as well as race between local rivals Tyne Rowing Club and Tyne United Rowing Club.
Newcastle's Women won their 1st and 2nd eight races by 2 ¾ and 4 lengths respectively and Newcastle's Men won their 1st and 2nd eight races by 2 ¼ and 2 ¾ lengths respectively. Durham won both the Women's and Men's beginner races by 2 ¾ lengths and ¼ lengths respectively. Therefore, Newcastle won overall.
In the club competition, Tyne Rowing Club beat Tyne United Rowing Club.
2018 event
The 2018 race was scheduled for 17 March 2018 but bad weather forced the event to be postponed. A reduced Boat Race, featuring only the senior men's and women's teams, took place alongside the Durham Regatta on 9 June, meaning that the race took place on the River Wear for the first time in its history. Newcastle won both races to retain the overall trophy, the men's team by three feet and the women's team by 1 ¾ lengths.
2019 event The 2019 event took place on the same day as the Heineken Cup final for European club rugby at St James' Park, with the "fanzone" for the rugby being located at the quayside. Large screens broadcast both the rising and the rugby to the crowds. Newcastle won all six races over a 1500m course from Redheugh Bridge to the Millennium Bridge. Beginner races were replaced by 3rd eights.
2021 event The race was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in 2021. Newcastle again won all six races.
2022 event The 2022 races took place on 9 May 2022. Durham won the men's senior 8 race for the first time since the race was revived in 2015, and also took the women's 2nd 8 title, but the remaining four races were won by Newcastle, who took overall victory and retained the trophy.
2023 event The Boat Race of the North in 2023 was held on Newcastle & Gateshead Quayside from 2pm on Saturday 6 May after the coronation of King Charles III. Newcastle University were once again victorious, retaining the title by winning 5 of the 6 races.
2024 event
The 2024 event was cancelled.
Results Year Race Number Senior 8 - Men Senior 8 - Women 2nd 8 - Men 2nd 8 - Women 3rd 8 - Men 3rd 8 - Women Overall 2024 Cancelled - Newcastle retain trophy202322 Durham Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Win202221 Durham Newcastle Newcastle Durham Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Win202120 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Win 2020 Cancelled - Newcastle retain trophy201919 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Win201818 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Win201717 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Durham Newcastle Win 2016 16 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Durham Durham Newcastle Win 2015 15 Newcastle Newcastle Durham Durham Draw - Newcastle retain trophy 2014 Not contested - Newcastle retain trophy 2013 Not contested - Newcastle retain trophy 2012 Not contested - Newcastle retain trophy 2011 Not contested - Newcastle retain trophy 2010 14 Durham Durham Newcastle Newcastle Draw - Newcastle retain trophy 2009 13 Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle Durham Newcastle Win 2008 12 Durham Durham Durham Durham Durham Win 2007 11 Newcastle Durham Durham NewcastleDraw - Durham retain Trophy 2006 10 Durham Durham Newcastle Durham Durham Win 2005 9 Newcastle Durham Durham NewcastleDraw - Durham retain Trophy 2004 8 Durham Durham Durham Durham Durham Win 2003 7 NewcastleCancelled - Durham retain Trophy 2002 6 Durham Durham Newcastle Durham Durham Win 2001 5 Durham Newcastle Durham Durham Win 2000 4 Cancelled - Durham retain Trophy 1999 3 Durham Newcastle Durham Durham Win 1998 2 Durham Durham Newcastle Durham Win 1997 1 Durham Durham Durham Durham WinTotalsDurham 10Newcastle 9Newcastle 10Durham 9Newcastle 5Durham 0Newcastle 4Durham 1Durham 9Newcastle 10Durham 8Newcastle 8Durham 8Newcastle 84 draws
See also List of British and Irish varsity matches The Boat Race The Welsh Boat Race University rowing in the United Kingdom
Footnotes
References
External links Durham University Boat Club Newcastle University Boat Club Tyne Rowing Club