The Welsh Boat Race

The Welsh Boat Race, also known as the Welsh University Boat Race and The Welsh Varsity Boat Race, is an annual rowing race in Wales between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Rowing Club, rowed between competing eights each spring since 2006 on the River Tawe or River Taff in South Wales.

Background The Welsh Boat Race started in 2006. with just a senior men's and women's event and as popularity grew for the event and particularly the Swansea University Rowing Club grew in numbers (having been recently reinstated), a Novice event was added for both men and women in their first year of rowing.

The race was held on a Wednesday, to complement the Welsh Varsity event and continued this way until 2009. It was then moved to a weekend date to enable more people to attend.

The 2010 Welsh Boat Race was held on the River Tawe, in Swansea on Saturday 24 April. The aim was to alternate the venue between the two university rivers, but with superior facilities in Cardiff, it was the venue of choice for 4 years. It was again held on the River Tawe, Swansea, in 2015 and 2016, the event returning to the River Taff, Cardiff in 2017.

For the first time, in 2017 Swansea won the overall series of Welsh Varsity Boat Races. This feat was repeated in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

The 2020 and 2021 Welsh Varsity Boat Races were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Winners

Men's race

2006 - Cardiff 2007 - Cardiff2007 2008 - Cardiff 2009 - Swansea 2010 - Swansea 2011 - Cardiff 2012 - Cardiff 2013 - Cardiff 2014 - Swansea 2015 - Swansea 2016 - Swansea 2017 - Swansea 2018 - Swansea 2019 - Swansea 2020 - No race 2021 - No race 2022 - Swansea 2023 - Swansea 2024 - Swansea 2025 - Swansea 2026 - Swansea

Number of wins Cardiff Swansea 6 13

Women's race

2006 - Cardiff 2007 - Cardiff 2008 - Cardiff 2009 - Cardiff 2010 - Cardiff 2011 - Cardiff 2012 - Cardiff 2013 - Cardiff 2014 - Cardiff 2015 - Cardiff 2016 - Cardiff 2017 - Cardiff 2018 - Cardiff 2019 - Cardiff 2020 - No race 2021 - No race 2022 - Cardiff 2023 - Cardiff 2024 - Cardiff 2025 - Cardiff 2026 - Swansea

Number of wins Cardiff Swansea 18 1

Men's novices race

2006 - No race 2007 - No race 2008 - No race 2009 - Cardiff 2010 - Cardiff 2011 - Cardiff 2012 - Swansea 2013 - Cardiff 2014 - Cardiff 2015 - Cardiff 2016 - Cardiff 2017 - Swansea 2018 - Swansea 2019 - Cardiff 2020 - No race 2021 - No race 2022 - Cardiff 2023 - Swansea 2024 - Swansea 2025 - Swansea 2026 - Swansea

Number of wins Cardiff Swansea 9 7

Women's novices race

2006 - No race 2007 - No race 2008 - No race 2009 - Cardiff 2010 - Cardiff 2011 - Cardiff 2012 - Cardiff 2013 - Cardiff 2014 - Cardiff 2015 - Cardiff 2016 - Cardiff 2017 - Swansea 2018 - Cardiff 2019 - Cardiff 2020 - No race 2021 - No race 2022 - Cardiff 2023 - Cardiff 2024 - Swansea 2025 - Swansea 2026 - Swansea

Number of wins Cardiff Swansea 12 4

Wales First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, was guest presenter in 2009.

Course

The course was rowed on the lower reaches of the River Taff from south of the Railway Arches bridge to Cardiff Bay over approximately 2 kilometres. In 2010 the venue changed to the River Tawe's slightly straighter course of again approximately 2 km from the beginning of the straight below White Rock near the old Hafod Copperworks to the Sail Bridge, returning in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024. After 2010 (with the exception of 2015/16) it returned to the River Taff. The course length is restricted due to the available rivers in the South Wales region.

The current trend is to now host the Boat Race in the city where all the Varsity matches are taking place the weekend before Varsity Wednesday.

The race is designed to give rowers a good preparation for the shorter distance regatta season.

2006 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2007 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2008 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2009 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2010 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2011 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2012 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2013 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2014 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2015 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2016 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2017 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2018 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2019 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2020 - Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 - Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2022 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2023 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2024 - River Tawe (Swansea) 2025 - River Taff (Cardiff) 2026 - River Taff (Cardiff)

The Welsh Boat Race

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