Let’s meet the crews: Cambridge Women
In their boat are two-time Olympian and previous World Championship bronze winner Claire Collins and Australian 2024 Olympic spare Samy Morton.
In addition to sharing a birthdate, the American and Long have had a parallel racing career. They have competed against each other several times in the junior, U23, and senior divisions, including in the Olympics last summer.
Carys Earl and Gemma King, the latter in her sixth Boat race campaign, are both returning winners from the previous year’s crew in Cambridge’s Blue Boat.
Cambridge women: Jack Nicholas (cox), Samy Morton (stroke), Tash Morrice, Claire Collins, Carys Earl, Annie Wertheimer, Sophia Hahn, Gemma King, Katy Hempson (bow).
Let’s meet the crews: Oxford Women
Heidi Long, a British bronze medallist in the women’s eight at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, is this year’s most decorated rower for Oxford Women.
The boat’s third-place result was only the second time in race history that Great Britain had taken home a medal. Kyra Delray, who has won juvenile and under-23 gold for the national team and is set to race this Sunday after recovering from double hip surgery, is another potential Olympian for Great Britain in the Oxford boat.
Oxford women: Daniel Orton (cox), Heidi Long (stroke), Kyra Delray, Annie Anezakis, Sarah Marshall, Alexia Lowe, Tessa Haining, Lilli Freischem, Sarah Polson (bow).
Let’s meet the crews: Cambridge Men
Although the Cambridge men’s squad lacks the international experience of its rivals, they make up for it with the expertise of James Robson, 30, who was a spare for Great Britain in Paris.
Douwe de Graaf, a member of GB’s development squad for LA 2028, and Noam Mouelle and Luca Ferraro, both two-time Boat Race champions with Cambridge, are also on the team.
Cambridge men: Ollie Boyne (Cox), Douwe de Graaf (Stroke), Luca Ferraro, James Robson, George Bourne, Gabriel Mahler, Tom Macky, Noam Mouille, Simon Hatcher (Bow).