The Alternative Boat Race

With the Oxford v Cambridge boat race taking place late in the day on Saturday April 11, the RNLI is providing some pre-match entertainment in the form of an alternative boat race on the Friday. A flotilla of miniature lifeboats, each representing an individual or rowing club who have been raising sponsorship ahead of the event, will be released to race against each other to win a trophy and to name a (full-size) D class lifeboat. The race will take place along the final stretch of The Boat Race's course – from Barnes Bridge to Chiswick Bridge – with a VIP party at The Ship Inn afterwards. We predict the real RNLI rescuing mini versions of themselves all afternoon.