Gender Equality at Oxford Cumbridge Boat Race

In rowing, “catch a crab” is when an oar gets stuck in the water and stops the boat’s momentum. Progress towards gender equality in Oxford v Cambridge boat races continued to a similar rhythm, with the period of forward movement being interrupted by moments of tension and pushback.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of one advance movement in which women began racing on the same course and moved from Henry Onthames to London’s Tideway on the same day as men. At the time, change was being told as a fork, but rather boldly and falsely stated that what was called “one of the last fortresses of gender inequality in sports” had ended.

Women’s races have become a well-established part of the event. However, our ongoing research into the experiences of female boat racing athletes over the past decade reveals significant disparities continue.

As one athlete told us, “When we started, racing at Tideway was still relatively new and we were aware of the struggle that women’s teams faced with being recognized and taken seriously.”

But equality isn’t just about participating in the race. It’s about having the same support, investment and opportunities as men. As one rower said, “We’ve made progress, but we’re still catching up.”

From Henry to Tideway

For decades, female rowers have been held back by institutional barriers such as unequal funding, media coverage and lack of sponsorship. Before 2015, the women raced on a two-kilometer stretch at Henry On Thames. This is a separate course from the men’s 4-mile route on the London Tideway Championship Course. One rower reflects the feeling that the race at Henry feels “secondary” and lacks the same awareness as the men’s race.

The issue wasn’t the venue. It was resource disparities, inadequate facilities and lack of media exposure. As one row handle explained, “There was no shower, no heating, no space to stretch. We stretched out the cold shed. Men had a better setup with basics like kettles and heating.” Henry’s lack of vision reinforced the perception that women’s race was secondary, and reduced their achievements.

But even after moving to the Tideway, the female rowers face the rough seas from the river itself, not only when the female boats of Cambridge sink to fame, but also when they have to challenge the recognition of the people.

In line with more extensive research, an analysis of media coverage during and after the 2015 women’s event revealed a consistent pattern that focuses on personal stories, emotional moments, and historical nature of race. This storytelling often reached at the expense of recognizing athletes’ performance and competitiveness.

A 2019 survey found that women’s sports received only 3.2% of sports news coverage aired. The coverage has increased in recent years, but the gap remains.

A 2024 Football Supporters Association survey found that only 31.8% of fans felt there was adequate mainstream media coverage of women’s soccer. Such invocations emphasize the continued marginalization of women’s sports, even amid growing interest.

This external perception appears to be evident within the boat club’s internal environment. One rower recalled, “I just felt like you made it inconvenient for them to use their space.”

This reflects a wider range of social issues that women feel they have to justify their existence in the space they belong to. Thus, the female crew faces not only the physical challenge of Tideway’s choppy water, but also the ongoing battle to prove their legitimacy.

In recent years, rowers have challenged the deeply rooted tradition of “measuring” with female crews who choose not to weigh female crews based on public displays of weight to athletes. Some viewed this as a challenge to a long-standing tradition, while others found it to be a positive step for athletes’ welfare, mental health and physical imagery.

Other issues also surfaced in 2021 when a former Oxford rower publicly criticized the university’s handling of sexual assault allegations and claimed that the agency had not protected her. The university said at the time it was confident that in all cases a considerable amount of action was needed to advise and support students raising such concerns. Although not directly related to boat races, such public cases sparked controversy and raised important questions about the environment in which these athletes train and compete.

Despite these set-offs, women’s races are gaining momentum. Sponsorships are growing and more people are watching. For young rowers, racing at Tideways is now standard. In 2015, the Women’s Boat Race attracted 4.8 million viewers. This reached 6.2 million people who saw men’s races. This highlighted the growing appeal of women’s rowfish.

Like row, gender equality competition in sports is a test of endurance. A short burst of advances like the move to the Tideway is not enough. Lasting change requires continuous effort.

Women’s boat racing has come a long way, but the journey never ends. True equality is only reached when women’s sport is assessed in its own terms, rather than being compared to men.

In each race, these women not only compete for victory in the water, but also help shape a more equal future for sports. The tide may be turning, but the race finish line for equality is still ahead.

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