The Lightweight Men’s Boat Race will commence at 13:20 on Saturday, 12th April 2025.
Now officially part of the ‘Boat Race weekend’, the lightweight boat races have been an all-light blue affair in recent years. Oxford’s best efforts since 2022 have seen them defeated by several lengths every year over the Championship Course. Could this year represent their best chance in an academic generation to re-establish dark blue dominance?
Oxford University Boat Club
The all-new coaching structure at Oxford University has seen the lightweight men brought further into the regime. Now overseen by ex-Eton coach Mark Fangen-Hall, assistant coach Harry Brightmore leads the day-to-day of the lightweight programme.
Much like their openweight counterparts, the Oxford lightweights have kept their cards close to their chest this season, keeping fixture results quiet in the run-up to the 12 April.
Despite this, we know Oxford’s crew features two returners from the 2024 boat: cox Rahul Marchand and five-seat Dylan John. Marchand is one of three in this crew to have learned their trade under Bobby Thatcher’s watchful gaze at St Paul’s School and was a member of the 2023 crew that reached the final of The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cu (PE) at Henley Royal Regatta.
Marchand’s seven-seat – Ben Atkinson – went one better with St Paul’s, winning the PE in 2024 before matriculating at New College to begin his Oxford journey.
Seb Harker is the final member of the St Paul’s School triad in six, with Oxford’s other returner – Dylan John – in five, rounding out an all-start stern combination.
As mentioned, Oxford’s season so far has been decidedly muted, though a respectable second place at the Heineken in March and several successful closed fixtures have showcased a dark blue crew that’s quietly confident, especially in comparison to the crews of recent years.
Cambridge University Boat Club
The dominant force in recent times, Cambridge returns to the Tideway in a bid to make it four consecutive victories for the light blues.
The almost all-new Cambridge lineup has impressed so far this season with compelling fixture results. Now firmly under the stewardship of Rob Baker and his relentlessly successful Boat Race training programme, the light blue crew are already in a favourable position.
Stroked by ex-Kings College School rower James Richards, the Cambridge crew is packed with home-grown talent, with the likes of Janik Schüttler, Josh Moore, and Will Morris all learning to row at their respective colleges.
President Gianluca Maffi is the key exception to this, having first picked up an oar at Walton Rowing Club as a junior. Since moving to Cambridge, Maffi has won the Spare Pairs races in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Fixture Season saw Cambridge take on the likes of Thames Rowing Club and London Rowing Club, with the Tideway locals getting the better of Cambridge on both occasions.
Prediction
Notoriously challenging to predict, lightweight races tend to either be won by several lengths or a mere few inches – rarely anything in between.
On paper, the dark blues are stronger – both in terms of their raw makeup and the proportion of returning talent. Cambridge, although ‘weaker’, has a recent history of relentless success: a culture that can’t be overlooked.
That being said, I believe it will be Oxford that comes out ahead on Saturday.
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