Olympian and local resident becomes the oldest person ever to compete

Olympian and Chiswick resident James Cracknell is to become the oldest person to compete in the Boat Race. The 46-year-old Chiswick resident was selected to race for Cambridge, despite retiring from elite rowing in 2006.

However, he is eligible to take part in the race, which will take place on 7 April, as he is studying for a Master of Philosophy degree in human evolution at the University.

The previous oldest Boat Race competitor was Andy Probert who was 38 when he coxed the Cambridge boat in 1992.

When the team was announced earlier this week he joked that he is seven years older than the father of one of his team-mates.

Cambridge beat Oxford in the men's, women's and both reserve races of the annual event, which finishes at Chiswick Bridge, in 2018.

While he officially retired from the sport at the age of 33, James went on to compete in a South Pole Race in 2009, which involved rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and trekking across the Arabian Desert.

In 2010, he finished 12th in the 156-mile Marathon des Sables - the best finish by a Briton in the endurance race.

He also completed the London Marathon in a time of two hours, 43 minutes and 12 seconds, in 2017.

James, who is married to Beverley Turner, and is a father of three children, won gold in the coxless fours at both the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.

He has also in recent years been locally active in politics, as Deputy Chairman Political on the Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Association's Officer's Committee.

March 17, 2019