"Gloriana" to Make Guest Appearance at Boat Race

BBQ, bar and live music at Chiswick Pier one of the best spots to see the action

The University Boat Race takes place on Sunday 2 April and Chiswick Pier is one of the best spots on the Thames to view all the action.

Not only that, the race will be shown on the TV screen inside Pier House so you can watch the start and the finish of the race too.

There will be live music, as well as a BBQ and a Fullers Bar. The fun kicks off with Pier House opening up for business at 2pm, with the first race starting at 4:35pm. Prior to that, the Queen’s Rowbarge, "Gloriana" will start off the event, departing from Putney at 3:00pm, and passing Chiswick Pier around 3:15pm.

In addition, there are some famous faces joining the Boat Race this year. Two teams of celebrities are also racing against each other, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. The star rowers include Strictly Come Dancing Champions Ore Odube and Harry Judd, Olympians Helen Gover and Rebecca Adlington, and TV presenters Gethin Jones and Vernon Kay. James Cracknell and Steve Redgrave are the coaches in charge of the two crews. It is thought at this stage that the celebrity race will be pre-recorded and broadcast at some point during the BBC coverage.

The official timings for the day are as follows:

14:00 Pier House opens – BBQ, Fullers Bar, teas and coffees, live music.
15:00 Gloriana leaves Putney and will arrive at Chiswick Pier around 15 minutes later
15:58 BBC live coverage starts (the programme will have started earlier and will include footage of pre-recorded celebrity boat race)
16:35 Women’s Race
16:50 Women’s Reserves Race
17:05 Men’s Reserves Race
17:35 Men’s Race
18:00 Anticipated finish of racing

For further details check the Chiswick Pier Trust website.

March 25, 2017