Our Patron is set to make history again!

Our wonderful Patron Sarah Winckless MBE will become the first woman umpire for the Men’s Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race on its traditional Tideway course next month.

Sarah previously umpired the world-famous race in 2021, however due to safety concerns about Hammersmith Bridge at that time it was moved temporarily to Ely in Cambridgeshire.

A Cambridge graduate, Sarah won the women’s race three times during her time at the university, between 1995 and 1997. She then went on to win Olympic bronze in the double sculls at the 2004 Athens Games and held the title of world champion in the women’s quad in 2005 and 2006.

While reaching the highest levels in the sporting world, Sarah was also coming to terms with the reality that she would one day develop Huntington’s disease. On her retirement from competitive rowing, Sarah became Patron of Scottish Huntington’s Association and a global advocate for the Huntington’s community.

This year’s Men’s Boat Race takes place on Sunday 13 April at 2.20pm. The event will be shown live on BBC1.

Learn more: https://hdscotland.org/about-us/trustees/