Boat Race turns toxic with dirty water and battle over rower ban

The run-up to tomorrow's Boat Race has been marred by toxicity between the crews, a change of sorts from last year when the controversy was about contamination in the water.

- Matt Hughes

Imogen Grant, an Olympic Gold medallist and former Light Blue rower, caused a stir last month when condemning Oxford as "slimy" for getting three Cambridge PGCE students banned from the race, although the conservationist could also have been describing the contents of the Thames, the course for this anachronistic yet somehow endearing national event. Some 200,000 spectators and revellers are expected to line the banks of the river between Putney and Mortlake to cheer on the women's race at 1.21pm and the men's race an hour later. Few watching will be tempted into the water.