00:00The crews for this year's boat race between Cambridge and Oxford have been announced with
00:08the world-renowned event taking place on the River Thames on Sunday April the 13th. The
00:16women and men's crews were revealed at Battersea Power Station on the 26th of March alongside
00:22the University's joint commitment to the London Rivers Pledge. This initiative led by Mayor
00:28Sadiq Khan aims to clean up London's waterways after last year's race was marred by contamination
00:35including e-coli and sewage. Several rowers fell ill from the polluted water last year
00:43with one Oxford competitor commenting that it would be nicer if the water was actually
00:48half clean. The 10-year London Rivers Pledge is a vital part of efforts to improve the
00:55capital's rivers, making them safer for rowing and recreational activities. With improvements
01:02to the city's air quality already underway, work is now focused on cleaning up the Thames
01:08and other waterways to ensure they are accessible and safe for all. However, this year's boat
01:15race has been surrounded by controversy. Cambridge University faces backlash after three of its
01:23rowers, Matt Hayward, Molly Foxall and Kate Crowley, were disqualified. The reason, they
01:29were working towards a postgraduate certificate in education instead of a traditional degree.
01:39Oxford's Boat Club filed a complaint arguing the PGCE was not equivalent to a degree and
01:45an independent panel upheld the ruling. Despite these disputes, the boat race remains one
01:52of the most prestigious sporting events on the London calendar, with both universities
01:58now focused on preparation. The event continues to spotlight the Thames and the ongoing work
02:06to improve the river's water quality remains crucial as both teams race towards the historic
02:13event.
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