EAST and west are set to battle on the water next weekend with the return of the Scottish Boat Race.

Glasgow and Edinburgh universities will be pitched against one another in what is the third oldest boat race in the world.

Eight races will take place in total – including beginners, alumni and first and second teams – each beginning at the Squinty Bridge and finishing at the Tall Ship. 

The Clyde has hosted the race for 139 years – a length of time only predated by the Oxford and Cambridge boat race and the Yale-Harvard Regatta. Over the last 20 years, the Edinburgh women’s team have beaten Glasgow times, while Glasgow men’s team have come out on top 15 times.

Both teams include rowing talent at the top of their game, such as Edinburgh’s Maddie Arlett and Glasgow’s Imogen Walsh who are both part of Team GB. Edinburgh rower Robyn Hart-Winks is currently the lightweight women’s world indoor rowing champion.

Thousands are expected to visit the Riverside next Saturday to enjoy not only the races but also a host of family fun, including street food, bar areas, face-painting, children’s films and appearances by other local sporting clubs, including Glasgow Warriors and Partick Thistle. The day kicks off at 11.30am and is expected to finish at 5pm.

Andy Barton, director of rowing at the University of Glasgow, said: “I’m extremely excited for the 2016 Scottish Boat Race, a hidden gem of Scotland’s sporting calendar and this year promises to be the largest edition in the 139-year history of the event. Being part of the Riverside Festival is a massive boon for the Scottish Boat Race and I hope that lots of people come down to be part of what is sure to be a great day of sport, food, drink and entertainment.”

“The Glasgow University Boat Club rowers have trained extremely well through the hard winter months, been to Italy for a training camp and raced up and down the country to ensure we are in the best physical, technical and mental shape to take on our own rivals on May 21.”