A woman is set to umpire the Oxford-Cambridge Men's Boat Race for the first time.

Sarah Winckless, 46, will officiate the 166th annual contest on the Thames in London on March 29.

She has previously umpired the men's reserve Boat Race in 2016 and the following year carried out the same job for the women's event.

A rower herself, Winkless competed at three Olympic Games and won a bronze medal alongside partner Elise Laverick in Athens in 2004.

Winckless was also acknowledged on the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2015 when she received an MBE for her services to sport and young people.

And now she will do what no other woman has done in the long, illustrious history of the famous Boat Race, a challenge she feels privileged to take on.

"To be the first female umpire in charge of the Boat Race is a real honour and responsibility," she said.

"There are 10 rules of the Boat Race so that makes what you need to do sound relatively simple.

"However, in the moment of competing on the course it could be a high-pressure situation."

Cambridge's men have 84 wins to their name compared to Oxford's 80, while Cambridge's women have 44 victories to Oxford's 30.