Lightning Strikes River Thames Shortly Before Start of 2016 Boat Races

There were shocking scenes in the build-up to the 2016 Boat Races on Sunday, as lightning struck the River Thames less than an hour before the start of the women's edition.

The dramatic footage showed lightning striking a tree just beside the water, as London was engulfed in a brief but violent thunderstorm.

This year will be the 162nd time the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge have competed in the event, with the overall score reading Cambridge 81-79 Oxford and the only dead heat occurring in 1877.

[Twitter, h/t Mirror]