Rowing on the River Thames
The Thames is one of the main rowing rivers in Europe. The sport and recreational/touring rowing takes place on the Tideway and on the 45 separate lock reaches on the non-tidal section.
The river hosts a televised succession of races on which bets are placed – traditionally named The Boat Race and for some decades a men-only event – it is now the (Oxford and Cambridge) Men's and Women's Boat Race on the cusp of March and April. Further inland the river hosts a tournament week of racing: Henley Royal Regatta which culminates the first weekend of July.
It is on the long, tidal course of the Boat Race, the Championship Course, that at least 12 head of the river races are held every year – including the Head of the River Race which is the weekend before the Boat Race, attracting hundreds of racing shell eights. Head races are, by definition, long time trials. Twice as many heads are held on long, narrower reaches of the canalised inland river. Many clubs and a few schools and village fair committees as far inland as Oxford host shorter races – regattas – in warmer months.
Dorney Lake between Slough and Windsor, Berkshire is an international Cup, standard-distance rowing lake besides the Thames, and hosts the three main annual entry regattas for Henley: still named Marlow (International), Wallingford and Metropolitan. Other rowing lakes near the Thames are the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake between Reading and Henley used by the Great Britain squad and Royal Albert Dock near North Woolwich, London.
Today punts are almost wholly recreational. Event-raced, self-propelled boats on the Thames chiefly comprise (Olympic) racing shells, (Thames) skiffs, dragon boats, dongolas, dinghies, inflatable rafts and larger skiffs known as cutters. Most events are for racing shells.

Regattas[edit]
Thames rowing regattas are almost all between April and the first week of September. All but the most prestigious are considered short. They are raced side-by-side. They are in categories for competitors and boat types: each consists of heats (mostly knock-out tournaments, that is, without repechages) and final. Many regatta days are split into two or more divisions so that competitors can enter two categories – such as a large and small boat, sweep-oar or sculling. Where category events have a cup it belongs to the regatta and is sometimes engraved with winners' club or composite clubs' name (or engraved on metal set around a plinth or set of plinths). Winners receive a medal – or tankard, called by rowers a "pot". A regatta in racing shell rowing has umpires/stewards who enforce preparedness (race registration, safety and marshalling time/location rules), false start and lane rules using a motor launch and the wearing of club kit.
Event | Special | Month | Place or Reach above... | Approx. start point | Direction | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barnes and Mortlake Regatta | 06 | Tideway | 1000 m | |||
Borne at Chiswick Bridge | 05 | Tideway | 1000 m | |||
Burway Junior Regatta | Junior | 07 | Chertsey Lock | Burway RC, Laleham | Down | 600 m |
Chertsey Regatta | Skiffing | 07 | Shepperton Lock | Dumsey Meadow | Down | 500 m |
Chiswick Regatta | 04/05 | Tideway | 1000 m | |||
Egham Regatta | 06 | Bell Weir Lock | Bell Weir | Up | 650 m | |
Goring and Streatley Regatta | General (no racing shells) | 07 | Cleeve Lock | Lower Basildon | Down | 500 m |
Hammersmith Regatta | 04 | Tideway (Crab Tree/Chiswick Reach) |
Fulham football ground (flood tide)/ Lep wharf (ebb tide) |
1400 m | ||
Hampton Court and Dittons Regatta | Skiffing | 07 | Teddington Lock | River Mole | Down | 650 m |
Henley Royal Regatta | 07 | Hambleden Lock | Temple Island | Up | 2112 m | |
Henley Town and Visitors Regatta | 07/08 | Hambleden Lock | Temple Island | Up | 1000 m | |
Henley Veterans Regatta | Veterans | 07 | Hambleden Lock | Temple Island | Up | 1000 m |
Henley Women's Regatta | Ladies | 06 | Hambleden Lock | Temple Island | Up | 1500 m |
Kingston Regatta | 07 | Teddington Lock | Raven's Ait | Down | 1000 m | |
Maidenhead Regatta | 08 | Bray Lock | Maidenhead Railway Bridge | Up | 500 m | |
Maidenhead Junior Regatta | Junior | 05 | Bray Lock | Maidenhead Railway Bridge | Up | 500 m |
Marlow Regatta | 06 | Dorney Lake | Still | 2000 m | ||
Marlow Spring Regatta | 04/05 | Marlow Lock | Bisham Abbey | Down | 950 m | |
Marlow Town Regatta | 06 | Marlow Lock | Bisham Abbey | Down | 900 m | |
Metropolitan Regatta | 05/06 | Dorney Lake | Still | 2000 m | ||
Molesey Regatta | 07 | Molesey Lock | Platts Eyot | Down | 850 m | |
Molesey Junior Regatta | Junior | 07 | Molesey Lock | Platts Eyot | Down | 500 m |
Oxford City Royal Regatta | 08 | Iffley Lock | Down | 1000 m | ||
Oxford City Sprint Regatta | 08 | Iffley Lock | Down | 500 m | ||
Putney Town Regatta | 05 | Tideway Fulham Reach |
1200 m | |||
Reading Amateur Regatta | 06 | Caversham Lock | St Mary's Island | Down | 1500 m | |
Reading Town Regatta | Thames Valley Park bank | 06 | Sonning Lock | Up | 800 m | |
Richmond Regatta | 06 | Tideway (Horse Reach) | Downstream end of Eel Pie Island | Down | 1250 m | |
Skiff Championships Regatta | Skiffing | 08 | Hambleden Lock | Henley on Thames | Down | 750 m |
Sonning Regatta | General (no racing shells) | 05, biennial | Sonning Lock | Sonning Eye bank above lock | Either | 300 m approx |
Staines Regatta | 07 | Penton Hook Lock | South of Saint Peter's Church | Down | 500 m | |
Sunbury Amateur Regatta | General (rarely has racing shell J1x) | 08 | Molesey Lock | Sunbury Court Island | Up | 650 m |
Thames Ditton Regatta | 05 | Teddington Lock | By Thames Ditton Island | Up | 920 m | |
Thames Valley Park Regatta | 06 | Sonning Lock | Up | 500 m | ||
Twickenham Regatta | 05 | Tideway (Horse Reach) | Downstream end of Eel Pie Island | 1250 m | ||
Wallingford Regatta | 05 | Dorney Lake | Still | 2000 m | ||
Walton and Weybridge Regatta | 05/06 | Sunbury Lock | Walton Bridge | Down | 1000 m | |
Walton Reach Regatta | Skiffing | 08 | Sunbury Lock | Walton on Thames | Down | 600 m |
Wargrave and Shiplake Regatta | General (no racing shells) | 08 | Marsh Lock | Shiplake Railway Bridge | Down | 400 m |
Weybridge Ladies Regatta | Ladies | 06 | Sunbury Lock | End of Desborough Cut | Up | 900 m |
Wraysbury and Old Windsor Regatta | Skiffing | 07 | Bell Weir Lock | Hythe End | Down | 500 m |
"General" refers to a mix of skiffing, cutters, dinghies and other rowed craft.
Head of the River and long-distance events[edit]
Head of the River races (Heads) and other long-distance events dominate the winter months, and are usually processional (time trials): competitors set off at time intervals, and results are on the basis of comparative timing or by bumping (catching up the boat in front). Many of them on the Tideway are raced over The Championship Course, and apart from the Boat Race and Wingfield Sculls, may begin from Mortlake (west) or Putney (east) whichever tide matches the middle of the day or other central racing hours.
Event | Special | Month | Area or Lock Reach | Approx. start point | Direction | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abingdon Head / Spring Head | 04 | Culham Lock | S.W. of Culham Cut's west end | Up | 2000 m | |
Burway Head | 02 | Chertsey Lock | M3 Bridge | Up | 3000 m | |
Burway Small Boats Head | 12 | Chertsey Lock | M3 Bridge | Up | 3000 m | |
Eights Week | University of Oxford | 05 | Iffley Lock | Up | ||
Greenwich Head | 02 | Tideway | Wapping Pier to P,B&D RC | Either, usu. down | 5633 m | |
Hammersmith Head | 03 | Tideway | Chiswick Bridge | Down | 4425 m | |
Hampton Fours and Eights Head | Junior | 01 | Molesey Lock | East of Sunbury Lock | Down | 3000 m |
Head of the River Fours (the Fours Head) | 11 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m | |
Head of the River Race (the) | 03 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m | |
Henley Fours and Eights Head | 02 | Hambleden Lock | Downstream of Temple Island | Up | 3000 m | |
Henley Junior Head | Junior | 02 | Hambleden Lock | Downstream of Temple Island | Up | 3000 m |
Henley Sculls Head | 11 | Hambleden Lock | Downstream of Temple Island | Up | 3000 m | |
Isis Sculls | 09 | Iffley Lock | Isis Boathouse | Up | 1850 m (shorter for Div.4) | |
Kingston Head | 03 | Teddington Lock | River Mole | Down | 5200 m | |
Kingston Small Boats Head | 11 | Teddington Lock | Dittons SPC | Down | 5000 m | |
Marlow Long Distance Sculls | 11 | Cookham Lock | Cookham Bridge | Up | 2400/4800 m | |
Molesey Veteran and Junior Head | Masters & Juniors | 02 | Molesey Lock | East of Sunbury Lock | Down | 3000 m |
Oxford City Bumping Races | 04 | Iffley Lock | ||||
Pangbourne Junior Sculls | Junior | 11 | Whitchurch Lock | Child Beale Park | Down | 3000 m |
Pairs Head (also for doubles) | 10 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m | |
Quintin Head (eights only) | 01/02 | Tideway | Univ. stone/pole to Harrods Wharf | Either, usu. down | 4600 m | |
Reading Small Boats Head | 10 | Caversham Lock | 1000m downstream of Roebuck Hotel | Down | 3300 m | |
Reading University Head of the River | 02/03 | Caversham Lock | The Roebuck Hotel, Tilehurst | Down | 4500 m | |
Schools' Head of the River Race | Junior | 03 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m |
Teddington Small Boats Head | 11 | Teddington Lock | Dittons Skiff and Punting Club | Down | 5000 m | |
Thames Valley Trial Head | 01 | Dorney Lake | ||||
Torpids | University of Oxford | 03 | Iffley Lock | Up | ||
Tiffin Small Boats Head | 10 | Teddington Lock | Garden gates of Hampton Court Palace | Down | 5300 m | |
Upper Thames Small Boats Head | 10 | Hambleden Lock | Up | 3500 m | ||
Vesta Veterans International VIIIs Head of River | Masters | 03 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m |
(Vesta/the) Scullers Head of River | 09 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m | |
Veteran Fours Head | Masters | 11 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6800 m |
Wallingford LD Sculls | 10 | Cleeve Lock | Moulsford Railway Bridge | Up | 4000 m | |
Walton Small Boats Head | 12 | Sunbury Lock | Elmbridge Canoe Club | Down | 3000 m | |
Weybridge Silver Sculls | 10 | Sunbury Lock | Top end of E.A. barges upstream of Sunbury Weir | Up | 3300 m | |
Weybridge Winter Head | 01 | Sunbury Lock | Top end of E.A. barges upstream of Sunbury Weir | Up | 3000 m | |
Wingfield Sculls | 10 | Tideway | Putney | With the flood tide | 6800 m | |
Women's Head | Ladies | 03 | Tideway | Championship Course | Either | 6500 m |
Other events[edit]
Clubs[edit]
Rowing on the river is generally organised through clubs based on the Thames, which include the following.
Competing many times per year[edit]
- Abingdon Rowing Club
- Auriol Kensington Rowing ClubH
- Barn Elms Rowing Club
- Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing ClubCh
- Burway Rowing Club, (Laleham)
- City of Oxford Rowing Club
- Curlew Rowing ClubG
- Cygnet Rowing ClubCh
- Eton Excelsior Rowing Club
- Falcon Boat Club (Oxford)
- Fulham Reach Boat Club
- Furnivall Sculling ClubH
- Globe Rowing ClubG
- Goring Gap Rowing Club
- Henley Rowing Club
- HSBC Rowing Club
- Kingston Rowing Club
- Leander Club
- London Rowing Club
- Maidenhead Rowing Club
- Marlow Rowing Club
- Molesey Boat Club
- Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Boat ClubCh
- Parr's Priory Rowing Club
- Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club
- Putney Town Rowing ClubM
- Quintin Boat ClubCh
- Reading Rowing Club
- Sons of the ThamesH
- Staines Boat Club
- Thames Rowing Club
- Thames Tradesmen's Rowing ClubCh
- Tideway Scullers SchoolCh
- Twickenham Rowing Club
- Upper Thames Rowing Club
- Vesta Rowing Club
- Walbrook Rowing Club, (Teddington)
- Wallingford Rowing Club
- Walton Rowing Club
- Weybridge Ladies ARC
- Weybridge Rowing Club
Superscript key:
- G: in Greenwich
- H: in Hammersmith
- M: in Mortlake
- Ch: in Chiswick (Note: Cygnet & BBL share premises)
Universities[edit]
- Imperial College Boat Club
- Kingston Student Rowing Club
(formerly Kingston University Boat Club
)
- Oxford Brookes University Boat Club
- Oxford University Boat Club
- Reading University Boat Club
- Roehampton University Rowing Club
- University of London Boat Club
- London School of Economics Rowing Club
- King's College London Boat Club
- Queen Mary, University of London Boat Club
- Royal Holloway, University of London Boat Club
- Royal Free and University College Medical School Boat Club
- Royal Veterinary College Boat Club
- St Bartholomew's and the London Hospitals' Boat Club
- St. George's Hospital Boat Club
- University College London Boat Club
- London School of Economics Rowing Club
- Westminster University Boat Club
Schools[edit]
- Abingdon School Boat Club
- Charterhouse School Boat Club
- Chiswick School Boat Club
- Dulwich College Boat Club
- Emanuel School Boat Club
- Eton College Boat Club
- Godolphin and Latymer School Boat Club
- Great Marlow School Boat Club
- Hampton School Boat Club
- Headington School Oxford Boat Club
- King's College School Boat Club
- Kingston Grammar School Boat Club
- Lady Eleanor Holles School Boat Club
- Latymer Upper School Boat Club
- London Oratory School Boat Club
- The Oratory School Boat Club
- Pangbourne College Boat Club
- Putney High School Boat Club
- Radley College Boat Club
- Reading Blue Coat School Boat Club
- Shiplake College Boat Club
- St Edward's School Boat Club
- St George's College
- St Paul's and St Paul's Girls' School Boat Clubs
- Sir William Borlase's Grammar School Boat Club
- Sir William Perkins's School Boat Club
- Strode's College Boat Club
- Surbiton High School Boat Club
- Tiffin School Boat Club
- Westminster School Boat Club
- Whitgift School Boat Club
- Wimbledon High School Boat Club
- Windsor Boys' School Boat Club
References[edit]
- British Rowing Almanack (2006)
External links[edit]
- Thames Regional Rowing Council
- David Biddulph's rowing pages
- The Port of London Rowing Chart includes a map of the Tideway showing detailed rules for rowers, the deep water channel, local rowing clubs and other landmarks.