Women's Eights Head of the River Race


The Women's Eights Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the Tideway of the River Thames in London on the Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.
A mirror of the Eights Head of the River for male crews, it is held a fortnight earlier when the tides are similar. It is raced on the outgoing tide and starting around one hour after high tide in order to maximise advantage from the tidal flow.
Around 300 crews of women compete for over a dozen trophies and pennants. There are categories for beginners, elite and veteran rowers.

History

The race was first held in 1927 following the first running of the men's version in 1926. At first it was simply a match between Ace and Weybridge LARC. This race was run as a side-by-side race, with Weybridge winning in a boat borrowed from Thames Rowing Club. The second year featured the same two crews, and the same result. In 1929, for the third race, there was the addition of Alpha, having formed in a split from Ace in 1927. Alpha won this running of the race.
The first running of the race in processional format was in 1930, as the entries had risen to five, making it impossible to run fairly in the side-by-side format on the tidal river. Furnivall Sculling Club won this first processional version of the race. It then continued in similar format annually until the outbreak of war in 1939.
The event restarted in 1950, with a shortened course of 2 miles, as it was felt that the effects of the war years and food rationing made the full course too hard. Entries grew from the original five to twelve by the mid 50s, and then declined to only six by the mid 60s. The lack of sectional boats meant that it was extremely difficult to transport boats from further afield, so the event was largely confined to the London clubs.
In the period from the 80s onwards with entries rising ten-fold from 27 in 1977 to 300 in 2009. International crews have been visiting London to compete and entries have come from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and United States.

Records

AwardYearTimeCrew
Head201417:42.21Army RC/Gloucester RC/Imperial College BC/London RC/Minerva-Bath RC/Oxford Brookes University BC/Tees RC
Club200018:08.35Marlow RC
Overseas201418:20.55Aviron Grenoble/C Aviron Nante/ Gerardmer AS Rowing/Lagny SN/Societe d'Encouragement du Sport Nautique
Senior201718:36.2Imperial College A
Intermediate 1201118:53.69Reading University BC A
Provincial Club201318:57.54Nottingham RC A
Intermediate 2200718:59.76Imperial Col/Jesus College /London RC/Wallingford/Westminster
University201718:17.7Cambridge University Women's BC A
Masters201419:02.42Clydesdale ARC/Molesey BC/Leander Club/Marlow RC/Tideway Scullers School/Thames RC
Intermediate 3201319:07.92University of London BC A
School/Junior201719:15.9Headington School, Oxford BC A
Medium Club201720:07.9Exeter RC A
Small Club201720:26.6St Andrew BC
Novice Club201419:48.19Henley RC C
Novice Academic201420:01.84Newcastle University BC C

Past winners

YearCrewTime
2018Leander Club18:34.7
2017Leander Club18:13.1
2016Leander Club/Reading RC/Tees RC19:17.7
2015Army BC/Imperial College BC/London RC/Marlow RC/Minerva-Bath RC/Oxford Brookes University BC/Southampton Coalporters ARC18:58.6
2014Army RC/Gloucester RC/Imperial College BC/London RC/Minerva-Bath RC/Oxford Brookes University BC/Tees RC17:42.21
2013Imperial College BC A18:16.57
2012Thames Rowing Club A20:10.92
2011Leander Club18:06.57
2010Gloucester / Imperial College / Marlow / Reading University / Thames / University of London18:10.67
2009London / Hollandia / Thames / Marlow / University of London18:28.27