🚣♀️🚣♂️ The stage is set on the River Thames for the 85th running of the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race, an iconic date in the rowing calendar. The race is on Saturday 8 March and spectating is free.
NEWSFLASH: The 2025 Women’s Eights Head of the River Race is a wrap! Results 👇
Check out our ROWING section here for more events coming up in or around London.
2025 RESULTS
CONGRATULATIONS to Leander Club A who claimed a sixth consecutive Women’s Eights Head Pennant title at the 85th running of the race. Leander featured four 2024 Olympic medalists – Hannah Scott, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart and Annie Campbell-Orde – in their crew. Thames Rowing Club A came second, with Cambridge University Boat Club A in third. Less than nine seconds separated the top three crews. Cambridge won the University Pennant while the Club Pennant was won by Molesey Boat Club A. For a full review of the Women’s Eights Head of the River race together with results and photos, visit the British Rowing website.
WOMEN’S EIGHTS HEAD OF THE RIVER RACE – 2024 REVIEW
Last year Leander Club A who registered the fastest time of the day – 18:47.2 – to claim the Head Pennant ahead of Oxford Brookes University Boat Club A who came second in a time of 18:51. Thames Rowing Club A finished in third place in 18:59.4 to take home the Club Pennant. Cambridge University Boat Club claimed the University Pennant while Thames Rowing Club B were the Senior Pennant winners. Headington School Oxford Boat Club A took home the School/Junior Pennant. Stay tuned here for news of the 2025 Women’s Eights Head of the River Race as soon as its announced!
Who will take the spoils in 2025? All roads lead to the River Thames to find out!
WOMEN’S EIGHTS HEAD OF THE RIVER RACE – 2025 SPECTATING & TIMINGS
🎟️ Spectating is free on the route.
🕞 Race starts at 11am at Mortlake (Chiswick Bridge). The fastest crew will take between 18 and 22 minutes to complete the course. It takes approximately 2 hours from when the first crew passes the start in Mortlake to when the last crosses the finish in Putney.
🕞 Race finishes at 1pm in Putney.
🕞 Victory Ceremony for the Pennant winners on Putney Embankment (outside Thames Rowing Club) will take place in the afternoon, time tbc. In 2024 Olympian Annamarie Phelps CBE, President of European Rowing, presented the prizes.
🚊🚗 Travel tips: Mortlake Station is a short walk to the start at Chiswick Bridge and Putney Station is closest to the finish. Both are served by direct trains from London Waterloo. Use the Transport for London website to plan your journey.
Best viewing spots
A public towpath runs the length of the course meaning there is no shortage of good vantage points.
The best views of the race for spectators are generally either from Hammersmith Bridge or along Putney Embankment (south side of the river). Both have excellent proximity to nearby restaurants and pubs. Barnes Bridge also has a footbridge. The flood wall along Lonsdale Road keeps the pavement dry at even the highest of tides.
Hammersmith Bridge
Spectators will congregate on the bridge, clustering around the famous ‘second lamp-post’ from the Surrey (south) side of the river. This marks the point where the coxes should be aiming their crews as they pass underneath. Many people arrive early to get one of the prime positions. Alternatively, keep yourself warm in one of the pubs on the northern bank. And then join the crowds as the crews start to row past.
Putney Embankment
The home to a fair number of tideway clubs, sees Putney Embankment as a hive of activity on race day. With lots of visiting crews choosing to boat from here, the embankment bustles with kit and food stalls. Many of the rowers will retire to either one of the rowing clubs’ bars or one of the nearby pubs after the race. Putney embankment offers a clear view of the last two minutes of the race as the crews sprint for the line.
THE BOAT RACE
🚣♀️🚣♂️ Last but not least … 2025 Boat Race alert!! The stage is set for Saturday 13 April, and 79th Women’s Boat Race and 170th Men’s Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge. It takes place on the Championship Course from Putney to Chiswick. Join some 250,000 spectators who will line the banks of the river!
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