🚣♀️🚣♂️ The stage is set on the River Thames for the 86th running of the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race, an iconic date in the rowing calendar. The race is on Saturday 14 March and spectating is free.
NEWSFLASH: The 2026 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.
2026 RESULTS
CONGRATULATIONS to Leander Club A who made it a magnificent seven consecutive Women’s Eights Head Pennant titles at the 86th running of the race. Leander clocked a time of 18:18.4, comfortably ahead of University of London Boat Club A who finished second in 18:26.9. Molesey Boat Club A completed the podium places in a time of 18:27.1. Other winners at the 2026 Women’s Eights Head of the River River Race included Cambridge University Boat Club A who retained the University Pennant title. Thames Rowing Club C were the Senior Pennant winners.
2026 RACE PREVIEW
The Women’s Eights Head of the River Race – founded in the 1930s with 5 crews participating – has become the largest women’s rowing race in the world. Around 3,000 women come to race with up to 320 crews taking part. It is the only race in the UK where novices can compete in the same race as Olympic champions and as such attracts a wide range of rowers from clubs and universities.
In 2025, Leander Club A 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.
Who will take the spoils in 2026? All roads lead to the River Thames to find out! See below for this year’s timings and where best to watch the action unfold.
WOMEN’S EIGHTS HEAD OF THE RIVER RACE – 2026 TIMINGS & VIEWING SPOTS
🎟️ Spectating is free on the route.
🕞 Race starts at 12.15pm at Mortlake (Chiswick Bridge). The fastest crews 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 by Putney Bridge with the winning crew expected just before 12.35pm.
🕞 Victory Ceremony for the Pennant winners on Putney Embankment (outside Thames Rowing Club) will take place in the afternoon, time tbc.
🚊🚗 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 … 2026 Boat Race alert! The stage is set for Saturday 4 April, and 80th Women’s Boat Race and 171st 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 for this iconic sporting occasion.
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