Tradition on the Thames: Great River Race

The Great River Race is London’s River Marathon, a stunning boat race that spans 21.6 miles from Millwall in the East to Richmond in the West, passing under the iconic bridges of London. It attracts competitors of all levels, from serious athletes aiming to set new personal bests to those who relish the fun of dressing up and raising money for charity. It’s a fantastic day of entertainment for both participants and spectators alike.

A diverse range of boats are eligible to compete, but the race adheres to the “Watermen principle,” which pays homage to the rowers who transported passengers on the Thames before the construction of London’s bridges. In tribute to these watermen, participating boats must feature fixed seats and display a flag measuring 3 feet by 2 feet. Additionally, each boat must have a coxswain, at least one passenger, and the rowers.

In this year’s thrilling and fast-paced Great River Race, the Salter Skiff Salty, crewed by the Four Oars Rowing Club, clocked the fastest overall time on handicap, securing the Challenge Trophy of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames.

A total of 270 crews took part in the 21.6-mile river marathon, showcasing a wide variety of boats, including 106 gigs of different shapes and sizes: 69 Cornish Pilot Gigs, 13 Home Counties Gigs, 10 Bursledon Gigs, 8 Harkers Yard Gigs, 4 Whitby Gigs, 1 Hanningfield Hybrid, and 1 Thames Gig.

Among the 69 Cornish Pilot Gigs that joined the event was Padstow Rowing Club, rowing the beloved Dasher. This 36-year-old wooden Cornish Pilot Gig, built in 1988, first participated in the Great River Race in 1989. Now serving as a training gig for the club, Dasher was brought to London to celebrate her restoration.

Photo credit: Padstow Rowing Club

Simon from Padstow Rowing Club shared more details: “We trained hard all summer, braving all weather conditions on our local waters, the Camel Estuary. As we took on this challenge, we wanted to give back to our community, so we are raising funds for The Mermaid Centre, which houses the Cornwall Breast Screening Programme (NHS BSP) and the Oncoplastic Breast Unit. They also monitor patients with a family history that may be at higher risk for breast cancer. Over the summer, we’ve organized fundraising events and have raised a total of £3,000. If you’d like to support us, please visit our JustGiving page: Padstow Rowing Club JustGiving.”

Photo credit: Padstow Rowing Club

Torridge Pilot Gig Club also embraced the challenge, dressing up as crabs for the occasion. Crew member Susie remarked, “We aimed for under three hours and finished in 2 hours and 47 minutes. Quite an accomplishment!”

Photo credit: Torridge Pilot Gig Club

On a mostly bright and sunny day, conditions on the water soon settled from a choppy start, and crews rowed strongly to the finish at Ham – many racing to the very last stroke!

In total, 37 trophies were awarded at the Great River Race. The fastest overall female crew on handicap was WSV Woudrichem, rowing a St Ayles Skiff; the fastest mixed crew on handicap was Burra Rowing Club, racing a Shetland Yoal; the fastest male crew (not on handicap) was Caradon Pilot Gig Club; and the fastest female crew (not on handicap) was Bristol Gig Club, both in Cornish Pilot Gigs.

The full list of results can be found here. The dates for the Great River Race 2025 have already been released—head over to their website to find out more. You can also find an explanation of the handicapping system, as well as crew biographies (including that of the Caradon Pilot Gig Club) in the Great River Race 2024 digital magazine.