The Great River Race 2018
The Great River Race is held in September each year in London.
The race starts at Millwall Slipway on the Isle of Dogs and runs up the Thames on the flood tide through the centre of London to Ham Riverside in Richmond.
The total race distance is 21.6 miles and it passes under 28 bridges.
The race is open to any traditional or traditional-style boat powered by a minimum of four oars or paddles; sliding seats or riggers are not allowed. Each boat must have, in addition to those rowing, a cox and a passenger, although these can swap places during the race.
This year, for the first time, Sudbury Rowing Club entered the race in a composite crew with the rowing section of Stour Sailing Club at Manningtree.
The clubs represent towns at the two ends of the navigable River Stour.
Two of the crew (Will Langton and Russell Harvey) are members of Stour Sailing Club, two more (Mike Arnott and Jeremy Milbank) are from Sudbury and the other two (Keith Paxman and Brendan Sullivan) are members of both clubs.
Rowing in a skiff called Lt. Washington, the crew finished in a time of just under 2 hours and 52 minutes.
They were 9th overall (out of 320 finishers) and won their category, of “Felixstowe Claydon Skiff”.
They also won the Great River Race Trophy for the fastest Veterans (over 60).
Mike Arnott
Veteran Fours Head
Sunday the 4th of November saw Sudbury Rowing Club send two Men’s crews to compete in the Veteran Fours Head of the River Race. This race is held over the Boat Race course on the Tideway stretch of the River Thames in London, although in reverse, from Mo
Masters Head of the River Race
Three crews from Sudbury Rowing Club competed in the Masters Head of the River race in London.
Women’s Head of the River Race
Sudbury Rowing Club ladies had a crew competing at the Women’s Head of the River Race in London at the weekend.