Safety is paramount in any event but particularly on the tideway which is wide and fast-flowing. Crews are often unaware how quickly they can get into difficulty. However, there is always a feeling of “it couldn’t happen to me;” believe me it can.
The organising committee take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of all competitors. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that your boat is safe to train and compete in. Please remember to check any boat you row in, including borrowed boats.
Read more
Control Commission will be implemented at all main boating areas, prior to the race. Please ensure that your boat complies with the safety rules as you will not be allowed to boat until any identified fault is rectified.Crew Competence – If a Club enters a crew which is deemed not to be sufficiently competent to race, the committee reserve the right to withdraw the crew from the race for their safety.Please make sure that your boat complies with the rules for your safety and I hope all crews have an enjoyable race, good luck!
Fiona Dennis
Chief Umpire!
attending by bus
for the start Mortlake, take the 209 or 190 from Hammersmith.
for the middle Surrey Bend, the number 9 bus from Charing Cross or the 10 from Euston and Oxford Circus or the 27 from Camden will take you to Hammersmith - close to the riverside at Chiswick Malls.
for the finish Putney, the number 14 bus from Tottenham Court Road and the 22 from Piccadilly Circus will both take you across Putney Bridge.
for the finish Putney, Putney railway station is on Putney High Street at the Upper Richmond Road. Trains arrive from Clapham Junction, Waterloo or Victoria.
west of Putney the line divides at the next stop Barnes Station - just over a mile away - going towards Barnes Bridge, or towards Mortlake for the start.
for the finish East Putney is south of the river and Putney Bridge is north - Putney Bridge is the closest station.
Ravenscourt Park and Hammersmith are closest to the viewing areas at Chiswick Mall or for bus services to Barnes. Please leave plenty of time to attend as underground can be delayed.
• The best views of the race for spectators are generally either from Hammersmith Bridge, or along Putney Embankment (south side of the river). • When deciding on the optimum viewing location, it is worth remembering that it can take some time to travel between the start and finish of the course (there is no direct public transport between the two). • You should consider where the crew that you are supporting is boating from and choose your vantage point accordingly.
Hammersmith Bridge
Spectators will congregate on the bridge, clustering around the famous ‘second lamp-post’ from the Surrey (south) side of the river, which marks the point where the coxes should be aiming their crews as they pass underneath. Many people arrive early in order to get one of the prime positions,
so be prepared for a reasonable wait if you want to be right above ‘the racing line’. Alternatively, Keep yourself warm in one of the pubs on the northern bank and 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.
