Head of the River Race - London - Sat 2 April

Rowed on the River Thames from Mortlake to Putney. Plenty of river vantage points for spectators, many of them conveniently close to pubs. www.horr.co.uk

The Head of the River Race is held in March/April each year. Starting just after Chiswick Bridge and finishing just short of Putney Bridge it passes under Barnes Bridge and Hammersmith Bridge along the way. Dating from 1829, this university boat race is billed as “the world’s longest surviving sporting challenge”. Competitors row a gruelling four-and-a-quarter-miles along the Thames from Putney to Mortlake, often against waves and bitter winds, in their quest for the coveted title. Despite being three times the length of an Olympic course, the entire event is over in just 20 minutes, a fact which should not overshadow the six months of sweat and toil which the teams endure in preparation for the big day. There are
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