Schools' Head of the River Race

The race is held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on a course from Chiswick Bridge in Mortlake to Westminster School Boat Club flagpole in Putney. It is rowed with the tide and is in the opposite direction to The Boat Race.[http://www.shorr.org.uk/ "About the Race" Schools Head of the River Race] Westminster School. Retrieved 2014-11-18.

When the race was first held in 1946 the course was shorter than at present, from above Hammersmith Bridge to the current finishing post,{{cite news|title=Schools Head of the River Race|work=The Times|date=25 November 1946|location=London|page=8}} a distance of approximately 1.75 miles. The course was lengthened in 1988 with a start from Duke's Meadow,{{cite news|title=Hampton go for fourth headship in succession|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=15 March 1988|location=London|page=37}} a mile further upstream, and again in 2000 when the start was moved to Chiswick Bridge,{{cite news|title=Baulked St Paul's forced to settle for three-way tie|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=17 March 2000|location=London|page=42}} resulting in a course almost the length of the full Boat Race

After the course was lengthened, the Schools' Head continued to offer a shorter course (from London Corinthian Sailing Club above Hammersmith Bridge) for smaller boats, such as J15 4s, J15 B 8's, and Maiden 4s; however, in 2009 this was changed by C.D. Riches, the event's manager.

Eton College have won the race a total of 14 times, followed by Emanuel School with 11 wins (including a remarkable eight in nine years from 1962-1970), St Paul's with 10 and Hampton School with 9. In addition to these, the headship in 2000 was shared in an unprecedented three-way tie between Hampton, St Paul's and Canford School. In the Junior Women's category, Lady Eleanor Holles School has the most wins with 12.

Bad weather has occasionally disrupted the race. Indeed, in its very first year almost half the starting crews capsized due to the adverse conditions.{{cite news|title=Six boats capsize|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=25 November 1946|location=London|page=3}}{{Cite web|title=Westminster School Elizabethan, December 1946|url=https://elizabethan.westminster.org.uk/PDFViewer/web/viewer.html?file=%2fFilename.ashx%3ftableName%3dta_elizabethan%26columnName%3dfilename%26recordId%3d568%26zoom%3dpage-fit|access-date=2023-09-28|website=www.elizabethan.westminster.org.uk}} The race was cancelled in 2001 due to dangerous conditions,{{cite news|title=Cambridge spring surprise switch|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=21 March 2001|location=London|page=45}} reduced to its original length in 2008 as a result of strong winds disrupting the marshalling area{{cite news|title=Shrewsbury storm|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=12 March 2008|location=London|page=60}} and even more severely shortened in 2017, retaining the usual start line but finishing at the bandstand shortly after Barnes bridge.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BritishRowing/status/844907448364417024|title=Announcement! @schoolshead course has been shortened to finish at the bandstand due to current weather conditions #SHORR2017|last=Rowing|first=British|date=2017-03-23|website=@BritishRowing|language=en|access-date=2019-03-16}}

In addition, in 2020 the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on 'non-essential' contact{{Cite web|url=https://www.shorr.org.uk/2020/cancelled.html|title = Schools' Head CANCELLED}} and in 2021, as a result of the ongoing pandemic, a 'virtual' Schools' Head event was run with crews submitting GPS recordings on their home stretches of water.{{Cite web|title=Schools' Head 2021 - Details|url=https://www.shorr.org.uk/2021/shorr-2021|access-date=2021-06-01|website=www.shorr.org.uk}}

The race was initially a smaller event for Championship men's crews, with only 14 competing in its first year.{{cite news|title=Schools Head of River Race|work=The Times|date=25 November 1946|location=London|page=8}} However, numbers have grown significantly over time and additional categories of boats have been added. For example, in 2012, the J4- and WJ4- events were introduced{{refn|group=n|In line with increased rationalisation globally to coxless fours see for example the 2006 abolition of the Prince Philip Challenge Cup and expansion of the Britannia Challenge Cup with the Prince Albert Challenge Cup for university student coxed fours at Henley.}} and in 2013 the Mix 4x{{refn|name=q|Quad. Ch, only used in the 8s category, denotes top boat (Championship entry for each school) for other symbols used (+ and -) see Rowing (sport)|group=n}} event was introduced to the race.

Women's events were first included in 1982.{{cite news|title=218 Crews in Schools Head|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=9 March 1982|location=London|page=31}} Although participation was relatively limited at first, with only eight 4s in the first year and no 8s until 1983,{{cite news|title=Holders retain title|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=16 March 1984|location=London|page=31}} the number of entrants has grown substantially over time as a result of the increased popularity of schoolgirl rowing, with over 125 women's crews competing in 2023.

The race is now the largest head race of the winter season by junior crews attracting around 300 crews each year. Composite crews, drawn from more than one club or school, are not permitted. All categories race the same course.

The current record holders for the events are:{{Cite web|url= https://www.shorr.org.uk/records |title=SHORR Records|access-date=2023-09-05}}

• Rowing on the River Thames

;Notes

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;References

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• [http://www.shorr.org.uk/ Official Website]

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Category:Mortlake, London

Category:Rowing on the River Thames

Category:Head races

Category:Water sports in London

Category:Westminster School

Category:Scholastic rowing in the United Kingdom