By Mrs Reeves (Head Rowing Coach)

On Saturday 4th March 2023, the BGS 1st VIII travelled to London to compete in the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race.

The Women’s Eights Head of the River Race was founded in the 1930s with only five crews participating. It is now the largest women’s rowing race in the world with around 2,880 women racing and up to 320 crews taking part. It is the only race in the UK where novices can compete in the same race as Olympic champions and as such attracts a wide range of rowers from schools, clubs and universities. It is the largest and most iconic women’s distance rowing race in the world.

Racing on the infamous Tideway stretch between Chiswick and Putney, home to the Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race, our eight put in a fantastic performance to finish 112 in the overall ranking of 320 crews from across the world. This was a fantastic opportunity for our rowers to experience racing with the very best, and is a brilliant result to take into the final phase of our head racing season. A very well done to Chloe Howe, Anna Beckmann, Lottie Giles, Ellie Mullan, Elyse Vickers, Martha Ibbott, Pam Achari, Emily Pinkney and cox Alex Gentry.

We now look forward to returning to the Tideway on Friday 17th March to compete at the Schools Head of the River Race, followed quickly by a trip to Olympic venue Dorney Lake for the National Junior Sculling Head on Monday 20th March to conclude our head racing season for 2023.