By Miss Harris (Head Rowing Coach)

On Saturday 9th March, our two senior eights travelled to London to partake in the prestigious Women's Eights Head of the River Race (WEHoRR). Renowned as the largest women’s rowing race globally, the event sees approximately 320 crews navigate the 6.8km Championship Course and stands out as the sole race in the UK where novices can compete alongside Olympic champions (and in this case three of their coaches!).

Amidst a series of race cancellations, there was cautious anticipation regarding the fate of WEHoRR. An announcement just two days prior, which halved the number of entries, hinted at the challenges awaiting participants.

Fortunately, both of our eights remained in contention, offering our resilient seniors an opportunity to navigate through choppy and demanding conditions against crews predominantly familiar with the Tideway. This experience will prove invaluable, especially with the Schools’ Head of the River Race looming just ten days away.

It was a fitting tribute to women’s rowing, occurring on the day after International Women’s Day, and served as a testament to the spirit and dedication of all involved.