Distance rowers ready for Boston Rowing Marathon

The Boston Rowing Marathon gets underway on Sunday 18 September, attracting over 200 crews for a gruelling 31-mile row along the River Witham.

The 65-year-old event – organised by the Boston Rowing Club (BRC) – started life as a private challenge between BRC members, and is now one of the highlights on the UK rowing calendar.

Racing takes place between Lincoln and Boston, Lincolnshire, with competitors arriving from across the UK to race, raise money for charity, or simply enjoy the challenge of participating in the prestigious marathon.

The City of Oxford Rowing Club are sending two women’s crews north (including an eight, pictured above) for Sunday’s event, with the hope of completing the marathon and raising funds for charity – the Acute Stroke Unit at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford – and the rowing club at the same time.

“It’s my first time doing the Boston Rowing Marathon and, in fact, there’s only one of our group who has ever done it before,” said Clare Major, who works at the John Radcliffe Hospital as well as rowing for the City of Oxford RC.

“It’s going to be very tough and it will test our endurance and resolve to the limit!”

The University of London Men’s Eight currently holds the record for the fastest completion of the 31-mile course (two hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds), and remain the only crew to have broken the three-hour barrier.

Racing starts at 9am on Sunday, with the last of 224 boats scheduled to set off from Stamp End Lock, Lincoln, at 12:41pm.