The Start Line: Get set for a record breaking Masters Championships
Get ready for another cracking weekend of racing in the UK and over in Italy
Join us at The Start Line and look ahead to an exceptional weekend of racing across the UK.
Masters Championships welcomes thousands to Nottingham
The National Water Sports Centre will welcome the largest ever entry for the Masters Championships this weekend. Nearly 1000 crews will have across the two days of racing. 128 Clubs will be competing for this year’s Victor Ludorum and £1000 cash prize, sponsored by Faster Masters. All crews will be competing over 1000m and Nottingham is set to host masters competing in A right the way through to J categories.
Much like the Scottish Championships last weekend, there has been a tremendous growth in the number of masters entries in recent years. The Open E single scull is et to be fiercely competitive with 22 scullers contesting that event while all eyes will be on the D mixed double to see if Chris and Kate Ware can continue their outstanding form that led them to being nominated for 2024 Club Crew of the Year.
With crews making the trip from across the border and across the Irish Sea, the British Rowing Masters Championships is set to be a brilliant weekend of racing.
All information about this year’s Masters Championships can be found here
‘The Henley of the North’ back with a bang
Durham Regatta is the second oldest regatta in the country, dating back to 1834. It pre-dates Henley (the “Durham of the South”) by five years and is preceded only by Chester Regatta. The event has been a staple of the northern rowing calendar and this year is no different. With no Boat Race of the North between Newcastle University and Durham University this year, the Open and Women’s Championship Eights are set to be mouthwatering encounters. These races take place on Sunday and Durham’s women will have to navigate Tyne ARC with the winner facing the Blue Star in the final. For the open event, Newcastle will be fielding three eights against their palatinate opposition a field also containing Tyne ARC and Tyne United.
The event is also a massive one for Durham Colleges. All 16 of them have their boathouses on the Wear that weaves through the city centre and there’s serious bragging rights on the line across the weekend. Earlier in the year at Durham City Regatta, Collingwood College won Open Eights ahead of Grey College by four lengths while on the women’s side, both Collingwood and South College reached the semi-finals of Band 1 eights.
Racing at Durham will take place over two distances with the short course offering 700m racing while the long course is raced over 1800m Crews racing the longer distance will also have to navigate the infamous Elvet bridge which is a tough enough challenge when paddling, let alone racing.
What else is on this weekend?
- Barnes and Mortlake – more information
- Marlow Town – more information
- Bridgnorth – more information
- Nithsdale – more information
- Hastings – more information
- Reading Amateur – more information
- Northwich – more information
- Bexhill – more information
Ciao, Varese!
The GB Rowing Team have travelled to Italy and taking on the rest of the world at World Rowing Cup Varese. Racing kicks off tomorrow and 600 athletes from 39 countries are set to compete at the first of two World Cup events this season.
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That’s all from the start line this week!
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