Jingle All the Way to the Finish Line: Stratford upon Avon BC’s Boxing Day Regatta

Stratford upon Avon BC’s traditional Boxing Day Scratch regatta over 350m from the ferry to the Club grounds is always a superb attraction for the Stratford upon Avon townsfolk and visitors to the town over the Christmas break

This year’s Boxing Day Scratch Regatta at Stratford upon Avon BC was as good as ever. 20 rowers together with coxes took part in the Coxed Fours round robin racing. There was the added bonus of getting out on the river, which recently has been hampered by high and fast river conditions.

It was an awesome morning of fun, working off the roast potatoes and tins of Quality Street (other confectionery is available) consumed on Christmas Day! Despite the antics from previous years, there were no collisions as crews took to the water. However, there were a number of near misses and restarts, and a great number of highly competitive finishes. Crews were made up of the masters, seniors, novices, juniors, and even a few returning family members who dusted off the cobwebs to show everyone how it’s done.

Paul Stanton, the Club’s President, said, “The start of 2026 is promising, and the Club looks forward to training and competing in local, regional, and national head of the river races.

“Luckily, another dry, mild Boxing Day, which meant plenty of family members and the general public were watching from the Recreation Ground, Bancroft Gardens, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre terrace, and the Tramway Bridge. The event was really well supported and organised, and a special thanks to Helen on the safety launch, Jon marshalling the start, Helen marshalling the finish line, and Dave Edwards for organising the morning!”