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From the Mile Post, the man who founded the Head of the River Race in 1926, Steve Fairbairn, keeps an eye on his creation. ‘Steve’ claimed that ‘It is not a race, it is merely a means of getting crews to do long rows’.
20 March 2016
Tim Koch writes:
Although it is technically a ‘processional’ race, the 83rd Head of the River Race for men’s eights over the Thames Mortlake to Putney course was no procession – as the provisional finish order of the first ten crews shows (start position in brackets):
1
(3) Oxford Brookes University I
17.34.66
2
(1) Leander I
17.43.68
3
(8) Thames I
17.57.21
4
(4) Oxford Brookes University II
17.58.59
5
(10) Imperial College I
17.59.59
6
(2) Molesey I
17.59.88
7
(5) Leander II
18.06.17
8
(6) University of London I
18.06.27
9
(13) Molesey II
18.11.32
10
(9) Tideway Scullers I
18.11.65
Full results are on the HoRR website. It was a first ever headship for Oxford Brookes, the nineteenth club to record a HoRR win. Leander did not boat their superstars in an Olympic year and cox Phelan Hill posted on Twitter: ‘Solid row but lost to a better crew. Congrats to @OUBUBC on the win’. Thames confirmed their men’s return to form by claiming third place. A fuller report by Daniel Spring is on the British Rowing website.
Steve goes to the Oxford Brookes Dinner. This bronze bust of Fairbairn by George Drinkwater goes to the overall winner of the Head of the River Race. Picture: @OBUBC.
Going to the start: Pictures from Hammersmith
Boating from the Furnivall Sculling Club pontoon.
Spectators on Hammersmith Bridge.Are Chelsea Pensioners getting younger? That’s a bad sign.
Going around the Hammersmith Bend on the way to Mortlake.
Boar’s Head Rowing Club under Hammersmith Bridge.
Supporters on Hammersmith Bridge. The two banners on the left are presumably for Xi An Jiaotong University from China.
At the finish: Pictures from Putney
The overall winners, Oxford Brookes University I go Head of the River.
Second place – Leander I.Third place – Thames I.University of London I – eighth.
Molesey II went up four to ninth place.
Ems-Jade-Weser from Germany is followed by Agecroft I and Molesey III.
Passing Putney Embankment, the end is near but probably seems a long time coming for those who are rowing.
Returning from the finish
Royal Chester I (left) and Aviron Vevey from Switzerland (right) have a cuddle.
Going under Putney Pier.
Xi An Jiaotong University. The crew is from China, the boat is not.
Nottingham University return under Putney Bridge.
Not far to home for some lucky crews.
Crew 358, Imperial College School of Medicine III, is the last boat to finish. Entries were down on previous years, possibly due to the fact that the School’s Head of the River took place only three days before.
Putney Embankment, the scene of the University Boat Races in a week’s time.
I know you didn’t mean “Going around the Hammersmith Bend on the way to Putney.” – they’re actually on their way to the start (in Mortlake, whence they will race to Putney)… 😉
That’s my crew walking down the pontoon at Furnival! I’m out of shot though…
I was a bit puzzled by the “Go SPGS” banner (which I saw while racing) and the “LEH” banner (which I didn’t). Both of those clubs are girls’ schools- St. Paul’s Girls’ School and Lady Eleanor Holles respectively- and as such wouldn’t have been racing at HoRR.
I believe Brookes are the first all student winners since University of London in 1963, the ULBC crew went on to win the Grand that year … and given it is an Olympic year the Grand is probably up for grabs.
Hear The Boat Sing 
I know you didn’t mean “Going around the Hammersmith Bend on the way to Putney.” – they’re actually on their way to the start (in Mortlake, whence they will race to Putney)… 😉
That’s my crew walking down the pontoon at Furnival! I’m out of shot though…
I was a bit puzzled by the “Go SPGS” banner (which I saw while racing) and the “LEH” banner (which I didn’t). Both of those clubs are girls’ schools- St. Paul’s Girls’ School and Lady Eleanor Holles respectively- and as such wouldn’t have been racing at HoRR.
Probably left over from the Schools Head, which was on the Thursday before.
I believe Brookes are the first all student winners since University of London in 1963, the ULBC crew went on to win the Grand that year … and given it is an Olympic year the Grand is probably up for grabs.