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George Bourne, the 2025 Men’s Champion. “I was stupidly happy to win,” he said after his third attempt at victory in the Wingfield Sculls.
31 October 2025
By Tim Koch
There was a quality line up for both the men’s and women’s races in this year’s Wingfield Sculls, the annual event for single scullers run over the Putney to Mortlake Championship Course that began in 1830 to find “The Champion of the Thames,” at one time thought of as the British Amateur Championship. This was the 185th contest for the men, the 19th for the women.
The boys lining up opposite the Putney University Stone on 26 October were:
George Bourne (Leander): Boat Race winner with Cambridge and gold medalist in the four at the Shanghai World Rowing Championships.
Callum Dixon (Twickenham): Last year’s Wingfields winner, he won the Queen Mother at Henley and silver in the quad at the Worlds in Shanghai.
Matt Long (Reading): Winner of this year’s Scullers Head.
Rui Xu (London): Wyfold winner at Henley and experienced Wingfields competitor.
Bryn Ellery (Marlow): Henley medalist and fifth placed in the Scullers Head.
Max Raymond-Barker (Lea): Won the single scull at the British Rowing Club Championships in 2024 and finished third there in 2025.
The umpire for both contests was Greg Searle (standing), Olympic and World Gold Medalist and Wingfields Champion 1998, 1999 and 2000. Seated on the left is Ian Wingfield of the Wingfield Family Society and, on the right, Guy Pooley, Wingfields Champion 1991 and 1992 who acted as timekeeper.Off the start and passing London Rowing Club, left to right (or Surrey to Middlesex) is Raymond-Barker, Long, Dixon, Bourne, Xu and Ellery.Surprisingly considering his record, Xu was dropped off the start. When I questioned him later, he admitted that he had an injury that he (wrongly) hoped that he could row through.Passing the football ground, Dixon was in the lead followed by Bourne, Long, Ellery, Raymond-Barker and (out of shot) Xu. In Crabtree Reach (also known as Fulham Reach) the positions remained unchanged. From left to right: Long, Raymond-Barker, Dixon, Bourne, Xu (nearest the camera) and Ellery.As the leaders approached the downstream Harrods buoy, the contest for first place seemed to be between Long, Dixon and Bourne.
When passing Fulham Reach BC, Dixon seemed to run out of steam and dropped very rapidly behind Bourne and Long. Here, passing Harrods, Long (in dayglo green) seems surprised to find himself passing Dixon (closest to the bank). Bourne is in the lead, with Ellery (centre) in fourth place.At Hammersmith Bridge it was Bourne followed by Long, then Dixon.
Through Hammersmith Bridge and passing St Paul’s School, it was still Bourne, Long then Dixon. As last year, the MV Cockney Sparrow did not cut its wash for the race. By Hammersmith, both Raymond-Barker (pictured) and Xu had been passed by the umpire.Passing St Paul’s School, Ellery passed Dixon to take third place.At Chiswick Eyot, Dixon (right) is in fourth place followed by the umpire (in the slipper launch) and the steerers in coaching launches. The Wingfields is the only event that still allows each competitor to receive steering signals from a following craft.
Approaching Barnes Bridge, the umpire is level with third placed Ellery.At Barnes Bridge, Bourne still leads. Watching on the right is Wingfields Secretary and 2019 Champion, Sam Meijer.
Bourne and Long approach the former Mortlake Brewery, just downstream of the finish.Passing the finish line at University Post, Bourne wins in a time of 22.10.George Bourne, Champion of the Thames 2025.In the Tideway Scullers clubhouse, Bourne is presented with his medal and the trophy by Sir David Wootton, former Lord Mayor of London, former Master of the Watermen’s Company and Steward of Henley Royal Regatta.George Bourne’s name will be added to those of the many other illustrious scullers who have won the Wingfield Sculls since 1830.
Hear The Boat Sing 