26 October 2026

By Tim Koch

Tim Koch on an old event held under biblical conditions.

The Wingfield Sculls, the historic single sculling race from Putney to Mortlake took place on 25 October with the men competing for the 186th time and the women for the 20th. Traditionally, the men’s race is regarded as the British Amateur Sculling Championship and also The Championship of the Thames. Those victorious in the Wingfields thus carry the title, “Champion.”

The event founded in 1830 is one year younger than the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race but 115 years younger than the race that was once regarded as its professional equivalent, the Doggett’s Coat and Badge.

The Champions for 2026 were Imogen Grant and George Bourne. It was Imogen’s fifth consecutive win and George’s second. In fact, all the competitors deserved the title Champion as both races were into a strong headwind that produced what most would have judged unscullable conditions.