Divisions* will be run with a maximum entry of 40 crews per division. Your chosen division will be secured once payment has been received for your entry. Should the event be over-subscribed, we will consider adding an additional division rather than expanding planned divisions.

• Sunday 17th May 2026 - Provisional division times for the 8s Head are: Division 1: 09:00 | Division 2: 10:30 | Division 3: 12:00

*If divisions become full an additional division will be added at 13:30

Results and Prizes

Raw and adjusted times will be posted onto this page when available.

8s Head Prizes

For 2026 we again have prizes and special awards to make it another challenging and entertaining event including:

• Category winner prizes
• Champagne for breaking the current course records for Men’s and Women’s crews
• Awards for fastest Men’s and Women’s 8 crews on the day – the John Stewart and the Helen Patterson trophies
• Champion Cox awards for judged best lines around Ditton Corner
• Best starts Men’s and Women’s

Prixes will be available for collection from City Bost House from 15:30.

Entries can be made through the form at the top of this page.

Entries will close at 17.00 on Wednesday 13th May 2026 or when the divisions are full – whichever is sooner. Late entries will be considered until Friday 15th May 2026 at 17.00 – please contact the Events Secretary via the enquires for below or email : events@championrowing.org.uk

Full details for payment is given on completion of your entry via the form linked above. Entries will be charged at £12.50/seat excluding coxes. Payment must be received before your race numbers are issued. No crews will be allowed to race without payment having been made.

£12.50 per seat (excluding coxes)*

College crews, please note that your category is the division in which your boat would have finished in last year’s May bumps, not your current crew number (e.g. College current W1 raced in Mays W2). Any crews that will be entering the Getting-on Race are welcome to enter as M5/6 or W4/5.

CRA crews, please note that categories will be as defined per events offered by the CRA winter league:

• Championship – highest category: aimed at crews who will be racing off-cam at National events this season. (See notes below)
• Club A – average more than 2 BR or CRA event wins in last 24 months (head race or regatta) who are below Championship level.
• Club B – average less than 2 BR or CRA event wins in last 24 months (head race or regatta) on or off cam
• Novice – Maximum of 2 members of the crew have won a BR or CRA event (head race or regatta) before 1st January 2018.

Notes:

• A crew may always enter a higher category than that for which they are qualified
• The status of a crew is as at close of entries. If your category changes between making the entry and close of entries, please advise the entries secretary
• No substitutions that will take the crew into a higher category are allowed without the crew changing status or racing Time Only.  Should any category have more than 8 entries the organiser reserves the right to expand the categories (e.g Club A, Club B, Club C or Novice and Beginner).

Marshalling

All crews must be in the marshalling area 20 minutes before the start of their division.  Crews will marshal on the towpath side of the river from the start downstream from the Plough.  Numbered boards will indicate the marshalling positions of crews.

Racing

• The race course will be a 1.7Km run from the Plough in Fen Ditton to the Winter League finish line before the Green Dragon bridge.
• Crews must row downstream and spin at Bites Bait lock before returning to the pre-start position.
• Once crossing the finish line crews should continue to row until they are clear of the finish line.
• Crews overtaking have priority on the racing line (i.e. the inside line on any corner).  Any crew impeding another during an overtaking manoeuvre will be awarded a time penalty. Claims of impedance must be reported to the finish immediately after the division.
• Competitors and coaches are reminded of the need for courtesy to other river users, including walkers and anglers and to respect the river’s wildlife.
• Timing will be by RowTime with back-up paper timing.  In the past some crews have queried times on the basis of in-boat timing apps such as Strava and Rowing In Motion. Having tested these we have found that that times from the apps can vary by as much as 5 seconds from people in the same boat.  Such timings will therefore not be considered in any appeal.
• Time penalties may be awarded for any crews not following the event instructions or acting in an unsporting manner.
• We aim to film the racing and stream this online

Entries will be accepted in College Bumps and CRA categories as follows:

College Men’s 8s:         Mays Divisions M1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + GoR

College Women’s 8s:   Mays Divisions W1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + GoR

CRA 8s:                         Championship, Club A, Club B, Novice, Masters, Junior

*Should a category have 2 or fewer entries the organiser reserves the right to combine categories to create meaningful competition.

8s Head Course (1450m old course) Fastest Times

College Men (2019 – M Course Record) – Caius M1 4:13.0

CRA Men (2019) – Cambridge 99 M2 4:44.2

College Women (2019 – W Course Record) – Newnham W1 4:54.6

CRA Women (2018) – Cantabrigian Senior Women 4:57.2

Times will be adjusted for masters categories based on a "standard" Cat A crew time of 5:57.00 for Open and 7:39.00 for Women's for the course on the day in the prevailing conditions as per BR rules here

No adjustments will be made for any other catergory of crew.