Leander retain Headship at 2025 Head of the River Race
336 crews finished in this the race’s 100th year – up over 13% on last time – in benign conditions on the Tideway on Saturday, 22 March
Leander A on the way to retaining their HRR title. Photo: Ben Rodford.
Setting off first, Leander Club A made a fine job of defending their title, extending their winning margin over Oxford Brookes University BC A, who started second, to 12.1 seconds – almost three times what it had been a year ago. This was the seventh consecutive race where these clubs took the top two spots.
Leander’s lineup was Miles Beeson, Levin Graf, Joshua Bowesman-Jones, Daniel Graham, Archie Drummond, Matt Rowe, James Vogel and Will Stewart, coxed as in 2024 by Jack Tottem, who also won the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race two weeks ago.
Notably, Thames RC A made it onto the ‘podium’ for the first time since 2016, claiming the Club Pennant and the Vernon Trophy for the fastest Tideway-based crew in addition to their Third Place Pennant.
Cambridge University A won the Bernard Churcher Trophy for the fastest University/College crew, finishing seventh overall, and University of London A took the Thames Valley Academic Award by coming 11th.
15th-placed Edinburgh University A claimed the Scott Skirving Trophy for the fastest academic crew from outside the Thames Valley, while Marlow RC A secured the Page Trophy after holding their starting position to finish 17th.
The Overseas Pennant went to Commercial RC, Ireland (18th), and the Jackson Trophy for non-Thames crews to Agecroft RC A (29th). Westminster School (46th) won the Junior Pennant ahead of the Schools’ Head, which takes place tomorrow (25 March).
Pennant winners
| Pennant | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Head of the River and Fairbairn Trophy | Leander Club A | 17:06.7 |
| 2nd Place | Oxford Brookes University A | 17:18.8 |
| 3rd Place, Club Pennant and Vernon Trophy | Thames Rowing Club A | 17:25.0 |
| Bernard Churcher Trophy | Cambridge University Boat Club A | 17:44.8 |
| Thames Valley Academic Award | University of London Boat Club A | 17:53.7 |
| Scott Skirving Trophy | Edinburgh University Boat Club A | 18:00.5 |
| Page Trophy | Marlow Rowing Club A | 18:02.7 |
| Overseas Trophy | Commercial Rowing Club, Ireland A | 18:03.9 |
| Jackson Trophy | Agecroft Rowing Club A | 18:16.5 |
| Medium Club Pennant | Neptune Rowing Club, Ireland B | 19:20.9 |
| Medium Academic Pennant | University of East Anglia Boat Club A | 19:21.5 |
| Small Club Pennant | Warwick Boat Club A | 20:15.6 |
| Small Academic Pennant | University of the West of England Boat Club A | 19:57.3 |
| Aitken Trophy (Beginner Academic) | University of Exeter Boat Club D | 20:21.7 |
| Jack Sheppard Trophy (Beginner Club) | Vesta Rowing Club E | 22:20.6 |
| Open Junior Pennant | Westminster School Boat Club A | 18:40.5 |
| Club Junior Pennant | Hinksey Sculling School A | 19:18.8 |
| HM Forces Award | Army Boat Club A | 21:02.4 |
| Masters B Pennant | Upper Thames Rowing Club B | 19:20.8 |
| Masters C Pennant | Henley Rowing Club A | 19:51.4 |
| Masters D Pennant | Upper Thames Rowing Club C | 19:04.8 |
- Pennant:
- Head of the River and Fairbairn Trophy
- Winner:
- Leander Club A
- Time:
- 17:06.7
- Pennant:
- 2nd Place
- Winner:
- Oxford Brookes University A
- Time:
- 17:18.8
- Pennant:
- 3rd Place, Club Pennant and Vernon Trophy
- Winner:
- Thames Rowing Club A
- Time:
- 17:25.0
- Pennant:
- Bernard Churcher Trophy
- Winner:
- Cambridge University Boat Club A
- Time:
- 17:44.8
- Pennant:
- Thames Valley Academic Award
- Winner:
- University of London Boat Club A
- Time:
- 17:53.7
- Pennant:
- Scott Skirving Trophy
- Winner:
- Edinburgh University Boat Club A
- Time:
- 18:00.5
- Pennant:
- Page Trophy
- Winner:
- Marlow Rowing Club A
- Time:
- 18:02.7
- Pennant:
- Overseas Trophy
- Winner:
- Commercial Rowing Club, Ireland A
- Time:
- 18:03.9
- Pennant:
- Jackson Trophy
- Winner:
- Agecroft Rowing Club A
- Time:
- 18:16.5
- Pennant:
- Medium Club Pennant
- Winner:
- Neptune Rowing Club, Ireland B
- Time:
- 19:20.9
- Pennant:
- Medium Academic Pennant
- Winner:
- University of East Anglia Boat Club A
- Time:
- 19:21.5
- Pennant:
- Small Club Pennant
- Winner:
- Warwick Boat Club A
- Time:
- 20:15.6
- Pennant:
- Small Academic Pennant
- Winner:
- University of the West of England Boat Club A
- Time:
- 19:57.3
- Pennant:
- Aitken Trophy (Beginner Academic)
- Winner:
- University of Exeter Boat Club D
- Time:
- 20:21.7
- Pennant:
- Jack Sheppard Trophy (Beginner Club)
- Winner:
- Vesta Rowing Club E
- Time:
- 22:20.6
- Pennant:
- Open Junior Pennant
- Winner:
- Westminster School Boat Club A
- Time:
- 18:40.5
- Pennant:
- Club Junior Pennant
- Winner:
- Hinksey Sculling School A
- Time:
- 19:18.8
- Pennant:
- HM Forces Award
- Winner:
- Army Boat Club A
- Time:
- 21:02.4
- Pennant:
- Masters B Pennant
- Winner:
- Upper Thames Rowing Club B
- Time:
- 19:20.8
- Pennant:
- Masters C Pennant
- Winner:
- Henley Rowing Club A
- Time:
- 19:51.4
- Pennant:
- Masters D Pennant
- Winner:
- Upper Thames Rowing Club C
- Time:
- 19:04.8
Photo: Ben Rodford Photography
