the world.” – Steve Fairbairn (1862-1938)
Unlike the bumps race, where
crews start at the same time but
are separated by a few boat-lengths, in Fairbairn’s head race
each boat started one at a time.
While the bumps race aim was
to catch and ‘bump’ the crew
that started ahead, in Fairbairn’s
head race crews would not know
their result until the last boat had
crossed the line. Finishing at the
‘head’ of the bumping race gave
that crew the status of Head of
the River, this term has similarly
been adopted by head racing.
The Head of the River remains
for eights only and women may
only compete as coxswains. From
the 21-boat beginnings, the Head
of the River today is so popular
that entries are restricted to 420
and many boats have to be turned
away. The record-winning time
has advanced from just over 20
minutes to the fastest standard set
at 16min 37sec for the 4. 25 mile
course ( 7 km).
© Igor Meijer
The winner of the Head of Head of the Charles 2006
the River still wins a bust of
Fairbairn.
More recently, head racing has
moved to other parts of the
rowing world and has become
quintessential autumn racing in a
number of countries. The British
regatta calendar for November
alone features a choice of 18
locally-unique head races for the
choosing. The distance can vary,
often to suit the local environment,
but the three-mile ( 5 km) course
has become the standard.
from around the world. Executive
Director Fred Schoch says the
idea first arrived in 1965 by way
of Ernie Arlett, a British coach
working in Boston.
Oklahoma has developed into a
weekend of activities including
by-night sprints.
Globally the concept has been
embraced by some countries
more than others. In the United
States rowers have the choice
of over 50 head races to select
from, predominantly clumped
around the October time of year.
The most famous, the Head of
the Charles, boasts a year-round
director, 300 000 spectators and
has grown to 8000 competitors
The race was originally modelled
off Britain’s Head of the River,
but today the Head of the Charles
has developed its own uniqueness.
Along the three-mile ( 5 km)
Charles River course music, food
and various entertainment adds to
the event. Unique to head racing
,the event also features up to 80
boats in one category. Currently
the biggest category is the men’s
youth eight.
Canada has also wholeheartedly
adopted head racing in the
autumn. Their oldest, the Head of
the Trent, just celebrated its 36th
year and, as the biggest in the
country, the Trent is at capacity
with 1500 competitors. Although
none of the head races are
formally part of the national team
schedule, national team coach
Al Morrow says many Canadian
team athletes will compete as set
teams or as individuals for their
clubs.
creating suitably large wakes,
could be reason. Instead Germany
tends towards club-based long-distance events in the wider,
sturdier boats. But, Boes adds, it
is common for German teams to
travel to Great Britain’s Head of
the River.
Novelties and distinctiveness have
become a feature of the American
head racing season. The Head of
the Fish, for example, in Saratoga,
New York gives embalmed
fish heads to the winners while
the three year old Head of the
In contrast, head racing in
Germany has barely caught on.
One reason, states Germany’s
Rudersport editor Arno Boes,
is the nature of German rivers.
Varying currents and the
prevalence of large freight ships,
In Australia the head racing spirit
is alive and, despite the October
– November period matching the
country’s spring rowing season,
head races still abound at that time
of year. The 8. 6 km Head of the
Yarra in Melbourne is known as
Australia’s rowing classic dating
back to 1957. An eights-only race
the event now attracts just under
200 entries.
As Fairbairn stated; “The fact of a
long race being so good for one’s
rowing was why I started the H.O.
River Race.”
