Biggest-ever Derwentwater Head race

Rowing out to the start for division one. Photo: Simon Bamforth

More than 300 competitors from across England and Scotland raced on Derwentwater on Saturday 7 March in what is fast becoming one of the most popular head races on the British Rowing calendar.

The time trial-style event, hosted by Lakeland Rowing Club, was the third full-scale Derwentwater Head of the modern era - and by far the largest.

A total of 142 crews from twenty-three clubs took part in eights, octuples, fours, quads, doubles and coastal singles - almost double the 2025 entry. Ages ranged from fifteen to eighty one.

With the sun shining and snow on the fell tops, the day’s fastest crew, an open B1 eight from Durham University’s Trevelyan College, completed the lake’s near-3,000m east course in 9:08.4.

The 2023 Derwentwater Head was the first major race of its kind on the lake since the Victorian era, when crews travelled by train from as far away as London and carried their boats through the town to the shore.

The 2024 event had to be cancelled due to high wind, but it went ahead in 2025 with seventy-three crews taking part.

Lakeland chair Julia McCumiskey said: “We’ve had phenomenal feedback with crews telling us they felt privileged to row on Derwentwater.

“They said the event was extremely well organised and many commented on how friendly our volunteers were and how well we looked after all their needs.”