Wightlink-sponsored Ryde Rowing Club Ladies have become the 1st crew from the Isle of Wight to compete in the prestigious Women’s Eights Head of the River Race.
The Island rowers took to the Tideway in London on Saturday 14th March 2026 for the annual Women’s Eights Head of the River Race, a processional event staged over the 4¼-mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.
Now recognised as the largest women’s rowing race in the world, the event saw around 2,880 women competing in up to 320 crews.
It is also the only race in the UK where novice rowers can line up in the same event as Olympic champions, attracting a wide range of competitors from clubs and universities across the country.
A bright but chilly day greeted the Ryde crew and a small band of supporters who had travelled to the capital to cheer them on.
After a long wait to get underway, the Wightlink-sponsored ladies executed a race plan they had worked hard on almost perfectly.
They crossed the finish line in a time of 22:50, placing 13th in their category and 268th overall.
The club has thanked the organisers of the race, as well as the Royal Navy for lending the crew an eight for the landmark occasion.
