The Great River Race 2025

The Great River Race passing the Houses of Parliament

Motley crews take part in the 21.6 mile rowing challenge on the River Thames, Saturday 20 September

Every year in September a bizarre flotilla of boats goes up the Thames with crews dressed as Vikings, Smurfs, and all sorts.

Don’t let that persuade you to underestimate the seriousness of the endeavour, however. The Great River Race is a gruelling 21.6 mile boat race from Millwall in the east to Richmond in the west. The participants in the main need to be very fit, experienced rowers, and strong swimmers.

‘It appeals to every level of competitor, from dedicated athletes who come every year to beat their records to those who simply enjoy laughter, fancy dress and making money for their charity’, say the organisers. ‘It’s a great fun day out for both competitors and spectators’.

There will be 2,000 people taking part this year on Saturday 20 September, from all around the world. Their start times will be staggered, with the slowest starting first at 10.15 am.

“It takes an hour to get them all going”, Sarah Clarke, one of the organisers, told The Chiswick Calendar.

“The fastest time in which anyone has completed the course is two and a half hours, so we can expect the first boats through Chiswick from about 12.15 pm”, she said.

Great River Race graphic from Chiswick Pier Trust

Watch the race from Chiswick Pier or Strand on the Green, with BBQ, beer and live music

The two best vantage points from which to watch the race are Chiswick Pier and Strand on the Green, which have both organised events for the occasion. The boats will take a good hour to come through, so you could actually watch the race from both.

Chiswick Pier Trust will be running a bar and serving refreshments. Eat Greek will be preparing Greek wraps and ice creams will also be available to purchase.

Strand on the Green residents’ association is holding a street party, closing Thames Road and offering free games and entertainment for families. The two local pubs, the Bell and Crown and the Steam Packet (both Chiswick Calendar Club Card members) are offering BBQs, beer and music.

By the time the rowers reach Chiswick the river is narrowing, so the participants can actually hear encouragement from the bank and when they are beginning to tire and muscles are beginning to ache, that is the time they could do with a bit of encouragement.

“Give them a shout and a wave, they love it”, said Sarah.

Great River Race crew at Tower Bridge

Among the rowers – a quadruple amputee rowing with the anaesthetist who saved his life

Sarah first became involved nearly 30 years ago as a member of the Walton on Thames rowing club and as a member of the charitable trust, the Company of Watermen. She remembers sitting, noting down timings when she was pregnant with the baby who is now nearly 30.

“The event has grown vastly”, she told me. “Originally it went the other way, downstream, but it can be quite rough around Tower Bridge”.

The water is calmer at Richmond, so it is safer for rowers to do the more challenging part of the race when they are fresh. She herself has rowed the course several times and coxed.

Teams entering have to have at least four blades, which could be two rowers each with two blades, or could be four with one each, in addition to a person steering and a passenger.

Among this year’s entries are the AHOY Centre, which has raced multiple times before, raising over £40 000 for the centre so far. The centre offers opportunities for disadvantaged, at-risk and disabled young people to engage in activities and courses on an equal level with other young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

There will be an under-16 crew from Cornwall, flying a combined Ukraine and Cornish flag for the crew member who moved to Cornwall at the start of the conflict in Ukraine.

There is a quadruple amputee, who last year completed a 350-mile offshore row across the South of England and is now planning a row across the North Atlantic. His crew includes the consultant anaesthetist who saved his life 11 years ago.

Gloucester Gig Rowers, from USA, are bringing three crews, and celebrating the 40th anniversary of their club (the oldest in the USA). The Royal navy Portsmouth Gig Club will be taking part, featuring service, reserve and civilian competitors.

The Fijian Royal Marines will be taking part, and four brothers rowing on behalf of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, Mid-Wales.

Saturday 20 September from 12.00 – 4pm, view the race from Chiswick Pier and / or Strand on the Green.

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar