January in the UK seemed determined to drown any hope of winter rowing, with relentless rain and a conveyor belt of storms, including Goretti, Ingrid and Chandra, battering the country with high winds and yet more downpours. Clubs were forced off the water, and head races were cancelled. It is no wonder, then, that Hammersmith Head organisers had to suspend entries early due to unprecedented demand from athletes desperate to go racing. With luck, the PLA flag won’t be red this Saturday as crews line up for the 2.75‑mile charge from Chiswick Bridge to Hammersmith.
The women’s eights are split into four bands based on athletes’ Personal Ranking Indices, which are combined to give a Crew Ranking Index. This takes previous racing results into account and adjusts them based on how long ago they took place. At the top is the Championship band, followed by Intermediate, Club and Development. This year, the Club category has 15 entries from crews keen to test themselves on the Tideway, a marginal increase on the 11 crews from 2025.
City of Cambridge Rowing Club
Leading Division Six, at the top of women’s club eights, is City of Cambridge RC. At last year’s Hammersmith Head, they finished second in the Club category and went on to secure the Beginner’s Pennant at the Women’s Head of the River Race, finishing 89th overall. During the summer, they won a heat in The Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, dispatching Vesta Rowing Club’s ‘A’ crew by two-and-a-half lengths. Fours Head brought further recognition, with the club earning the Davison Award for the standout performance from a small club. More recently, they won both the Band Two and Band Three women’s eights at Wallingford Head. With proven form on the Tideway course and a string of good, recent results, they are likely to do well on the Thames this time.
Bath University Boat Club
With a high-performance programme designed to develop athletes from novices to international standard, Bath University BC enjoyed historic success last summer, qualifying an eight into the Island Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta for the first time. They’ve fielded three entries at Hammersmith Head – two in the Club and one in the lower-pointed Development category. The squad are accomplished racers on the Thames, having won the challenge academic title and placing 48th overall at last year’s Women’s Head of the River Race. They come in as one of the favourites to win the club category at Hammersmith Head this year.
Cantabrigian Rowing Club
Cantabrigian RC are no strangers to success on the Tideway, having won the Women’s Head of the River Race’s Provincial Pennant three times. This year, they fielded both a Club crew and a higher-pointed Championship entry to race at Hammersmith, signalling the strength of their women’s squad. They had promising results at the Fours Head and more recently took the Beginner’s title over the 5km course at Teddington Head. Finishing in the top three at last year’s Hammersmith Head ‘Cantabs’ will undoubtedly be aiming to improve on that position this time around. However, their Club crew is their second crew, and, without the same strength and speed as their top eight, they may struggle to step up to the challenge.
Lea Rowing Club
The Hackney-based Lea RC bring two Club eights and an Intermediate entry to this year’s race. At last year’s Hammersmith Head, Lea finished as the sixth fastest club eight. They’ve since appointed a new Head Performance Coach, former Great Britain international and Leander Club athlete Tom Wilkinson. Their top Club crew will set off third, with two Vesta crews in hot pursuit, the first of which is expected to be a similar speed to the Lea crew, setting the stage for exciting racing.
Vesta Rowing Club
With an impressive total of eight women’s entries, including three in the Club category, Vesta RC will be eager to capitalise on their home-water advantage. Their third boat starts fourth in the Club category, immediately behind Lea RC. At Henley Royal Regatta Qualifying, both Vesta’s C crew and Lea’s A crew missed out, with just two seconds separating the crews. With such tight margins and the added factor of a home course, Vesta will be looking to come out on top this time.
Southampton University Boat Club
Last year’s winners of the Club category by over 13 seconds, Southampton University BC, return to defend their title. This time, they have three eights competing, one at the Club level and the remainder in the Development category, making their Club crew the most experienced of the trio. Their 122nd-place finish at the Women’s Head of the River Race suggests they may struggle to compete with the very top Club crews this time. However, they bring valuable race sharpness having raced in recent months, including at the Upper Thames Autumn Head, Bristol Head, and over a 5km course at their local ‘BTC’ head race. That level of preparation could serve them well over the 4.4km course at Hammersmith Head.
University of Exeter Boat Club
The University of Exeter BC bring a sole women’s eight to Hammersmith Head, meaning all hopes will be pinned on this Club category crew. They bring useful, recent racing experience, having competed on the River Dart at the Plymouth University Head Race. Their beginner eights took second and fourth, and their intermediate coxed four finished third. With momentum building, Exeter will be looking to make their mark this weekend.
University of Warwick Boat Club
With three women’s crews racing – two in the Development category and this entry in the Club category – University of Warwick’s entry here is their most experienced boat. They finished 144th at the 2025 Women’s Head of the River Race and, despite being a smaller university rowing programme, took on the fiercely competitive Aspirational Academic eights event at Henley Women’s Regatta, narrowly missing out on qualification. Like many UK clubs, Warwick have lost racing opportunities to cancellations, so Hammersmith Head will offer the chance to gain valuable Tideway experience ahead of the Women’s Head of the River Race next month.
Auriol Kensington Rowing Club
Hosts of the event, Auriol Kensington RC, have one entry in the Club category and another in the Intermediate category, making their Club crew their second eight. With the finish line visible from their own clubhouse, they’ll have no shortage of motivation to deliver a strong performance on home water.
Sons of the Thames Rowing Club
With one women’s crew entered, Sons of the Thames RC return after placing seventh in the Club category last year. They will set off just ahead of Auriol Kensington RC, and like their neighbours, will enjoy the advantage of racing on familiar water, including the welcome sight of their own clubhouse along the finishing stretch.
Furnivall Sculling Club
Just along the river from Auriol Kensington RC, Furnivall Sculling Club look set to produce a crew of a similar speed to their neighbour. Their single Club entry is expected to be Furnivall’s most experienced, and likely their fastest eight. At the Women’s Head of the River Race, Furnivall’s ‘A’ crew finished five seconds ahead of Auriol Kensington. With a shorter course this time, the margins will be tighter, making this matchup an exciting one to watch.
Predictions
Jostling for the top spot will be Bath University BC, City of Cambridge RC, Lea RC and Vesta RC. Arriving with depth, confidence and proven pace, Bath must be considered one of the favourites. At Henley Royal Regatta, their eight showed similar speed to City of Cambridge’s first boat. However, with City’s top crew not racing in the Club category, Bath will instead face their second eight, a matchup that places Bath as the likely frontrunner. Vesta RC and Lea RC look well‑matched contenders for third and fourth spots, having produced comparable times during qualifying races for The Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta last summer. With the added benefit of racing on home water, Vesta may just find the edge needed to push ahead of the Lea this time.
