One of British rowing’s great traditions returns to Putney waters today after a two-year absence, as the Fours Head of the River Race brings 480 crews – including Olympic and world champions – to the Thames for the first time since 2022.
Roads along Putney Embankment are closing from 11.15am this morning, affecting the stretch from Thai Square to Leader’s Garden. Junction closures are also in place for Festing Road, Gladwyn Road, Glendarvon Street, Thames Place and Rotherwood Road where they meet the Embankment and Lower Richmond Road.
Racing begins at 12.15pm at Chiswick Bridge, with the first crews expected to reach the Putney finish line from approximately 12.30pm. The race follows the Championship Course – the same 4.25-mile route as the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race – but in reverse, with crews racing from Chiswick to Putney on the ebb tide.
The river between Fulham Railway Bridge and Kew Rail Bridge will be closed to non-race traffic from 11.15am, reopening progressively from around 3pm as the last crews complete the course.
Putney Embankment offers excellent viewing of the finish, with crews crossing the line by Putney Pier. Up to 432 racing crews will be on the water, making this one of the largest single-day rowing events in the UK.
From 34 crews to 480
The race has come a long way since 1955, when the fledgling “Head of the River 4s” saw just 34 crews row a three-mile course from Chiswick Steps to Putney Pier. Founded by the Tradesmen’s Rowing Clubs’ Association – representing manual workers who were excluded from the Amateur Rowing Association’s definition of “amateur status” – the event was designed to be open to all.
That inclusive spirit remains. Tomorrow’s race will present the Davison Award for “the standout performance from a small club,” recognising that rowing excellence isn’t confined to the sport’s traditional powerhouses.
The race was extended to the full Championship Course in 1988, and by 1997 had grown so popular that the Port of London Authority agreed to increase the maximum from 500 to 550 crews. Recent marshalling challenges have since reduced the cap to 480 crews but it is still one of the largest fields in UK rowing.
Today’s entry list reads like a who’s who of British rowing. The championship categories feature Olympic bronze medallists, world champions, and athletes fresh from international competition. Oxford and Cambridge crews are using the race to lay down early markers in their Boat Race preparations, while top club crews from Leander, Thames, and Molesey will be battling for bragging rights.
University crews from across the country including London, Imperial, Nottingham, and Birmingham will test their winter training, while dozens of club crews represent the grassroots strength of Thames rowing.
A significant return
The cancellations of 2023 and 2024 marked an unusual interruption for a race that has run annually since 1955, pausing only for extraordinary circumstances. Weather proved the enemy both years: November conditions on the tidal Thames can be unforgiving.
Today’s return carries particular significance. The race finishes at Putney, echoing the route of that first 1955 event and bringing elite rowing back to a stretch of river that has witnessed 70 years of the sport’s evolution.
Women first competed in the Fours Head in 1977, following the merger of separate men’s and women’s events. They now make up around 40 per cent of entries, racing in the same categories and on equal terms.
