London Drum

The Great River Race — London’s 21-Mile River Marathon

This event has already passed

The Great River Race
Where? River Thames, Between the Isle of Dogs and Ham House, Richmond When? 16th September 2023 The race starts at 10.30 AM and the first boat will finish at 1.35 PM (approx); The last boat will finish at around 3.30 PM Tickets? Free to watch from the riverside See greatriverrace.org Parking: Nearby car parks Trains: The closest station is Mudchute DLR Train fares

The Great River Race is the London Marathon on water, and attracts well over 300 crews from all around the world.

The crews will start assembling from 7:45 AM on the Millwall Dock Slipway (by Westferry Road on the Isle of Dogs), and the race will set off at 10.30 AM.

Each boat is given its own individual handicap, so the slowest boats will be allowed to go first and the fastest ones won't set off until around 11.30 AM (approx).

The first boats will pass Tower Bridge at around 11 AM, which is a great place for spectators to watch. They will reach Westminster Bridge by 11.35 AM, and Lambeth Bridge by 11.45 AM.

After Battersea Bridge (11.55 AM) and Wandsworth Bridge (12 noon) the faster crews will probably be approaching the front of the pack, and the race will really be on as they pass Putney Bridge (12.10 PM) and Hammersmith Bridge (12.25 PM).

When they reach Chiswick Bridge (12.50 PM) most of the slower boats will have been overtaken by the faster crews, but there might still be a couple slower boats hanging on thanks to their big headstart.

The faster dragonboats, Waterman Cutters, Pilot Gigs and Celtic Longboats will be filling up the top twenty by the time they get to Kew Bridge (1.05 PM), and Richmond Bridge (1.20 PM) will be crowded with spectators as the race approaches the end.

At Ham House (1.35 PM) the winner will cross the line to a loud cannon broadside and receive The Challenge Trophy of The Company of Watermen & Lightermen.

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