• Contact us
  • Advertise with us
  • Cumbria Crack app
  • About us
Monday, July 21, 2025
cumbriacrack.com
  • News
  • Sport
    • All sport
    • Carlisle United
  • Business
  • What’s on
  • Jobs
  • Food & drink
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Sport
    • All sport
    • Carlisle United
  • Business
  • What’s on
  • Jobs
  • Food & drink
No Result
View All Result
cumbriacrack.com
No Result
View All Result
Home Sport

Rowers set to make history in Lake District

by Cumbria Crack
25/02/2025
in News, Sport
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Talkin Tarn ARC quad. Picture: Clive Penkett

More than 300 oarsmen and women from across the North of England and Ireland will converge on Derwentwater next month for the biggest rowing event ever held on the lake.

On Saturday March 8, Lakeland Rowing Club will host the second full-scale Derwentwater Head of the modern era.

Around 150 crews of four or eight rowers, aged from 15 to 75, will race the length of the lake in the time-trial-style competition.

There will also be a special category for one and two-person Lite Boats, with a selection of boats on display on shore for spectators to view.

These recreational/coastal style small boats are popular with those who may not be in a rowing club and like taking to lakes, rivers or the sea on their own.

The 2023 Derwentwater Head was the first major race of its kind on the lake since the Victorian era, when crews travelled from as far away as London by train and carried their boats through the town to the shore. The 2024 event had to be cancelled due to high winds.

This year, the British Rowing-backed spectacle will begin at 8.30am, when clubs start walking their boats from Lakeside car park to the water between the Keswick Launch Company jetties. Hot and cold refreshments will be available on Crow Park from 7am for competitors and spectators.

Lakeland RC chair Julia McCumiskey said: “We’re hoping lots of people will come to watch. The crews unloading their 18-metre boats and carrying them to the water is an extraordinary sight in itself. They will then head to the start at the southern end of the lake before racing back towards the town.”

Fastest crew Butler College eight. Picture: Clive Penkett

The event will take place across three divisions, with the first crews setting off at 9.15am and the last at around 2.45pm.

The exact course will be decided according to wind conditions on the day, but the boats will be easily viewed from all along the lake.

If the east course is chosen, crews will start near Kettlewell and finish by Friars Crag. If racing is on the west side, the start will be at Low Brandlehow, with the finish between Isthmus Cottage and Derwent Island.

Julia said: “Our beautiful lake is unlike any other location on the British Rowing racing calendar, and there’s a lot of excitement among the rowing community about competing on it. Many of the competitors plan to spend the weekend in Keswick, enjoying all the town has to offer.”

Lakeland RC held a small-scale trial event in 2019 before hosting the inaugural full-scale event in March 2023.

Windermere Rowing Club. Clive Penkett

Julia added: “This year, we have even more entries and we’re looking forward to finding out if anyone can beat the course record set in 2023 by an eight from Durham University’s Josephine Butler College, which completed the 3km course in just 11 minutes 36.4 seconds.

“We’re a small club with limited facilities and staging the race takes a lot of time and commitment from members and their families, as well as from local organisations and umpires at other clubs.

“We’re also indebted to our generous event sponsors, Derwentwater Marina, Cumberland Council, Mike Fell Building Contractor Ltd and Lloyd BMW Cockermouth.”

The Lite Boat category is being offered in conjunction with UK Lite Boat agent and youth work fundraiser London Youth Rowing Active Row.

Beginners, or returning rowers, coxes, coaches or prospective sponsors who would like to know more about opportunities at Lakeland RC can visit www.lakelandrowingclub.com

Previous Post

Let’s Dance – free events at Carlisle’s Sands Centre

Next Post

Swimming pools to partially close for £1m energy efficiency work at two Cumbrian leisure centres

Have you read?

A generic picture of police tape running across a road and police cars are in the background
Latest

Nine-year-old girl taken to hospital after motorbike collision in north Cumbrian town

21/07/2025
Four cows successfully rescued from quicksand
News

Four cows successfully rescued from quicksand

21/07/2025
Passionate and feisty derby for Workington Town and Whitehaven
Sport

Almost 1,500 attend West Cumbrian rugby derby

21/07/2025
Driver leads police on 130mph chase on Cumbrian A road
News

Driver leads police on 130mph chase on Cumbrian A road

21/07/2025
Thomas the Tank Engine fans urged to go full steam ahead at Mitchells Vintage and Antique Toy Sale
Sponsored

Thomas the Tank Engine fans urged to go full steam ahead at Mitchells Vintage and Antique Toy Sale

21/07/2025
Manchester City move mooted for West Cumbrian star James Trafford
Sport

Manchester City move mooted for West Cumbrian star James Trafford

21/07/2025

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox!

*We hate spam as much as you do. Privacy Statement

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: admin@cumbriacrack.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Carlisle United
  • Business
  • What’s on
  • Jobs

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Send a sport report
  • Get our app
  • Advertise with us
  • About us

Follow us on

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox!

*We hate spam as much as you do. Privacy Statement

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

© Barrnon Media Limited 2023

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy
This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Sport
    • All sport
    • Carlisle United
  • Business
  • What’s on
  • Jobs
  • Food & drink

© 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.