Scullers Head
Vesta Scullers Head 2026: Saturday 19th September
First raced in 1954, Vesta Rowing Club is proud to run the UK's largest race for single scullers. Each year can see over 500 competitors gather together to test their fitness and sculling skills and is usually raced on the ebb tide, starting from the University Stone at Mortlake and finishing at the downstream end of Putney Pier.
Previous winners have included both Heavyweight and Lightweight Olympic and World Champions and the race has become a major focus for any serious sculler aiming to compare themselves against the best domestic and international competition.
The race requires the largest number of volunteers for any sculling race in the country - to the huge number of marshals, safety experts and the entire timing team - Vesta Rowing Club thanks you all!
Key Documents (2025)
Scullers Head Event Rules 2025
Entries
Entries are now open.
Entries will close at midday on Monday 7 Sept 2026. All entries must be made through BROE2 and paid for before acceptance. Only accepted entries will be placed in the draw. If entries exceed our cap, we will suspend entries early and without notice. We cannot accept late entries nor offer a waiting list.
The competition will comply with the British Rowing Rules of Racing
Categories
Bands: Open and female categories will be split into four bands based on sculling RPI: Championship (top 20% of entries), Senior (next 30%), Club (next 30%) and Novice (bottom 20%). All masters rowers are assessed by the Handicap system. Junior categories (J16, J17 and Sch/ Jun) as well as an U23 event are available for both Open and Female.
2026 Information
The draw will be in category order, with 2025’s category winners placed at the head of their division in the draw (we will try to notice them, but do flag this in the notes), then ordered by decreasing CRI.
We have an aggregated Masters Novice category for any masters entrant whose Sculling PRI is within the Novice band. Please comment in the ‘Notes’ box if you do not want to be considered for this.
If you believe your RPI is disproportionate to your ability, please comment in the ‘Notes’ box with your entry.
We may amalgamate neighbouring age categories (without reference to entrants) in order to award prizes; any such amalgamated age categories will be awarded based on the published masters time adjustments.
Apprentice category: This category is open exclusively to registered apprentices of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen.
Winners of any category with over 5 entrants will receive a glass tankard.
We will scrutinise any sculler from a year group under J16 - please add proof of competency in the ‘Notes’ box.
Lightweights
There is a single Open and a single Female lightweight category (i.e. Championship only).
There will be a weighing in point at Vesta and one at a club near Chiswick Bridge.
We also offer an aggregated Open and Female Masters Lightweight category. If entries are sufficient, these will split into smaller age bands.
Lightweights will be aadjusted at “winter” weights, as shown in the Rules of Racing, i.e. 75.0kg for Open and 61.5kg for Women.
Lightweightentrants who fail to weigh in or who fail to make weight will race for a time only. (Categories cannot be changed once the draw has been published.)
Collaborations
Vesta Rowing Club is proud to announce new ties between the Vesta Scullers’ Head (VSH) and two of the most historic single sculling races on the River Thames: Doggett’s Coat & Badge and the Wingfield Sculls.
The new tie up will see the winner of Doggett’s race compete at this year’s VSH and the fastest male and female scullers from VSH will be invited to compete at the Wingfield Sculls on 26th October.
You can read more about the new collaboration here.
Course
The UK's largest race for single scullers is raced along the 6.8km championship course from the University Stone at Mortlake to the downstream end of Putney Pier.
Fee
£48 per sculler. No unpaid entry will be accepted. No unaccepted entries will be in the draw.
Numbers
Numbers will be delivered to Barn Elms, Auriol Kensington (inc the Hammersmith clubs and Fulham Reach), Cygnet (inc. BBLRC, Emanuel), TSS, Mortlake (inc Quintin), UL & PTRC.
Those boating from the Putney clubs (i.e. between Imperial College; and London RC and Putney High School) should collect from Vesta Rowing Club on race day.
Sustainability Statement
The Vesta Scullers Head Committee aims to align with British Rowing’s sustainability strategy, in recognition of the competition’s impact on the Tideway’s local community and environment. British Rowing’s strategy focuses on three main areas: reducing litter generated from the event, protecting waterways from pollution, and engaging clubs and communities.
Read the full statement here.
Results and Prize Giving
Results will be published after the race has finished on Saturday 19th September.
The overall fastest female and male scullers, and category winners will be presented with their prizes in a ceremony on the day of racing, at Vesta Rowing Club. As in previous years we hope to have a live results feed, please keep an eye on the socials.
A copy of the full BROE Notes is shared available here.
2026 Information
| Gender | Champ | Senior | Club | Novice |
| Open | > 427 | > 78 | > 6 | 6 or lower |
| Female | >444 | > 138 | > 13 | 13 or lower |
Contact details
Any questions, please contact the entries secretaries by email here.
The Small Print
The organisers of the Scullers' Head of the River Race are obliged by VAT regulations to inform participants that the event is organised by Vesta Rowing Club, an amateur sports club, which applies any surplus on the event to further the sport of rowing.
Photo Credits
Photos on this page kindly provided by Ben Rodford Photography.