Vesta Scullers Head x Doggett’s Coat & Badge x Wingfield Sculls - 2026 Update

Vesta Rowing Club continues collaborations with the Race for Doggett’s Coat & Badge and Windfield Sculls

‍Vesta Rowing Club is proud to be maintaining its collaboration 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.

‍Founded in 1954, VSH is the youngest of these three events, yet it stands proudly in the tradition of the Tideway’s great sculling races. The connections strengthen VSH’s place within the heritage of single sculling in London, linking the event with races whose origins reach back centuries. 

‍Doggett’s Coat & Badge

‍The 312th running of Doggett’s Coat & Badge, the world’s oldest continually-held sporting event – having been established in 1715 – will take place on 2 September 2026.  Vesta Rowing Club is delighted to welcome entries from apprentices of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames.

‍The winner of this year’s Doggett’s Race will be invited to compete in the VSH, further connecting these two historic Tideway challenges.  Competitors for the Doggett’s race 2026 are Jack Finelli, Callum Howard and Charlie Milward. 

‍Learn more about Doggett’s race here.

‍The Wingfield Sculls

The Wingfield Sculls, first raced in 1830, continues to crown the “Champions of the Thames”. The fastest male and female scullers at VSH who meet the race’s eligibility criteria will be invited to compete in the 2026 Wingfield Sculls on 25 October 2026.

‍Vesta Rowing Club has its own proud association with the event: HT Blackstaffe won the Wingfields on five occasions (1897, 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908) and went on to take Olympic gold in the single sculls in 1908.

‍Learn more about the Wingfield Sculls here.

‍Vesta Scullers’ Head

By linking with Doggett’s Coat & Badge and the Wingfield Sculls, the Vesta Scullers Head is proud to reinforce its role as part of London’s enduring sculling heritage. Together, these events showcase the strength, endurance and tradition of single sculling on the Thames, celebrating both history and the next generation of competitors.

‍ ‍