No Thames race

Published: Saturday, 06 March 2010

THE annual Head of the River Race scheduled for last Saturday has been cancelled owing to the river running too fast.

Organised by Reading University Boat Club, and held since 1935, the Environment Agency would not allow the race to go ahead on Health & Safety grounds.

Ultra careful

However, some club members believe the agency  was being ultra careful, with 'red boards' now being hoisted to prevent boating at the slightest hint of extra water in the river, being driven by Health & Safety, and that the race had been run in much worse conditions.

The race had attracted 240 club and school crews, which is an eight miles course downstream from Mapledurham to Caversham locks.