In a jam-packed couple of days of action on the world-famous Championship Course, crews racing in WinTech and King shells produced a series of strong performances at the 2026 Women’s Eights Head of the River Race, including category victories and podium finishes.

On a balmy and clear Saturday afternoon, over 300 boats took to the water in another triumphant display of women's rowing in the UK. Sandwiched between International Women's Day and Mother's Day, the race got away without a hitch, despite some inclement weather forecasts in the lead-up. 

One of the standout results for WinTech and King came in the Small Club pennant, where Derby Rowing Club produced an excellent row to win the category racing in a King eight. Their performance placed them at the top of a competitive field of smaller club programmes in a field that is always fiercely competitive. Derby commented: “We managed to get out in our new King boat for the first time on Saturday. It’s amazing – we’ve gained a couple of splits worth of speed for no extra effort and the feel of the shell is incredible. We’re very impressed!”
 
King shells also featured prominently in several other club divisions. In the Provincial Club pennant, Nottingham Rowing Club secured second place, delivering a strong run down the Tideway to provide further evidence of their momentum as a programme. Meanwhile, Molesey Boat Club’s C crew placed third in the Senior Club category, adding another podium finish for King boats.

In the School/Junior pennant, Henley Rowing Club recorded a fourth-place finish racing in a King shell, placing the crew just outside the podium positions. Most of these crews had raced the previous day at the Schools' Head of the River and two race-pace attempts of the Tideway is enough to create fatigue in anyone's legs. 

WinTech boats also appeared among the leading crews in the international and masters racing. In the Overseas category, Koninklijke Groninger Roeivereniging De Hunze secured third place racing in a WinTech eight, delivering a strong result for the visiting Dutch club.

Another category victory came in the Masters Combined (adjusted time) competition, where a composite crew from Upper Thames Rowing Club, Strathclyde University, Bedford Rowing Club, Blacksheep RC and Bristol University secured first place in the Masters D category whilst racing in a WinTech shell.

The University of Nottingham secured third place in the Beginner Academic pennant, whilst Marlow Rowing Club were second in the Challenge Club pennant (both in WinTech shells). 

Across the race as a whole, these results reflected the breadth of WinTech and King representation across the Women’s Head field, with crews competing successfully across club, junior, international and masters divisions. The long break between head and regatta racing now begins, with most crews likely to next be seen in early May at one of the bank holiday regattas across the country.