Egham Regatta
Encyclopedia
Egham Regatta is a rowing
regatta
on the River Thames
in England which takes place at the end of June on the reach above Bell Weir Lock
near Egham
, Surrey
. The regatta is run from Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club
and the Runnymede
Pleasure Grounds on the outskirts of Egham.
The regatta was inaugurated in 1909 and was affiliated to the Skiff Racing Association
in 1913. It was suspended during World War I
and had a chequered existence until it re-commenced in 1955 as a purely rowing regatta. In 1978 skiffing
and punting
were reintroduced making it the only regatta in the country that still provides racing for rowing, skiffing and punting.
Egham Regatta has a short sprint course of about 650 metres upstream from a stake boat start. The regatta is the last on the River Thames before Henley Royal Regatta
and provides sculling
events for juniors in singles, doubles or coxed quads. It caters for competitors of all levels and ages from the relative newcomer upwards.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in England which takes place at the end of June on the reach above Bell Weir Lock
Bell Weir Lock
Bell Weir Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England situated on the Surrey bank near Egham. It is just upstream of the M25 Runnymede Bridge which carries the M25 and A30 road across the river...
near Egham
Egham
Egham is a wealthy suburb in the Runnymede borough of Surrey, in the south-east of England. It is part of the London commuter belt and Greater London Urban Area, and about south-west of central London on the River Thames and near junction 13 of the M25 motorway.-Demographics:Egham town has a...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The regatta is run from Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club
Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club
Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1931. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Bell Weir Lock and Runnymede....
and the Runnymede
Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials...
Pleasure Grounds on the outskirts of Egham.
The regatta was inaugurated in 1909 and was affiliated to the Skiff Racing Association
Skiff Racing Association
The Skiff Racing Association is the governing body in the United Kingdom for the sport of skiff racing. The SRA is affiliated to British Rowing...
in 1913. It was suspended during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and had a chequered existence until it re-commenced in 1955 as a purely rowing regatta. In 1978 skiffing
Skiffing
Skiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing a Thames skiff. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years...
and punting
Punt (boat)
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole...
were reintroduced making it the only regatta in the country that still provides racing for rowing, skiffing and punting.
Egham Regatta has a short sprint course of about 650 metres upstream from a stake boat start. The regatta is the last on the River Thames before Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
and provides sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
events for juniors in singles, doubles or coxed quads. It caters for competitors of all levels and ages from the relative newcomer upwards.