Reading Amateur Regatta is a rowing

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

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 which takes place at Reading

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

, Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

 on the reach above Caversham Lock

Caversham Lock

Caversham Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England at Reading, Berkshire. The lock is connected to De Bohun Island, a somewhat larger than normal lock island...

.

The regatta takes place in June and attracts top crews from around the UK. Racing takes place on the 1,500-meter downstream course that stretches from St Mary's Island

St Mary's Island, River Thames

St Mary's Island is an island in the River Thames in England.The island is on the reach above Caversham Lock on the western outskirts of the town of Reading, Berkshire. It is close in to the northern bank in an area called The Fishery and is unpopulated.- External links :* including a from the BBC...

 until just short of Reading Rowing Club

Reading Rowing Club

Reading Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. It is situated on the Berkshire bank of the Thames at Reading, Berkshire just above Caversham Bridge and on the reach above Caversham Lock....

 clubhouse. The regatta takes place on Saturday and Sunday in June and its importance stems from its date, being immediately before entries close for 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...

.

Reading Amateur Regatta was established in 1842 although it had a chequered history until the 1870s, when Reading Rowing Club

Reading Rowing Club

Reading Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. It is situated on the Berkshire bank of the Thames at Reading, Berkshire just above Caversham Bridge and on the reach above Caversham Lock....

 was founded and revived interest in it. Its re-establishment was also encouraged by the founding of the Reading Working Men's Regatta

Reading Town Regatta

Reading Town Regatta is Reading's rowing regatta. It takes place at the town of Reading in Berkshire on the River Thames in southern England, near the Thames Valley Park business park on the south side of the river. A more local Thames Valley Park Regatta takes place at the same location.The...

 on the lower lock reach above Sonning Lock

Sonning Lock

Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....

 in 1877.

Another hiatus occurred after 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...

, but thenceforth the regatta grew from strength to strength requiring various adaptations to accommodate the entry level. This resulted in a review in 1999 which saw two-lane racing reintroduced on a 1,500 meter course by changing from launch to bank umpiring. An ironical conclusion perhaps as in 1844 a ferryman had spent four months in Reading Gaol for attacking an umpire and tipping him into the river with a punt pole in retaliation for disqualification in the previous year's regatta.