The Schools' Head of the River Race (SHORR) is the UK's largest school-age processional (head rowing) race and is organised by Westminster School for crews aged between 14 and 18 years old. It is held in Spring, the end of the head race season.
The race forms a leg of the national kudos of winning a rowing 'triple' in which occasionally an undefeated Junior Eight (J18 8+ or WJ18 8+) wins this race, the National Schools Regatta, and either the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta or the Peabody Cup at Henley Women's Regatta.
Course
The race is held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on a course from Chiswick Bridge in Mortlake to Westminster School Boat Club flagpole in Putney. It is rowed with the tide and is in the opposite direction to The Boat Race."About the Race" Schools Head of the River Race Westminster School. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
Race format
History When the race was first held in 1946 the course was shorter than at present, from above Hammersmith Bridge to the current finishing post, a distance of approximately 1.75 miles. The course was lengthened in 1988 with a start from Duke's Meadow, a mile further upstream, and again in 2000 when the start was moved to Chiswick Bridge, resulting in a course almost the length of the full Boat Race.
After the course was lengthened, the Schools' Head continued to offer a shorter course (from London Corinthian Sailing Club above Hammersmith Bridge) for smaller boats, such as J15 4s, J15 B 8's, and Maiden 4s; however, in 2009 this was changed by E. Li, the event's manager.
Eton College have won the race a total of 14 times, followed by Emanuel School with 11 wins (including a remarkable eight in nine years from 1962-1970), St Paul's with 10 and Hampton School with 9. In addition to these, the headship in 2000 was shared in an unprecedented three-way tie between Hampton, St Paul's and Canford School. In the Junior Women's category, Lady Eleanor Holles School has the most wins with 12.
Bad weather has occasionally disrupted the race. Indeed, in its very first year almost half the starting crews capsized due to the adverse conditions. The race was cancelled in 2001 due to dangerous conditions, reduced to its original length in 2008 as a result of strong winds disrupting the marshalling area and even more severely shortened in 2017, retaining the usual start line but finishing at the bandstand shortly after Barnes bridge.
In addition, in 2020 the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on 'non-essential' contact and in 2021, as a result of the ongoing pandemic, a 'virtual' Schools' Head event was run with crews submitting GPS recordings on their home stretches of water.
Current format
The race was initially a smaller event for Championship men's crews, with only 14 competing in its first year. However, numbers have grown significantly over time and additional categories of boats have been added. For example, in 2012, the J4- and WJ4- events were introduced and in 2013 the Mix 4x event was introduced to the race.
Women's events were first included in 1982. Although participation was relatively limited at first, with only eight 4s in the first year and no 8s until 1983, the number of entrants has grown substantially over time as a result of the increased popularity of schoolgirl rowing, with over 125 women's crews competing in 2023.
The race is now the largest head race of the winter season by junior crews attracting around 300 crews each year. Composite crews, drawn from more than one club or school, are not permitted. All categories race the same course.
Records
The current record holders for the events are:
Men's events Event Winner Time Year Ch8+ St Paul's School 16:24.02024 1st8+ Norwich School 17:11.32024 2nd8+ Eton College 16:58.22024 3rd8+ St Paul's School 17:30.52024 J16 Ch8+ St Paul's School 17:13.52024 J16 1st8+ Sir William Borlase 17:532011 J16 2nd8+ St Paul's School 18:242026 J15 Ch8+ Aberdeen Schools RA17:542018 J15 1st8+ St George's College 18:122011 J15 2nd8+ St Paul's School 18:372012 J15 3rd8+ St Paul's School 19:502026 Ch4x Maidenhead Rowing Club 17:19.52018 J4- Westminster School 18:412012 J4+ Molesey Boat Club 18:26.92018 J16 4x Henley RC 18:142018 J16 4+ Evesham Rowing Club 19:172011 J15 4+ Westminster School 19:382012
Women's events Event Winner Time Year WJ Ch8+ Headington School 18:09.52024 WJ 1st8+ Godolphin and Latymer School 18:44.72024 WJ 2nd8+ Henley RC 18:34.52024 WJ 3rd8+ Headington School 19:37.02024 WJ16 Ch8+ Latymer Upper School 18:52.72024 WJ16 1st8+ St Paul's Girls 19:09.62024 WJ16 2nd8+ Headington School 19:24.82024 WJ15 Ch8+ Latymer Upper School 19:332018 WJ15 1st8+ Sir William Perkins's School 20:302022 WJ15 2nd8+ Surbiton High School 21:112022 WJ 4x Wycliffe College18:15.42024 WJ 4- Sir William Borlase 20:372012 WJ 4+ Henley Rowing Club 20:122007 WJ16 4x Shiplake College19:152022 WJ16 4+ Kingston RC 20:312018
Mixed events Event Winner Time Year Mix 8+ Kingston Grammar School 18:34.32024 Mix 4x York City RC 18:562018
Winners of all categories when last held
Event Winner Time Ch 8+ St Paul's School 16:24.0 1st 8+ Norwich School 17:11.3 2nd 8+ Eton College 16:58.2 3rd 8+ St Paul's School 17:30.5 J16 Ch8+ St Paul's School 17:13.5 J16 1st8+ St George's College 18:19.4 J16 2nd8+ St Paul's School]] 18:05.4 J15 Ch8+ St Paul's School 18:31.5 J15 1st8+ Bedford School 19:16.1 J15 2nd8+ St Paul's School 19:00.3 W Ch8+ Headington School 18:09.5 W 1st8+ Godolphin and Latymer School 18:44.7 W 2nd8+ Henley Rowing Club 18:34.5 W 3rd8+ Headington School 19:37.0 WJ16 Ch8+ Latymer Upper School 18:52.7 WJ16 1st8+ St Paul's Girls 19:09.6 WJ16 2nd8+ Headington School 19:24.8 WJ15 Ch8+ Henley Rowing Club 20:22.4 WJ15 1st8+ Putney High School 20:59.3 WJ15 2nd8+ Headington School 21:17.4 Ch 4x- Tideway Scullers School 17:11.3 W Ch 4x- Wycliffe College 18.15.4 Mix 8+ Kingston Grammar School 18:34.3 Mix 4x- Hinksey Sculling School 19:19.0
Previous J18 eights winners
Year Time Winner Second Third 2025 16:33.0 St Paul's School Shiplake College Eton College 2024 16:24.0 St Paul's School Shiplake College King's College School 2023 16:47.9 Shiplake College Radley College St Paul's School 2022 16:54.4 Shiplake College Eton College St Edward's School 2021 Cancelled 2020 Cancelled 2019 16:36.6 Shiplake College Eton College St Paul's School 2018 16:40.6 St Paul's School Shiplake College Eton College 2017 4:50 Shiplake College Eton College St Paul's School 2016 17:38 Westminster School Shiplake College St Paul's School 2015 17:58 Westminster School St Paul's School Eton College 2014 16:56 St Paul's School St Edward's School Radley College 2013 17:10 Hampton School Abingdon School St Paul's School 2012 16:53 Abingdon School Hampton School Shrewsbury School 2011 16:53 Abingdon School Eton College Shrewsbury School 2010 17:22 Eton College Shrewsbury School Hampton School 2009 16:47 Eton College Shrewsbury School St Paul's School 2008 9:39 Shrewsbury School Abingdon School Eton College 2007 17:06Shrewsbury School Radley College Abingdon School 2006 17:13Shrewsbury School Abingdon School St Paul's School 2005 17:24Eton College Shrewsbury School Abingdon School 2004 17:15Hampton School Abingdon School St Paul's School 2003 18:41St Paul's School Pangbourne College Abingdon School 2002 17:20Abingdon School St Paul's School Hampton School 2001 Cancelled 2000 17:06 Three-way tie between Hampton School , St Paul's School & Canford School 1999 12:53Hampton School Abingdon School St Paul's School 1998 12:34St Edward's School Abingdon School Hampton School 1997 12:59St Edward's School St Paul's School Hampton School 1996 13:19St Paul's School Eton College Kingston Grammar School 1995 12:42Eton College Hampton School St Paul's School 1994 13:03Kingston Grammar School Eton College (A) Eton College (B) 1993 12:50Kingston Grammar School Eton College Shrewsbury School 1992 12:48Eton College Hampton School & Shrewsbury School 1991 12:53Eton College Shrewsbury School Pangbourne College 1990 12:48Eton College Hampton School & Westminster School 1989 12:35Hampton School Eton College Emanuel School 1988 12:44Hampton School Emanuel School Shrewsbury School 1987 7:39Hampton School Emanuel School St Edward's School 1986 7:54Hampton School Shrewsbury School St Edward's School 1985 7:41Hampton School Eton College Shrewsbury School 1984 7:38St Edward's School Shrewsbury School Shiplake College 1983 7:50St Edward's School Shrewsbury School Eton College 1982 8:03Shrewsbury School Emanuel School Hampton School 1981 7:20Emanuel School Shrewsbury School St Edward's School 1980 7:29Shrewsbury School St Edward's School Westminster School 1979 8:16Eton College St Edward's School Winchester College 1978 7:57Eton College Shrewsbury School Latymer Upper School 1977 8:05Hampton School Shrewsbury School St Edward's School 1976 8:57Emanuel School Hampton School Canford School 1975 7:41Emanuel School Eton College Canford School 1974 7:41Eton College Westminster School Kingston Grammar School 1973 7:49Eton College (A) Eton College (B) Westminster School 1972 7:29Eton College Emanuel School Hampton School 1971 7:54Westminster School Hampton School Eton College 1970 7:57Emanuel School Hampton School Eton College 1969 7:48Emanuel School Eton College Kingston Grammar School 1968 7:51Emanuel School Ealing Grammar School Winchester College 1967 7:51Emanuel School St Paul's School Hampton School 1966 7:44Emanuel School Winchester College Eton College 1965 8:00Emanuel School Eton College Tiffin School 1964 7:48King's School Canterbury Hampton School St Edward's School 1963 7:33Emanuel School St Paul's School King's School Canterbury 1962 8:15Emanuel School King's School Canterbury Hampton School 1961 7:48King's School Canterbury Hampton School St Edward's School 1960 8:29King's School Canterbury Bedford School Bryanston School 1959 7:31Eton College St Edward's School Haberdashers' School 1958 Winchester College Bryanston School & St Edward's School 1957 7:28St Paul's School Bryanston School Winchester College 1956 St Paul's School Emanuel School St Edward's School 1955 8:05Eton College St Paul's School St Edward's School 1954 7:52Winchester College Eton College St Edward's School 1953 7:51Winchester College Eton College & Radley College 1952 7:52Bryanston School Winchester College Eton College 1951 7:25St Paul's School Westminster School Bryanston School 1950 7:51St Paul's School Latymer Upper School Shrewsbury School 1949 7:53Winchester College Bryanston School Westminster School 1947 8:47Bryanston School St Paul's School Westminster School 1946 9:41St Paul's School Westminster School Latymer Upper School
Previous J18 Women eights winners