SHORR 2025

Bryanston at the 2025 Schools' Head of the River Race: A Tough Test on the Tideway

The 2025 Schools’ Head of the River Race (SHORR) proved to be an exciting yet challenging contest for school rowing teams across the UK and beyond. With conditions on the Tideway always unpredictable, crews battled through the course in search of the best times. Among the many competitors was Bryanston School, whose rowers fought hard in the highly competitive School 1st 8+ category.

Bryanston’s Performance

Bryanston’s 1st VIII finished in 16th place with a time of 18:19.1, putting them in the lower half of the leaderboard. Despite their best efforts, they fell behind some of their traditional rivals but gained valuable experience from the race. The breakdown of their splits shows a strong first section of the race, but they struggled to maintain speed in the latter stages, ultimately finishing just behind Pangbourne College (18:18.1) and Winchester College (18:17.9).

Race Leaders and Overall Standings

The overall winner in the School 1st 8+ category was Hampton School ‘B,’ completing the course in an impressive 17:13.9. They were followed closely by Great Marlow School ‘A’ (17:23.2) and King’s Chester (17:27.0), securing second and third places respectively. Methodist College Belfast RC ‘A’ also delivered a strong performance, finishing fourth with a time of 17:33.4.

Lessons for Bryanston

While Bryanston did not achieve a top-ten finish, their performance highlighted key areas for growth. Improving endurance in the latter half of the race will be crucial as they prepare for the summer regatta season. With dedication and training, they can look to build on this result and challenge stronger crews in upcoming competitions.

Looking Ahead

With events like the National Schools' Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta on the horizon, Bryanston’s rowers will aim to refine their technique and increase their race pace. The 2025 SHORR results serve as a benchmark, and the team will undoubtedly use this experience to push themselves further in the months ahead.

Bryanston’s rowers demonstrated resilience and determination, qualities that will serve them well as they continue to develop. While their result may not have been what they hoped for, their hard work and perseverance will no doubt lead to stronger performances in the future.

The combination of their experience at SHORR and their success at Gloucester Head will serve them well as they continue to develop their speed and cohesion in preparation for major competitions later in the season.