Boston Rowing Marathon


The Boston Rowing Marathon is a rowing head race taking place on the third Sunday of September annually in Lincolnshire, England, over the exceptionally long distance of 49.2 km. The course is along the River Witham from Lincoln to Boston.

Overview

The event started as a one-off competition in 1946, as a pub bet, and was big news for the town. This original row was from Boston to Lincoln and was repeated for the next 3 years as a private event. In 1949, Crowland Rowing Club also competed, and the course was reversed to finish at Boston. It was easier to finish at the boathouse, and the pub was next door. In 1950 the event was opened to all competitors and has remained so to this day, and is organised by Boston Rowing Club.
The long distance of the event makes it unique in British rowing and thus attracts a lot of entries; some competing for a time, others only wanting to complete the distance. The event is also unusual in accepting entries from all crews and categories.
The current record for the marathon is 2 h 59 min 45 s, set in 1991 by a University of London Boat Club men's eight. The race was cancelled in 2000, due to that year's fuel crisis, and in 2011 due to an unusually prolific growth of water weed.

Course

The start is a set of landing stages at Lincoln Rowing Centre, Stamp End Lock, Waterside South, Lincoln. The centre was founded in 2006 in response to marathon being the only rowing hosted in Lincoln. The race follows the straightened Witham downstream to the finish line at Boston Rowing Club boathouse, 660 m north of the first bridges in Boston. One lock is present in the course.