Events
The Royal Air Force Rowing Club and the University Air Squadrons compete at various levels both on the civilian regatta circuit and between the Services themselves.
Head Races
Head races take the form of a time-trial, with crews setting off at intervals. They are run in the autumn and winter months and are used by coaches and crews to gain a measure of their improvement against other competitors that they may face at regattas later in the year.
Civilian Head Races
The RAF Rowing Club tries to compete at all the major Head Races on the Tideway course in London; the Sculler's Head, Pair's Head, Four's Head and the Eight's Head. The Army and Navy also put forward crews and the Force's Pennant is contested, awarded to the fastest Service crew.
RAF Head of the River Race
Once a year, usually around November time, RAF crews from around the country all gather together and compete over a 4km course. Up to 4 divisions race and awards are made for the fastest crew in each boat category.
Regatta Races
Regattas take the form of side-by-side racing against as many as 5 other crews (on multiple-lane courses such as Dorney Lake near Eton or Holme Pierrepoint near Nottingham). Regattas take the form of a knock-out style competition.
Civilian Regattas
The RAF Rowing Club has a presence on the civilian regatta circuit and can be found competing all over the country in the major regattas.
RAF Championships Regatta
At least once a year all station rowing clubs compete against one another. All boat sizes compete across all competitor categories from novice up to open class rowers. The RAF Championship Regatta is usually used to select RAF crews to compete in the Joint Services Regatta.
Joint Services Regatta
Once a year all three Armed Forces Rowing Clubs meet for a day of multi-lane regatta racing across all boat sizes and all competitor classes. Although the competition is fierce, the camaraderie is evident at the end of the day when the prizes-giving takes place.
Henley Royal Regatta (HRR)
Henley Royal Regatta (HRR) takes place in the first week of July each year, taking the form of one-on-one side-by-side racing over a one mile, five hundred and fifty yard (or 2112 metres) course . Usually starting on the Wednesday, the winning crew of each race continues on to the next day's racing, with the final taking place on the Sunday.
Athletes from the Royal Air Force have been competing at HRR for years and last won at HRR in the 1950s. Virtually every year Royal Air Force Rowers can be seen at Henley, rowing under the Combined Services Rowing Club banner in order to utilise the resources of all 3 services to achieve optimum crew combinations.
