Race the Thames is a 346km race along the River Thames. This year, for the first time, it was held virtually on rowing machines. Teams of 8 race on rowing machines and try to complete the distance in the fastest time possible. Rowers upload their scores along with a screenshot of the rowing machine readout to the Race the Thames website. Their progress is marked along the virtual course alongside the 180 other crews who were competing from all across the world.
Here is a link to the virtual race arena – Race Arena
Mossbourne Rowing Academy had 11 teams entered across MVPA and MCA including 3 very keen parents teams. Most of the parents had never been on or even seen a rowing machine until they picked the machines up from school the day before the event started.
Our rowers and parents had a race plan they followed every day to ensure they covered the full distance by the end of the week.
The last day of the event coincided with the lockdown restrictions lifting and our rowing lake reopening. This meant our rowers were able to finish the last 16km of the race out on the water, in the sun and enjoying proper rowing for the first time since Christmas.
All but 2 of our crews made it to the finish line. We lost a few year 9s from both schools because of rowers in isolation.
Stand out results were:
Senior Girls winning the junior and senior women’s event.
Senior Boys winning the junior event and finishing second in the men’s event.
Fundraising efforts were outstanding from the children and their parents. The total raised for Mossbourne so far including gift aid is about £7,850 but donations are still coming in. The event in total raised just over £100,000 for various other charities.
We’re now looking forward to rowing every day over Easter and resuming racing from the end of May.
More information can be found on the Mossbourne Rowing Academy and Race the Thames social media.