Sport /

Lerwick and Burra rowers prepare for London race

18 September 2025 16:00

Seven people in matching black shirts stand in a row holding oars, with a boat and buildings visible in the background on a waterfront.

The Lerwick rowing team who will be headed to London.

THE LERWICK and Burra yoals are enroute to London as rowers prepare to take on a race through the city this weekend.

Lerwick and Burra rowing teams will again take part in the Great River Race, which is taking place on Saturday, having competed last year.

Burra in particular will be hoping to achieve success again, after winning the open mixed class in 2024.

Two rowing boats are stacked inside a truck, with a person in a blue jacket using a pipe or tool near the boats.

The boats being loaded into their transport before their trip south.

The boat race covers nearly 22 miles from Millwall to Richmond, with boats going through the centre of London on the River Thames.

Thanks to Ewan Anderson Transport the Lerwick and Burra yoals were on the freight boat on Wednesday night and the boats plus their crews should arrive in London on Friday afternoon.

Andrew Anderson from the Lerwick Boating Club said the race, which started in 1988, now has around 300 crews taking part from across the world.

“This is a race for ‘fixed seat’ only craft and a large variety of boats take part, including the traditional Thames Watermen’s Cutters,” he explained.

“The race is based on the Watermen principle and so each crew must carry a passenger and cox along with a 3’ x 2’ flag.

“A handicapping system is used to try and make race times fairer.”

Lerwick is taking part with a mixed veteran (over 40s) team, with an average age of 57.

Anderson said the Lerwick crew completed the race in two hours and 43 minutes last year – but “the tide is less this year, so we will do well to match this time”.

Both teams have been sponsored by a number of companies to enable their participation in the event.