Rowing in Britain

An illustrated history of Britain's most successful Olympic sport

Explores rowing's history on the Thames and other rivers around Britain. This title also explores the most famous aspects of the sport: the Boat Race, rowed on the incoming tide from Putney to Mortlake in March; Henley Royal Regatta, which takes place on the first weekend of July; and more.Boat races and regattas are mainstays of the British summer – but where did these races originate and how have they become so important a part of our culture? Historian, writer and novice sculler Julie Summers here explains the history of British rowing as a competitive sport from the early nineteenth century to the present day. She then profiles the three most famous rowing events: the Boat Race, rowed on the incoming tide from Putney to Mortlake in spring; Henley Royal Regatta, which takes place on the first weekend of July; and the Olympic Games, which have yielded some of the greatest British Olympians of all time, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent and Jack Beresford.