Reading Small Boats Head 2025

Reading Small Boats Head will take place on Saturday 11 October 2025. There will be three divisions, starting at 0930hrs, 1230hrs, and 1530hrs. Each division will comprise a maximum of 150 boats over the c3500m downstream course on the River Thames at Reading.

Follow @ReadingSmallBH on X to receive updates on entries before the event and on racing during the event.

Entries for the event are managed using the British Rowing BROE2 system here. Entries open at midday Thursday 11 September and will be suspended at midday Thursday 25 September; please see the Entries Strategy.

Open (Men's) and Women's events for each boat type are each split into three Categories: OPEN, INTERMEDIATE, and NOVICE. Crews should use the following guide to determine which category to enter:

OPEN: Open to all, but predominantly aimed at experienced crews who are aiming to race at a high level.

INTERMEDIATE: Aimed at crews with several years of competitive experience.

NOVICE: Aimed at crews with little or no competitive experience and who have never won an event.

In the event of a category having more than 10 entries, it may be split into tiers of 5 or more crews according to the CRI points values of the entered crews.

For example: an Open M.1x category with 12 entries may be split into a 5-boat T1-Open M.1x, and a 7-boat T2-Open M.1x.

Adaptive events on request - please contact the Entries Secretary

Please note: It is possible that crews entering into INTERMEDIATE or NOVICE may be judged as having too many CRI points for that category, in which case the Committee reserves the right to move a crew up a category and will consult with the Club concerned.

Please note: Reading RC reserves the right to cancel the event at short notice should Government or weather conditions force a change; to reject singles in favour of larger boats in accordance with the Entries Strategy to give more competitors a race; or to cancel the event if the size of the entry makes the event unviable.

Parking, Trailers and Drop-Off (see Traffic Plan and Access link opposite)

Approach from Richfield Avenue; follow the regatta signs
Cars and crew buses should follow the normal flow into the car park
Trailers should bear right, against the normal flow (proceed with caution), and turn the wrong way around the first island into the car park and through to the field and main parking site (Note: the gate will be opened at 0645hrs; please do not arrive before this time)
There is plenty of parking for all competitors on the left-hand side of the parking area
The cost of parking is £6 per car/minibus; trailers/towing vehicles/cars with boats on roof are free
Trailers only staying for the first Division should park in the front of the trailer park (see Site Map opposite) with tow vehicles parking nose to the rope which will be dropped to let you out as needed
Trailers carrying boats being used for the whole day will be directed to the rear of the trailer park (nearest to the river) and should reverse in for easier exit later

Please note that all payments on the day will be contactless both for car parking and for catering.

Please contact events@readingrc.com with any general enquiries and rsbhentries@readingrc.com for specific entry enquiries.