Known as the biggest and most competitive head on the racing calendar, the Head of the River has been what all the UCLBC men have been training towards over the long winter. Entering four eights, each boat will be looking to paint the Tideway purple. Big time.

Senior Men – 1st VIII

Fresh from a win in the London Varsity Series this years Senior Men’s 1st’s are looking to step up and build on last years HORR position. James and Mark return from last years Henley VIII, whilst Harry and Paul have stepped up from last years beginners programme. Tom, Jake, Oscar and Navin are fresh faces to the club, as this new look VIII will be bringing the heat and some terrible chat to this years head. Look out for Navin’s incredible hair, coming down the course at #129.

Senior Men – 2nd VIII

The mighty seconds will be steaming down the course at #305 this year, and will be getting stuck into some great overtaking manoeuvres all the way down the course. 6 returning club members are joined by newcomers Jake and Seb in a crew that know a hard graft. These boys regularly frustrate our firsts with some resilient side-by-side! Expect some strong pain faces, and a very slick looking Lee in the 2 seat.

Novice Men – 1st VIII

Cox – Jess Knapman

Stroke – Marc de Fontenay

7 – Patrick Pflughaupt

6 – Rob Hinchley

5 – David Sekula

4 – Paddy McDonald

3 – James Roper

2 – Tom Nguyen

Bow – Rory Dawson

The Novice Men’s 1st VIII are looking to continue their impressive run of form at the Head of the River Race this weekend. Following a win at the Cambridge Head, a win at UH Sprints, 3rd place in the novice category at Quintin Head and all topped off with a bronze medal at the BUCS Head, they’ll take some beating. Between them they are the complete package, with Marc and Patrick setting a chunky rhythm, Big Dave and the rest of middle four providing the obligatory yam and bow pair creating a solid platform for the aforementioned yam to be laid. Crews being overtaken need to watch out for David’s sass, which will also be a treat for any spectators within earshot.

Novice Men – 2nd VIII

Cox – Jake Palmer

Stroke – Charles Stevenson

7 – Carlos Villareal

6 – Mateusz Szcezny

5 – Matthew Norman

4 – Karol Nedza

3 – Tom Gerard

2 – George Jack

Bow – Martin Drobis

The Novice Men’s 2nd VIII might be starting last off the line, but that just means there are more crews to overtake. Everyone in this crew started rowing this year and they have been training hard in the run up to the climax of the head season. Coming from all walks of life, students in this boat range from freshers to post graduates and even a qualified doctor! And having a crew doctor will probably come in handy after 6.8km of hard racing. Anyone watching from the tow path at Putney will see a line of pain faces after these boys leave everything out on the water and, hopefully, a line of crews behind them.

Good luck to all crews racing. HORR 2016 starts at 1:30 on Saturday 19th March, so please do come down and support the men.