Summary

Live Reporting

By Francesca Gillett and Cachella Smith

  1. Knot a bad day to be on the water

    Simon King
    BBC weather presenter and meteorologist

    While thunderstorms are forecast for parts of England today, it’s likely most of those will form to the west of London and thankfully miss those watching or taking part in the London river marathon.

    In fact, it should be a decent day to be on the river with sunny spells for much of the day. A gentle easterly wind up the river might help too.

    Also pretty warm with maximum temperatures reaching around 24C (75.2F) this afternoon.

  2. ‘We're hoping to win - but have 265 boats to overtake first'

    Francesca Gillett
    Live reporter

    "They are going to sing happy birthday to me," says skipper Albert Postma, who’s part of a Dutch crew racing the Moby Dick down the Thames today - on his 44th birthday.

    He is hoping tonight will be cause for double celebration if the Moby Dick comes in first. It previously won the race in 2000 and 2001.

    But the Great River Race sets the slowest boats off first - and it means this faster crew, whose boat is the 266th to set off out of 270, will have some manoeuvring to do to make their way to the front.

    "We are looking forward to it - almost a year of preparation," says Postma. "And we’ve been training two to three times a week since February, for two-and-a-half hours at night. "Let’s hope we get rewarded with first place."

    What are their plans for after? "What do you think?" he jokes. "All the guys like to drink beer in the weekend but they haven’t drunk any beer for a month. They’ve been eating healthy, protein and egg whites so they are in top condition."

    A picture of 12 people rowing, facing a camera and their faces looking as if it's a strenuous effortAlbert Postma

    The crew of 14 includes Postma the skipper, a passenger and 12 rowers - both men and women.

  3. The rules of the race

    A variety of boats can compete, but the race is based on the "watermen principle" - a reference to the rowers who carried passengers on the Thames, before London’s bridges were built.

    The watermen were basically the black cabs of their day, while lightermen carried goods. The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames was founded in the 16th century and remains a working guild today.

    But this "watermen principle" means there are some strict rules for boats.

    In a nod to the watermen, boats must be fixed seat boats and have a 3ft by 2ft flag. The boats also need to carry a cox and at least one passenger, as well as the rowers.

  4. Brother and sister go head-to-head in separate boats

    Francesca Gillett
    Live reporter

    A man in a vest and woman in a green t-shirt grin and hold up their fists in a celebratoryu gesture

    We're both here to represent Shetland, says Ingrid - they'll be rowing traditional yoal boats which have a long history of fishing

    Brother and sister Marvin Inkster and Ingrid Sandison have come all the way from the Shetland Islands - a journey that saw them embark on a 12-hour ferry crossing to the UK mainland followed by a train journey down to London from Aberdeen.

    The pair belong to different rowing clubs and will be going up against each other in separate crews - but Marvin insists it's "friendly competition".

    "As long as we win and come in ahead" he'll be happy, he jokes - although adds "I'd prefer if we were in the same boat".

    "I do have to say they have a younger crew," Ingrid adds, laughing.

    It's the first time both fisherman Marvin, 43, and NHS worker Ingrid, 51, have done the race. Their rowing clubs usually just do one-kilometre races, so for training "we've been out doing longer rows," she says.

  5. 'What are we looking forward to most? Going under the bridges'

    Cachella Smith
    Live reporter

    Landscape shot of the ladies' crew rowing where a rainbow can be seen in the backgroundKev Jensen

    This is the first time the club has entered this race and says having both boats on the Thames feels "huge"

    It looks to us like the Royal Marines Association Gig Club from Plymouth in Devon have enjoyed some sunny weather during their training.

    They'll have a men's and a ladies' crew out today - all are members of the Royal Marines Association and none have done the race before.

    Samantha West, who will be coxing for the men's crew, told me they're most looking forward to "seeing the sights" and of course "going under all the bridges".

    The men's crew out training as the sun risesSam West

    The crews are raising money for the Royal Marines Charity

  6. Boats head to the start line

    Plenty of boats are on the Thames already this morning as preparations get under way.

    We've had some images sent through to us from the Sea Scouts whose volunteers set off from Thames Ditton in Surrey in the early hours of the morning so they could get to the starting line.

    They've had sight of some of the key London landmarks already.

    A number of boats seen against London landmarks including the 'Walkie Talkie' building1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scouts

    Crews can launch their boats from various points along the Thames, before heading to the starting line

    Boats making their way under Tower Bridge1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scouts

    The Sea Scouts' boats were towed by volunteers

  7. Tow, tow, tow your boat - a long voyage from the Netherlands to get here

    It's been a long journey already for the Moby Dick - a boat crewed by skipper Albert Postma and his 12 rowers from Urk in the Netherlands.

    The crew drove seven hours to Calais before catching a ferry to Dover and then driving on to London earlier this week. They had to tow the 36ft (11m) boat all the way. Here's it passing through Gravesend in Kent:

    A long boat being towed past a monument on a roundabout on a streetAlbert Postma

    The Moby Dick is one of the longest boats in the competition

  8. All-female RNLI crew to celebrate charity's 200th anniversary

    Cachella Smith
    Live reporter

    Volunteers sit in an RNLI lifeboatGirls in a boat

    Volunteers from Beaumaris RNLI station - some of whom will be on the Thames today

    Meet the volunteers from the Beaumaris Lifeboat Station who will be out on the Thames today in a Celtic longboat to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI and raise money for their work.

    The first RNLI lifeboats were rowing boats, says Stevie Scanlan, who will cox for the first part of the race until just past Tower Bridge.

    The all-female crew of six comprises volunteers from different roles including the fundraising and operations teams. As per the race rules, the boat includes a passenger - or as Scanlan puts it the "G&T seat".

    Training for them started in January "where you have to wear hats, gloves, coats and a lifejacket… and it’s still freezing," Scanlan says. But they're used to coping with tidal stretches of water, "handy" for the Thames.

    And ahead of the day they've been making sure they have all their gear ready - including the all-essential "hand cream", Scanlan adds.

    RNLI crew crossing a zebra crossingGirls in a boat

    The crew have been making the most of their time on solid ground this morning

  9. 'A fantastic spectacle bringing together history and rowing'

    A boat adorned with bunting, with rowers wearing red and surrounded by other boats. Lettering on the side of the boat reads: LarkstoneArnhel de Serra

    Last year's race took place under glorious sunshine and this year's forecast looks similar

    We've been hearing from the race organisers, the Great River Race Trust, a charity which aims to get more young people into traditional rowing.

    The race's chair, Rass Randall, calls it a "fantastic spectacle", adding: "It brings together our heritage - racing as traditional London watermen would have done when they were the 'London taxis' - with modern day clubs and rowers, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world."

    It's a "spectacular pageant," adds Lord Alan West of Spithead, who is the race's president. "I'm delighted to have so many young people taking part this year, supported by our race sponsors."

  10. Hundreds of boats with both serious competitors and those rowing for fun

    People watch last year’s raceGetty Images

    People watch last year’s race, which is now in its 36th year

    Today we’re expecting 270 boats carrying around 2,000 competitors out on the water - some manned by international crews from the US, the Netherlands and Spain.

    Crews can range from four to 14 people (although most have six or eight members) - and as well as the rowers, each crew will also need to have a passenger and a cox.

    A range of boats can compete, including the traditional Thames watermen’s cutters - the type used by the watermen of London in the 1700s who ferried passengers across the Thames (like today's cabbies).

    Boats will start setting off from Millwall at 13:15 BST before progressing under 28 of London’s bridges to the finish line in Richmond - with the slowest boats setting off first.

    There are people of all ages - children as young as 13, and veteran rowers in their 80s. Trophy categories include those for junior, veteran and mixed crews.

  11. Ahoy, and welcome to London’s river marathon

    Cachella Smith
    Live reporter

    The Palace of Westminster on the left and colourful rowing boats travelling along the riverGetty Images

    The aim of the race - pictured here in 2023 - is to get more young people into traditional rowing

    Good morning from central London, where we’re cruising into the weekend along with 270 boats that will be rowing down the Thames today as part of the Great River Race.

    Covering a distance of 21.6 miles from Millwall to Richmond, crews will be raising money for their chosen charities while they plot their course towards one of 37 trophies.

    It’s known as London’s river marathon - and we’re expecting to see the RNLI, the Sea Scouts, plenty of fancy dress and a little bit of glitter.

    We’re all hands on deck here to bring you the best bits from the competition alongside interviews with teams, and you’ll also be able to watch our live stream throughout the race - get it?