View source for The Championship Course

{{Short description|Part of the Thames used for rowing races}}
{{Redirect|Mortlake to Putney|the cable ferry in Sydney|Mortlake Ferry}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
[[Image:University Boat Race Thames map.svg|thumb|right|400px|Championship Course on a flood tide (e.g. for the [[Boat Race]]). The Start and Finish are reversed when racing on an ebb tide. "Middlesex" and "Surrey" denote banks of the [[River Thames|Thames]] along this stretch, named for the [[Historic counties of England|historic counties]]]]
[[Image:Putney Bridge.jpg|thumb|Putney Bridge]]
'''The Championship Course''' is a stretch of the [[River Thames]] between [[Mortlake]] and [[Putney]] in [[London]], England. It is a well-established course for [[sport rowing|rowing]] races, particularly the [[The Boat Race|Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race]]. The course is on the tidal reaches of the river often referred to as the [[Tideway]].

==History==
In 1845, it was agreed to stage the Boat Race (which had on five previous occasions been rowed from [[Westminster Bridge]] to Putney) on a course from '[[Putney Bridge]] to [[St Mary the Virgin, Mortlake|Mortlake Church]] tower'.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43035 ''Parishes: Putney'', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 78–83.  Date accessed: 31 March 2010]</ref> The aim was to reduce the interference from heavy river traffic.

The following year, a race for the Professional [[World Sculling Championship]] moved to the course for the first time. The [[Wingfield Sculls]] followed in 1861.

The course was later defined by two stones on the southern bank of the river, marked "U.B.R." for University Boat Race: one just downstream of [[Chiswick Bridge]], close to The Ship public house, and the other just upstream of Putney Bridge. The course distance is 4 [[mile]]s and 374 [[yard]]s ({{convert|4|mi|374|yd|m|disp=out}}), as measured along the centre of the river's stream.

Races are always rowed in the same direction as the tide: from [[Mortlake]] to [[Putney]] on an ebb tide or from Putney to Mortlake on a flood tide.

Since the Boat Race moved to this course in 1845, it has always been raced on a flood tide from Putney to Mortlake except in 1846, 1856 and 1863. The [[Wingfield Sculls]] is also raced from Putney to Mortlake. Most other events race on an ebb tide from Mortlake to Putney.

In April 1869, the [[Harvard University]] Boat Club challenged the [[Oxford University Boat Club]] to an "International University Boat-Race" of coxed fours on the [[The Boat Race|Boat Race]] course. The race took place on 27 August 1869 and was narrowly won by Oxford. The new Atlantic cable allowed daily reports to be received by all major newspapers across America within 23 minutes of the finish. U.S. public interest in the event was huge, with more publicity than any sporting event to date, and within two years of the event the "newly awakened interest in rowing at many of the most noted seats of learning" doubled the number of boat clubs in the US, and led to the formation of the [[Rowing Association of American Colleges]].<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.rowinghistory.net/1869.htm|title= 1869 – The Great International Boat Race|access-date= 8 April 2008|last= Miller|first= Bill|year= 2006|publisher= Friends of Rowing History|archive-date= 24 September 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924092220/http://www.rowinghistory.net/1869.htm|url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Landmarks==
Principal landmarks, often used when racing, include (in order from [[Mortlake]] to [[Putney]]):

{| class="wikitable"
! Landmark 
! Bank
! [[Geographic coordinate system|Coordinates]]
! width=550pt|Comments
|-
|[[University Boat Race Stones|The University Stone]]|| South || {{coord|51.472861|-0.268151|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Boat Race Finish}}||[[Image:Boat Race Finish posts.jpg|left|199x60px|border]] [[Image:Boat Race Finish post 800x533.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]Marked by a post on the north bank opposite the stone on the south bank, the finish of the Boat Race and the start of the Head of the River race. Just downstream of [[Chiswick Bridge]].
|-
| Stag Brewery  || South || {{coord|51.470474|-0.266376|region:FR_type:landmark|name=Stag Brewery}}||[[Image:Boat Race Mortlake Brewery.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] Previously owned by [[Watneys]], and later by [[Anheuser-Busch]], the brewery closed in December 2015 and is now earmarked for residential development. 
|-
| [[Barnes Railway Bridge]] || n/a || {{coord|51.472736|-0.253758|region:FR_type:landmark|name=Barnes Railway Bridge}}||[[Image:Boat Race Barnes Railway Bridge centre span.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] When racing, crews must pass through the centre arch.
|-
| The Bandstand || North || {{coord|51.476572|-0.252149|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Bandstand}}||[[Image:Boat Race Bandstand.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]
|-
| The Crossing || n/a || {{coord|51.47879|-0.250583|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Crossing}}|| Marks the start of the long Surrey bend.
|-
| Chiswick Pier || North || {{coord|51.482452|-0.250937|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Chiswick Pier}} || [[Image:Boat Race Chiswick Pier.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]
|-
| Chiswick Steps || South || {{coord|51.484581|-0.247463|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Chiswick Steps}} || Steps for the ferry which used to run across to the slipway in front of St Nicholas' Church on the North side.
|-
| [[Chiswick Eyot]] || North || {{coord|51.487596|-0.245814|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Chiswick Eyot}}||[[Image:Chiswick Eyot.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]An uninhabited river island. There is a channel behind (north of) the eyot navigable at high tide, but it is never used for racing.
|-
| [[Fuller's Brewery]] || North || {{coord|51.487182|-0.250411|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Chiswick Eyot}} ||[[Image:Boat Race Fullers Brewery.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]Just visible to crews, behind the eyot.
|-
| [[St Paul's School (London)|St Paul's School]] || South || {{coord|51.488983|-0.235855|region:GB_type:landmark|name=St Paul's School}}||[[Image:Boat Race St Paul's.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]
|-
| [[Hammersmith Bridge]] || n/a || {{coord|51.488129|-0.230536|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Hammersmith Bridge}}||[[Image:HORR 05.jpg|right|199x50px|border]]Coxes use a particular lamp-post that shows{{clarify|date=March 2019}} the deepest part of the river and therefore the fastest line.
|-
| [[Harrods Furniture Depository]]|| South || {{coord|51.484633|-0.227956|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Harrods' Furniture Repository}}||[[Image:Boat Race Harrod's Depositary.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]Previously the warehouse for the famous shop, now apartments.
|-
| The Crabtree || North || {{coord|51.482041|-0.223482|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Crabtree}} ||[[Image:Boat Race Crabtree Reach.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] A [[pub]].
|-
| The Mile Post || South || {{coord|51.47852|-0.226987|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Mile Post}}||[[Image:Boat Race 1st Milestone and bust.jpg|right|199x60px|border]]A stone obelisk forming a memorial to [[Steve Fairbairn]], founder of the [[Head of the River Race]]. It was erected by members of [[Jesus College Boat Club (Cambridge)]], [[Thames Rowing Club]] and [[London Rowing Club]] and is precisely a mile from the Putney stone marking the end of the course.
|-
| [[Fulham Football Club]] || North ||  {{coord|51.474895|-0.221655|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Fulham Football Club}}||[[Image:Boat Race Craven Cottage.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] The stadium is known as '[[Craven Cottage]]': crews stay wide round the bend as the area in front of the ground is shallow, with slack water.
|-
| The Black Buoy || South || {{coord|51.471211|-0.221132|region:GB_type:landmark|name=The Black Buoy}} ||[[Image:Boat Race Black Buoy.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] The large buoy marks the start of the area of the Putney Boat Houses. It has a reputation for ensnaring inexperienced crews when there is a fast ebb tide, for example during the various Head of the River races.
|-
| [[University Boat Race Stones|The Putney Stone]]|| South || {{coord|51.467319|-0.213756|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Boat Race start}} ||[[Image:Boat Race Start stone.jpg|right|199x60px|border]] The University Stone lies on the south bank, marking the end of the Championship Course and the start of the Boat Race, just upstream of [[Putney Bridge]].
|}

==Events==
*[[Boustead Cup]] (February/March)
*[[Women's Eights Head of the River Race]] (March)
*[[Schools' Head of the River Race]] (March)
*[[Head of the River Race]] (March/April)
*[[Veterans Head]] (March)
*The Boat Races – [[The Boat Race]], [[Women's Boat Race]] and [[The Lightweight Boat Races]]<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.lightweightboatraces.co.uk/| title = Lightweight Boat Races Oxford vs Cambridge}}</ref> (March/April)
*[[Wingfield Sculls]] (October/November)
*[[Pairs Head of the River (rowed as far as Harrods) ]] (October)
*[[Head of the River Fours]] (November)
*[[Veteran Fours Head of the River]] (November)
*[[Scullers Head]] (November/December)

==Rowing clubs along the course==
[[Image:PutneyRclubs01.JPG|right|thumb|Boat houses on the river bank near Putney]]
*[[Tideway Scullers|Tideway Scullers School]]
*[[Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club]]
*[[Emanuel School Boat Club]]
*[[Cygnet Rowing Club]]
*[[Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club]]
*[[Sons of the Thames|Sons of the Thames Rowing Club]]
*[[Latymer Upper School Boat Club]]
*[[Furnivall Sculling Club]]
*[[St Paul's School Boat Club]]
*[[Auriol Kensington Rowing Club]]
*[[Nautilus Rowing Club]] (British Rowing headquarters)
*[[Fulham Reach Boat Club]]
*[[Barn Elms Rowing Club]]
*[[Parr’s Priory Rowing Club]]
*[[Imperial College Boat Club]]
*[[Thames Rowing Club]]
*[[Vesta Rowing Club]]
*[[Crabtree Boat Club]]
*[[King's College School Boat Club]]
*[[Dulwich College Boat Club]]
*[[Harrodian School Boat Club]]
*[[Westminster School Boat Club]]
*[[HSBC Rowing Club]]
*[[London Rowing Club]]
*[[Putney High School Boat Club]]
*[[The London Oratory School Boat Club]]

==See also==
*[[Rowing on the River Thames]]
*[[University Boat Race Stones]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080530113133/http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/pdfs/maritime/Rowing_Chart_270906.pdf The Port of London Rowing Chart] includes a map of the course showing detailed rules for rowers, the deep water channel, local rowing clubs and other landmarks.
{{London landmarks}}
{{The Boat Race}}
{{LB Richmond}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Championship Course, The}}
[[Category:The Boat Race]]
[[Category:Mortlake, London]]
[[Category:Rowing on the River Thames]]
[[Category:Rowing venues in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Sports venues in London]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Wandsworth]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Hounslow]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
[[Category:1845 establishments in England]]