Rowers take part in annual Great River Race along the Thames

Thousands of rowers person powered their mode done the yearly Great River Race, hailed by organisers arsenic London’s River Marathon.

Up to 300 boats took connected the situation to enactment from Millwall successful south-east London to Richmond successful the southbound west, with galore raising  wealth for charity.

Rowers successful a scope of boats, including immoderate successful fancy dress, tackled the 21.6 mile people connected Saturday, arsenic spectators lined bridges and banks.

Young oversea scouts, veterans and an all-female unit of volunteers from Beaumaris RNLI station, successful Anglesey, Wales, were among those who took part.

Ahead of the contention the Beaumaris RNLI presumption crew, who were raising wealth arsenic 2024 marks the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, described the lawsuit arsenic “no tiny feat”.

On their GoFundMe page, they said: “Rowing demands unparalleled carnal and intelligence strength. Despite being newcomers to the sport, we’re diving headfirst into this daunting task.

“For astir 3 hours, we’ll beryllium pushing ourselves to the limit, agreed arsenic One Crew, striving to transverse that decorativeness line.

“The RNLI’s dedication to 24-hour hunt and rescue crossed the UK and Ireland, alongside their lifeguarding and information initiatives, saves countless lives. But it each relies connected nationalist support.”

The contention is for “fixed seat” lone craft, and the wide assortment of boats taking portion see the accepted Thames Watermen’s Cutters.

Each unit indispensable transportation a rider and cox, on with a 3ft x 2ft flag, and a handicapping strategy is utilized to guarantee just play.

Adult, inferior and disabled competitors tin instrumentality part, but inferior crews indispensable person a liable adult, aged 18 oregon over, successful the boat, arsenic either the cox oregon passenger.

The Great River Race Trust, the foundation which runs the race, counts the Thames Festival Trust arsenic a partner.

More than 2,500 competitors were challenging for 37 trophies, according to the organisers, who added that the lawsuit appeals to each level, from athletes who are trying to bushed their idiosyncratic records to those successful fancy formal and raising wealth for their charity.

The lawsuit started successful 1988, with 61 boats crewed by enthusiasts ranging from young Scouts to offshore veterans from rowing clubs, pubs, schools, boating societies and the equipped services.