WEYMOUTH Rowing Club (WRC) will be competing in the Great River Race.

London’s River Marathon will be held on Saturday, September 12 on a course that starts at London’s Dockland and finishes approximately 22 miles later in Ham, Surrey.

This spectacular boat race has more than 330 crews, from all over the world, competing in a diverse range of rowing craft.

They leave Millwall Dock slipway in an order decided by a handicapping system based on the calculated potential performance of their boats. This is done on a scientific basis, using naval architects’ calculations and a sophisticated computer programme.

To add spice to the contest, it is run on a ‘slowest away first, fastest last’ pursuit basis, with every boat individually timed over the course.

Despite a start line handicap period of well over an hour, the faster boats such as the Dragonboats, Waterman Cutters, Pilot Gigs and Celtic Longboats, expect to compete in some close racing as the course unfolds.

The course passes under 28 of the River Thames famous bridges the first being Tower Bridge and the last Richmond Bridge after which the race to the finish begins.

Weymouth are competing in two gigs, one with a male crew and the other a female team and are determined to be in the leading pack of boats at the finish on the river below historic Ham House.