The annual and closely fought BUCS 4s & 8s Head is orgnaised by BUCS itself, but with help from the Newburn rowing clubs: Newcastle University BC, Tyne United RC and Tyne Amateur RC.
Report from 28 Feb/1 Mar 2026
Report from 22/23 Feb 2025
High wind forecasts for the Sunday meant it was cancelled, but beginners eights (only) were transferred to the Saturday, which ran. The conditions that day were good and about 150 raced in each Division. Overall VL winner was Newcastle University BC, who also won the Women's VL with Durham University BC the Open VL. Results are here on the BUCS web site.
Report from 24/25 Feb 2024
Just past and the student participants had a great time in beatiful conditions. We hope this persuades them to return in 2025. Fuller report shortly, but stop press is that Newcastle University surged back this year to win the overall Victor Ludorum, after losing out to Durham University in 2023. The BUCS web page with reuslts etc is at www.bucs.org.uk/events-page/rowing-4s-8s-head-2023-24.html.
Report from 28 Feb/1 Mar 2026
BUCS Head in 2026 ran in near perfect conditions, apart from a short rainy patch at the end of Div 2 on day 1 and the rather fast progress upstream during Div on day of a fire servec RIB with wake to match (see pic). Otherwise there was low wind, the sun was out a bit and it was
cool but not cold.
The competition web page for 2026 is at https://www.bucs.org.uk/events-page/rowing-head-2025-26.html, where results can be found. At the time of writing there is not a full Victor Ludorum table, but Durham University BC from just across the river won the overall title. Well done!
cool but not cold.
The competition web page for 2026 is at https://www.bucs.org.uk/events-page/rowing-head-2025-26.html, where results can be found. At the time of writing there is not a full Victor Ludorum table, but Durham University BC from just across the river won the overall title. Well done!
Report from 22/23 Feb 2025
High wind forecasts for the Sunday meant it was cancelled, but beginners eights (only) were transferred to the Saturday, which ran. The conditions that day were good and about 150 raced in each Division. Overall VL winner was Newcastle University BC, who also won the Women's VL with Durham University BC the Open VL. Results are here on the BUCS web site.
Report from 24/25 Feb 2024
Just past and the student participants had a great time in beatiful conditions. We hope this persuades them to return in 2025. Fuller report shortly, but stop press is that Newcastle University surged back this year to win the overall Victor Ludorum, after losing out to Durham University in 2023. The BUCS web page with reuslts etc is at www.bucs.org.uk/events-page/rowing-4s-8s-head-2023-24.html.
Report from 2023
We enjoyed looking after 12 university and college boat clubs on our side of the river for the 2023 event. It got a bit windy and wavy for the first division on the Saturday (a couple of swampings) but calmed down for the afternoon and for the beginners on Sunday. Durham University BC swept the board in overall, open and and women's categories - well done! The BUCS Head web page is here for full details and results.
We enjoyed looking after 12 university and college boat clubs on our side of the river for the 2023 event. It got a bit windy and wavy for the first division on the Saturday (a couple of swampings) but calmed down for the afternoon and for the beginners on Sunday. Durham University BC swept the board in overall, open and and women's categories - well done! The BUCS Head web page is here for full details and results.
BUCS 4s & 8s Head ran in 2022 on 26/27 February, after cancellation in 2021 due to Covid. Conditions were good on the Saturday and and a bit breezy for the novices on the Sunday. Results are at www.bucs.org.uk/events-page/bucs-rowing-4s-8s-head.html?tab=Results.
The premier winter student rowing competition came to the Tyne on Sunday 23 February 2020. It should have run on Saturday, the day before, as well but an adverse weather forecast intervened. So the top crews were moved from Sat to Sun and the beginners got the chop! Division 1 had gone well in the morning, but wind and waves appeared over lunchtime.
The Division 2 start was brought upstream a bit to avoid choppy water for marshalling at Derwenthaugh, but otherwise went as planned, although very hard work for the crews against a strong west wind. Newcastle University BC turned up trumps and won both Women's and Men's Victor Ludorum prizes.
This page last updated 26-01-26
This page last updated 26-01-26
