The 48th Head of the Dart brought a record number of entries with 158 boats competing this year.

The 15km rowing race is held annually on the Dart between Totnes and Dartmouth and was recently rated as the third best Head race in the country by Regatta magazine.

Jointly hosted by Dartmouth Rowing Club and Dart Totnes Amateur Rowing Club, the race welcomes all oared and paddled craft including seine boats, gigs, skiffs, canoes, kayaks, coastal and touring boats as well as fine rowing boats.

The 48th event got underway last Saturday, starting in Dartmouth this year, crewed and coxed by around 670 keen rowers and paddlers. Entries came from local clubs and rowers from further afield, as far as the Netherlands.

Prizegiving was held at the Dart Totnes’ clubhouse on the Saturday evening where the awards were handed out by the Mayor of Totnes. The fastest crew overall and mens senior team award was presented to the Wilkinson crew who completed the 15km course in 47.22 minutes from Bideford Amateur rowing club.

The sight of such a variety of boats all laid out upon the grass in Coronation Park certainly attracted many interested spectators. After which, manoeuvring all the boats into the water in the correct order between ferry landings was a tricky procedure.

On the start line, first off were the heavier fixed boats and tourers, followed by the fine boats, the fastest of which caught the fixed boats by the end of the race.

Individual times were recorded and handicaps applied to younger crews to make the race a fair one.

All crews completed the 15km race, with some even storing up enough energy to crew back to the start.

Other award winning crews included Peake and Giddy from Bideford Amateur rowing club, Dayment S, Souch and Atkinson, from Dart Totnes Amateur rowing club, Kerr and Lewis from Greenbank Falmouth rowing club, Chiswell from Bewdley rowing club, Lewis from Kingston Grammar Vets rowing club, Lineham and Duffy from City of Bristol rowing club, Rowse from Exeter rowing club, Spencer from Deben rowing club, Langworthy from Teign Scullers, Colthoff and Crew A from Royal Netherlands yacht club, Houghton from Exmouth rowing club, Pratt from Salcombe rowing club, Star from Blades Seine Boats club, Hassan from Thames Valley Skiff club, Nutkin from Weyfarers rowing club and Puai from Royal Outrigger canoe club.

Stand Up Paddleboards had been included in the race in previous years, but the entries kept growing, so now a separate SUP event is held on the following Sunday.

In 2015, it was decided that due to the growing number of Stand Up Paddlers to run the event over two days with rowers competing on the Saturday and SUP on the Sunday.

Back in 2008 one of the UK’s prominent SUP competitors and Devon local John Hibbard, enquired about adding a SUP division to the rowing event.  The rowing clubs were extremely kind to allow a small group of local SUP paddlers to complete the amended eight mile course.

On an amended course due to tricky conditions, 202 SUPs participated in a tremendous race which was won by Ryan James in 1.07 hrs. This year the course started and ended at Totnes Rowing Club where paddlers travelled 3.5 miles down to Duncannon against the tide and wind and then back towards the rowing club.

The event impressively sold out in just 48 hours with beginners and seasoned paddlers welcome to take part. Entrants come from as far as Scotland and Spain to take part and the Bray Lake Watersports club in Berkshire who have the largest club representation.

The age range of paddlers stretched from 16 to 71 with 125 paddlers competing leisurely and 138 competing in the race fleet. In addition, there was a wonderful 145 first timers competing.

The Dart Totnes Rowing Club posted on the Facebook page: “Thank you to everyone who participated and made the day worthwhile, we hope to see you at other events throughout the year and wish you all the best throughout the regatta season.”