Durham Regatta has its origins in the annual procession of boats, originally organised by the Sheriff of County Durham and the Rt. Hon. William Lloyd Wharton, in June 1815 to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo. The event included the firing of cannon and a meal with beer for those who had fought in the battle.
The annual procession of boats continued for many years, but Durham Regatta in its present form dates back to 1834, with racing taking place over two days on the River Wear between Prebends Bridge and Pelaw Wood over a 750m short course and a long course over one and a quarter miles.
The regatta is the second oldest in the country, preceded only by Chester Regatta and pre-dates the Henley Regatta by 5 years. It is expected to attract around two thousand competitors from across the United Kingdom and bring in around and ten thousand spectators through the weekend.
The 182nd Durham Regatta took place this weekend so I went along on Saturday and shot a few pictures…
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Images copyright Ian Forsyth 2015 / London News Pictures
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