Frequently Asked Questions - The Great GOSH Row

The Great GOSH Row is a rowing event covering 16 miles along the Thames from Greenwich to Chiswick. Rowers in teams of eight will take to the river in fixed seat, rough water boats that are robust and safe for people with little rowing experience. The row is broken down into two parts:

1. A procession through the Pool of London
2. A timed race to the finish line

All teams will be part of the procession, while crews can decide whether to compete in the final section.

The Great GOSH Row is a charity fundraising event supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity). To deliver the event, GOSH Charity have partnered with London Youth Rowing (LYR), an organisation with over 20 years of experience in delivering rowing events. LYR will provide full support, including training, briefings, on-water support crews, and professional coxswains for each boat on the day.

While exact timings are to be confirmed depending on the tides, the estimated schedule for the day is below:

• Arrive at start line: 12pm
• Launch from Greenwich: approximately 1.30pm
• Pass Tower Bridge: approximately 2.45pm
• Pass Putney Bridge: approximately 4.20pm
• Finish in Chiswick: approximately 5.15pm
• Post-row reception: 5.15pm–8pm

The registration fee is £50 per person, which helps cover the cost of your entry and supports the delivery of the event.

The event takes place on the River Thames.

• What3Words launch location: https://w3w.co/format.carbon.harsh
• What3Words finish location: https://w3w.co/remark.tribal.boost

Entries will close either once all the boats have been allocated or three weeks prior to the event.

Each team must have eight people. However, we recommend assembling a team of 10, including two standby crew members in case of injury or illness leading up to the event. These additional team members can support the crew with fundraising, media, and other admin to help your team make the most of the challenge.

We ask each team to commit to raising £3,000 (excluding Gift Aid), which works out to £375 per person in a team of eight. This helps cover the cost of the boats and ensures the maximum amount of funds go directly to GOSH Charity.

All funds raised through the 2025 Great GOSH Row will help build a world-leading, child-focused Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

Head to gosh.org/row and click ‘sign up’.

Each participant must sign up individually and agree to the terms and conditions. To ensure your team is properly linked, please use the same team name and team captain for each registration. After registering, you’ll be prompted to create your fundraising page individually. We will then set up your team fundraising page. Expect regular event updates via email as the challenge approaches.

We recommend you do some training in the lead-up to the event, as it will help you get the most out of your challenge. While any type of training is beneficial, using a rowing machine is the best. If you can use a rowing machine, aim for a stroke rate of 20, focusing on long strokes at a steady pace for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. This will give you a solid foundation for the event.

Yes, every team is encouraged to complete one training session. This will be held at LYR’s base in the Olympic Park, East London, and must be booked in advance with LYR. Full details will be sent to you by email after registration.

The team captain is responsible for:

• Building a team of up to eight people, entering the team and ensuring each team member has registered as a participant and created their fundraising page.
• Understanding the nature of the event, motivating the team, and passing on any messages from GOSH Charity, the LYR Marshals or the cox (see below).
• Ensuring the team has a strong commitment to health and safety and always listens to the cox.
• Understanding that GOSH Charity and LYR reserve the right to refuse or deny entry to any team or individual if necessary.

London Youth Rowing (LYR) provides a team of great coaches who will be your coxes. Each team will be assigned a cox upon registration, and they will get in touch to guide you through both the set-up process and the event itself. During the event, they will be responsible for your safety, so you must always listen to them. If you have any questions, please email events@londonyouthrowing.com

The most important rule on the water is to always listen to and follow your cox’s instructions. If they think you are acting unsafely, they have the authority to withdraw you from the event. All rowers must wear the buoyancy aid at all times while on or near the river.

Each crew will be timed from the start point to the finish point, which will be decided and shared with all teams during the pre-row briefing. Every racing crew will be given a time, and the fastest team will be awarded a prize at the post-event reception.

All participants must be aware that this event can be physically challenging. It is your responsibility to manage your effort and complete the distance in a way that is safe for you. Please ensure you take part in a sensible and responsible manner.

All participants will receive Great GOSH Row merchandise from GOSH Charity to wear on the day. Winning crews will also be given a token to celebrate their success.

Changes to your team name, team category, and team members (including substitutions) can be made up to one week before the event by emailing events@gosh.org