Avon Bluefriars Head 2026

🚣‍♀️ We Will Survive: Louise & MJ Take on the Avon 🚣‍♀️

Hey MRC Crew! While some of us were probably still contemplating that extra five minutes in bed (we see you 😉), Louise and MJ were up, early, and raring to go. The challenge? The Avon Bluefriars Small Boats Head, a formidable 3250-metre trek.

What do you call double trouble upsidedown?

They swapped the familiar Wye for a new adventure. The forecast promised sunshine and warmth (which, let's be honest, is always a lottery this time of year!), and it did not disappoint. The conditions were described as "calm and sunny"—an exquisite backdrop for the day's racing.

Our power duo competed in a WF2x. For those not up on the lingo, that's a Women's Masters Double. They faced some tough competition and came in a superb 2nd place to a WMasC crew. Considering this was their very first race this Head season in this crew composition, that's an absolutely brilliant achievement! 🥈

First, there was a little bit of "gardening" on the way 👩‍🌾. For those non-rowers, that means an unscripted, brief encounter with the riverside flora. Hey, even the pros get sidetracked by a particularly pretty bush every now and then, right?

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/fa8b9b_3a4dd621f1b641868280c32aae2e1e47/file

A massive well-done to both of them. They’ve promised they’ll be back next year for round two, hopefully with less gardening and even more speed!

A huge thanks also goes out to James, Roan, and Tim for their invaluable coaching and moral support, and to Louise for managing the vital boat transportation. We can't wait to see what this pair does next.

Go MRC! 💪