In pictures: Annual Christmas Head boat race on the Cam brings us Mario, elves and more

Mario and Luigi in a boat on the Cam and fellow rowers dressed as pirates, bananas and elves... it can only be the annual Christmas Head event, hosted by City of Cambridge Rowing Club.

The fun festive races, with plenty of brilliant fancy dress outfits, took place last Saturday (December 3) along an 1,800m long course that ran from the Pike and Eel Chesterton to outside the Jesus College boathouse.

John Leighton, events secretary at the club, confirmed that a four from Jesus College – Best of Loch – won best fancy dress for coming as the Loch Ness Monster. “They went down the course roaring away with great enthusiasm,” he said, “so they won both for actually making a costume and for having actions the entire way down the course...

“There was someone else who dressed up as the Grinch. He made a very valiant effort: he was in a green boat, dressed in green – and he painted himself entirely green.”

John added: “The fastest men’s eight was City of Cambridge Master’s Boat, and the fastest women’s boat was a City of Cambridge boat as well. That’s always good to know because it means we’re beating Cantabs!”

[Read more: 35 pictures of the 2021 Cambridge Christmas Head race, Gallery: Christmas spirit in full flow at City of Cambridge Rowing Club’s Christmas Head on the River Cam]

John notes that there were a record number taking part this year. “I think we had over 215 entries,” he said, “and lots of volunteers.”