London Otters Rowing Club, the UK’s only LGBTQ+ inclusive rowing club, will hold its largest ever Rainbow Races’ charity event at Royal Albert Dock, London (E16 2QT) on Saturday, October 19 with 100 rowers from more than 11 different clubs racing to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in rowing all while raising money for Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline.
The event will involve several heats of 500-metre sprint side-by-side racing in eights and fours. All crews, which are put together just for the day with rowers from the London Otters and other clubs, will wear coloured T-shirts to make the design of the Pride and Trans Pride flags in the boats.
Alex Jones, London Otters’ chair and one of its trustees, said: “At London Otters, we’re incredibly proud to host our largest ever Rainbow Races this year, bringing together over 100 rowers from across the country to celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion in rowing.
“This event showcases the spirit of our club – community, diversity, and pride – while raising vital funds for Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline, a charity that has been a lifeline for the queer community for decades.”
London Otters Rowing Club was founded in 2014 with just a handful of people as a way to help LGBTQ+ people get into the sport and enjoy it in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Since 2017 the club has held an annual Rainbow Races event, inspired by Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in rowing and to raise money for charitable causes. This year the chosen charity is Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline, which has been supporting the queer community in the UK since 1974.