The events and block schedule at the Head of the River Amstel 2023 have changed from last year.
First of all, two new fields have been added:
- The PRE-masters: 4* and 8+ for women and men between 22 and 32 years, from mixed rowing clubs
- Coastal rowing
Additionally, most Club and Masters events will now row on Saturday. Most elite, advanced, first year and juniors 16-18 will now row on Sunday.
See the complete schedule on the Time schedule page.
Welcome to the Head, Welcome to Amsterdam!
The Head of the River will start the Dutch rowing season on 11 and 12 of March 2023. Both national and international crews will compete during the Championship of the Amstel.
2023 will be the 90th anniversary of the competition. The first edition of this unique long distance event was held in 1933.
Short impression of the Head of the River 2022
The Start numbers have been devided. Check the Draw to see what number you will start with.
Starting at Friday March 18th, at 14.00h, you are able to collect your shirt numbers at the workshop of rowing club Willem III, Jan Vroegopsingel 8. Distribution of the numbers will be done per club, not individual crews.
Check for all the time slots to pick up your shirt numbers the Rules page, item #5.
The numbers will only be distributed after payment is received.
BE AWARE: This year it is not possible to collect your shirt numbers at rowing club RIC.
The last couple of weeks, the Oranjebaan bridge Ouderkerk is being renewed. One or more of the bridge openings is therefore blocked. In consultation with the contractor, the blockage will be removed during the HEAD-weekend.
The centre and most western bridge opening will be open and can be used for rowing to the warm up zone (centre opening) and rowing to the start (western opening). Please always follow the instructions of the official that is present in the area.
Now the enrty system has been close, the starting times per category have been determined. At the Timeschedule page you can find the detailed schedule.
For the Masters, if you have tried to provide us your target time, you can now check if this has been properly received, also via the Timeschedule page.
If you bring your own boat to the Head of the River, you need to register your boat trailer.
Please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
with the following information:
- Arrival time Friday 18th or Saturday 19th
- Name of the Boat trailer
- (if possible) name of driver and phone number
- How many boats, including types per trailer
Some clubs already have parking agreements with Amsterdam Rowing clubs.
Please find more information on the Boat trailer page
Because almost all corona rules are loosened we can look forward to a real Head of the River, thè long distance rowing regatta in the Netherlands. Registration is possible until (and including) the 11th of March. You can register by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The draw will take place on the 14th of March.
Read more further down for more information on the changes of the Masters categories
Preparations for the Head of the River Amstel on March 19th and 20th are in full swing. We are excited to be organizing this year’s race in-person and on the river. We will be sure to closely follow the government measures regarding corona so please keep an eye on our website for updates.
Registration opened on February 1
The registration for the Head of the River Amstel of March 19th and 20th opened on February 1st.
You can register by sending your boat and crew details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Teams can register up until March 12.
From the 19th to 20th of March 2022, we plan to return to the Amstel River for the Head! National and international rowers will once again be able to test their rowing skills in this unique long-distance race.
We will certainly be following government policies regarding COVID. This website will keep you up-to-date about all the measures that may affect the Head.
The Virtual Head of the River 2021 t-shirt is for sale at Roeigoed.
It is a polyester sports shirt with sublimation print, normally for the price of €12,50.
Using the code « virtualhead » you will receive a discount of €2,50 which makes this shirt only €10,00.
The shirt is available in both men and ladies fit, in all general sizes, as white colored short short sleeve.
More...
This year the Head Committee, in cooperation with the Skiffhead & Jeugd- en Tweehead will organise the Virtual Head of the River 2021.
This event is set to take place from the 20th of March until the 4th of April. Everyone is very welcome to participate in this virtual regatta – from beginners to masters to champions, from young to old, from the Netherlands to New-Zealand.
Participation is possible at two distances and in several sports:
· The Virtual Head (8 km): rowing, ergometer, cycling, running
· ½ Virtual Head (4 km): for rowing and ergometer
You can register in various age categories. Rowing is allowed in all Corona-proof boats and teams (e.g. C1, skiff, youth C4).
Keep an eye on our website, as the registration form will be available soon. Registration is possible until the end of the Virtual Head.
Competition dates of the Virtual Head are changed.
Because of a new collaboration with the Skiffhead, participation in the competition will be possible from 20th of March until the 4th April 2021.
Keep an eye on the website and social media.
Soon, you will find the registration form on www.headoftheriver.nl Registration is possible until the end of the Virtual Head.
This year the Head of the River Amstel will be held as a virtual event in which participants can test their strength on their own waters, while practicing social distancing and staying safe from the corona-virus.
Of course, we would have loved to welcome you to Amsterdam to row this iconic long-distance race on the beautiful Amstel River. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, this is not possible this year.
So instead, we are working hard to set up the Virtual Head of the River 2021, a multi-sport event in March where participants from all fields can compete against each-other on their own water. We aim to honour the competitive element of the Head as much as possible while keeping it accessible to all our participants. This way we can host this classic while remaining completely compliant with local Covid-19 measures.
Further information providing the details on the Virtual Head of the River 2021 will be shared on our website and social media as soon as possible.
Be sure to follow and like us on www.headoftheriver.nl, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin.
Stay healthy and safe and we look forward to your participation!
In 2020, the Head of the Amstel was one of the first national races to be canceled due to the Corona pandemic. Other matches followed. Unfortunately, limits on public and sporting life are still in place and we have no idea how long they will last.
While we do not know for certain if and how the Head of the Amstel will be able to proceed due to the Corona-related measures, it is with high hopes, that we have begun preparing for the Head of the Amstel 2021 on 20-21 March 2021.
In light of the uncertainty, Willem III, KNRB, and other rowing clubs, are exploring different scenarios which include variations in terms of time, participant fields, length of course, and location for all the spring races. Together, we hope to find a way to compete this spring!
With respect to the Head, our Race Committee plans to make a decision no later than 15 February 2021 regarding whether the race will move forward, when, and in what form the Head of the River 2021 will take place.
We hope for the best! As soon as we have more information we will put it on the website and social media. So, keep an eye on our website.
Good luck training for hopes for better times.
The Dutch government has just announced that no events with more than 100 participants may be held in the Netherlands from now until March 31, 2020, due to Covid-19.
We realize that this is a huge disappointment – for our organization, and especially for all who planned to participate. However, given the rapid spread of the new coronavirus, we support the government's decision.
Registration fees and payments for boat hire will be refunded.
Later this year we will once again focus on organizing the next Head of the River Amstel. Let's hope that in 2021 this great tradition can continue!
Yours sincerely,
The Head of the River Amstel Committee
In light of the global situation with the coronavirus, the organisation of the Head of the River is constantly monitoring the situation. The lead agencies providing advice for the Netherlands are the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) in cooperation with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RVIM). We will continue to monitor all the updates they provide ahead of the race on the weekend of 21 and 22 March.
For the moment, the Head is still taking place and we expect we will be able to race. We will keep you posted if we decide differently, communicating any updates via our website, Instagram and Facebook page.