10th October 2026, Avis, Portugal
The Head Of The Cork
Five kilometres of Portuguese river.
One unforgettable race.
Head of the Cork brings masters scullers together for a 5km single scull race on the calm, open waters of Lake Avis in the heart of Portugal’s Alentejo region. Open to all masters age categories, the course is designed to reward race craft: rhythm, patience, and tactical execution over a sustained, challenging distance. There are no sharp bends or sheltered inlets to hide behind, just you, your blade, and one of Europe’s most breathtaking rowing venues. Whether you are racing for a result or racing for the memory, this is the event you will be talking about long after the blades are back on the rack.
Ganhar medalhas é bom, competir é melhor, amar o desporto é o melhor de todos!
The Course
Five kilometres. Natural flow. World-class water.
The course follows the Maranhão Reservoir – fed by the Seda, Avis, and Raia rivers across one of the most celebrated rowing venues in Europe. The same water that hosts GB Rowing’s pre-season camps and international squads from across the globe.
In October, conditions are typically calm and crisp, with temperatures around 20°C and light winds. But the reservoir is wide and open, and the Alentejo landscape offers no guarantees.
Come prepared, and Lake Avis will reward you.
Its Not Just A Race!
Head of the Cork is built around one idea: that the experience surrounding the racing matters just as much as the racing itself.
Accommodation at Herdade da Cortesia – one of Europe’s finest rowing hotels, set directly on the water, puts you at the heart of the event from the moment you arrive. Boat transport from the UK is handled through trusted logistics partners, removing the stress of international travel so you step off the plane thinking about your race, not your equipment. And when the racing is done, the evening belongs to everyone – good food, local wine, and a community of athletes who understand exactly what the day asked of them.
Every detail has been considered. All you have to do is show up and race.
Accommodation
Herdade da Cortesia is not simply where you sleep during Head of the Cork. It is where the event lives.
Set directly on the shores of Lake Avis, this boutique rowing hotel has long been the choice of elite squads and national teams seeking the finest open-water training environment in Europe. For Head of the Cork, it becomes something more – the official event hub, registration venue, and the natural gathering point for every athlete, coach, and supporter across the weekend.
A range of accommodation options is available to suit different preferences and budgets, but Herdade da Cortesia sits at the centre of it all. Meals shared in the glass-walled lakeside restaurant. Early morning coffees before the water calls. Post-race evenings that feel exactly as they should — earned, relaxed, and surrounded by people who understand what the day asked of them.
Direct water access. Exceptional dining. A setting that does the Alentejo justice.
This is where Head of the Cork comes to life.
Pre-race camp
Know the water before you race it.
Led by Olympic silver medallist and World Champion Gillian Lindsay, the GL Camps Pre-Race Camp puts you on the Maranhão Reservoir in the days before Head of the Cork – building rhythm, sharpening technique, and giving you the race execution to make every one of those five kilometres count.
This is not a general training camp. It is targeted, specific preparation delivered by a coach who has stood on the biggest stages in the sport and knows exactly what composure under pressure looks like.
Boat Transportation
Getting your equipment from the UK to Portugal is one of the first hurdles of international racing. Head of the Cork removes it entirely.
Working in partnership with You Row Logistics, we have coordinated a dedicated boat transport service from the UK direct to Lake Avis, so your shell arrives safely, on time, and race-ready, without you lifting a finger beyond the booking. No roof racks. No border anxiety. No arriving at the venue, wondering where your boat is.
You focus on the race. We handle everything else.
Race Soiree
The race ends at the finish line. The evening is just beginning.
As the blades come off the water, Herdade da Cortesia shifts into something altogether different, a lakeside setting that feels tailor-made for the moment. A BBQ built around locally sourced ingredients from the Alentejo. Regional wines and Portuguese craft beers that do the landscape justice. A live DJ set that carries the evening long after the results are posted.
This is where the day’s stories get told. Where rivals become friends over a shared plate. Where the setting – the lake, the cork oaks, the fading light- reminds you exactly why you travelled this far to race.
There is nowhere else you need to be.
Meet The Team
Since discovering the beauty of Avis Lake and its surrounding landscape through GL Camps, Gillian (founder of GL Camps) was inspired to approach Luis Ahrens, owner of Herdade da Cortesia, with a simple question: why are there no races held on such a stunning stretch of water? It quickly became clear that both Gillian and Luis shared the same enthusiasm and vision to create an event like no other. Their idea: a 5km masters single sculling race set in the beautiful surroundings of Avis, bringing together the intensity of high-level competition with the beauty of Alentejo’s local culture, offering an event enticing to dedicated scullers and those seeking a unique and memorable rowing experience, including fine dining, local wine, and an evening DJ set post race….all the simple pleasures in life!
Gillian Lindsay
GL Camps
Luis Ahrens
Herdade da Cortesia
Supporting Excellence
Proud Sponsors of The Event
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