Putney Putney from 1867 to 1961. The Putney clubs have produced a plethora of Olympic medallists and Henley winners. Putney Town Rowing Club, although retaining Putney's name, has now moved to Kew. The University Boat Race, first contested in 1829 in Henley-on-Thames, has had Putney as its starting point since 1845. Since 1856, it has been an annual event, beginning at the University Stone, just upstream from Putney Bridge. Several other important rowing races over the Championship Course also either start or finish at the stone, notably the Head of the River Race. Alan Thornhill lived and worked in Putney for
Phelan Hill River Race on the River Thames in London, setting a record time of 17:42.2 for the 4 1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney. On 14 March 2015 Hill coxed the composite crew that won the Women's Eights Head of the River Race on the River Thames in London, setting a time of 18:58.6 for the 4 1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney. Phelan Hill Phelan Hill (born 21 July 1979) is a British rowing coxswain. He competed in the Men's eight event at the 2012 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal. In 2016, he