ANYONE who planned to go to Farmoor for a quiet walk would have been disappointed this weekend.

Hundreds of people gathered at the reservoir for the fifth national championships of the Bangladeshi Boat Race yesterday.

And Farmoor came alive as the sound of drums and cymbals carried on the wind.

Organiser Aziz-Ur Rahman said: “So many people have turned up and there is a carnival atmosphere here. We are trying to compete with the Henley Regatta”

As well as the boat race there was live music, traditional Bangladeshi food and facepainting.

The Nowka Bais, as it is called in Bengali, involved 18 teams competing against each other in nine heats.

Nine winners and the three fastest runners-up then went through to the semi-finals made up of three races of four teams.

The three winners and the fastest loser progressed to the grand final.

Teams such as the Oldham Owls, Oxford Bengal Tigers, Watford Kansaras and even the Thames Valley Police Tornados took part.

A team from Oxford Business College knocked out last year’s champions Cheltenham in their heat. Captain Shahin Ahmed said: “It was hard work but very good fun.”

The race was won by the Coventry Lions.

Captain Rois Ali said: “I am delighted. It has been a wonderful day.”