Bold claim: The 2025 British Rowing Awards shortlist proves that perseverance, determination, and paying it forward aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the forces driving real progress across clubs of all sizes. But here's where it gets controversial: some may argue that the long-standing traditions and high-profile clubs dominate the spotlight, leaving smaller programs underrepresented. Read on to see how this year’s nominees challenge that notion while highlighting standout stories of growth, inclusion, and community impact.
Affiliated Club of the Year
Derby Rowing Club
Derby RC has delivered its strongest competitive performances in decades, securing the Small Club Pennant at Women’s Eights Head of the River Race and earning representation at Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. They celebrated their first adaptive medal at the British Rowing Club Championships and produced World Champions in both the Masters I Coxed and Coxless Fours at the World Rowing Masters Regatta.
Over 60 people learned to row through their summer programs, underpinned by the club’s commitment to British Rowing’s grant schemes. The club also ranked in the Midlands’ top five fundraisers for Cash for Kids, raising essential funds for disadvantaged children.
Dorney Boat Club
Dorney BC emphasizes a non-pressure, athlete-focused environment, creating a safe, inclusive space for both adults and juniors to enjoy the sport free from stress.
The club champions openness, with coach Hannah Vines launching a ‘pay it forward’ scheme that lets those who can contribute round up subscriptions to help fund members facing financial hardship. A kit scheme enables athletes to earn gear through metres rowed, while junior members have started volunteering at local regattas.
Hereford Rowing Club
In 2025, Hereford RC launched an accessible rowing program called ‘Row The Rhythm,’ supported by Love Rowing, aimed at facilitating sessions for people with visual impairments.
The club also launched a 6th Form rowing academy in partnership with Hereford Sixth Form College, a non-selective state-funded program. After its first year, trialists appeared in the U19 GB programme, and several junior members stayed local to study and reach high levels of performance.
Hereford RC’s J14 Coxed Quadruple Scull won the British Rowing Club Championships, setting a course record in the process. For the first time in 24 years, their senior squad Men’s Eight qualified for the Thames Cup at Henley Royal Regatta and triumphed at the British Rowing Club Championships. Their Masters G Coxed Four also won at the British Rowing Masters Championships.
Lymington Amateur Rowing Club
Lymington ARC is expanding rapidly from a small crew to a 170-member club spanning ages 13 to 80+. They encourage participation in all forms of rowing: offshore and endurance coastal rowing, adventuring, recreational, indoor, flat-water, and beach sprint rowing.
The club has raised over £25k this year to bring more people onto the water and is especially proud of a thriving junior program that supports neurodiverse children in a nurturing environment. They’re about to pilot a program to help more children outside mainstream education access sport and its life and health benefits.
Mersey Rowing Club
Mersey RC saw notable growth in membership, capability, and outreach in 2025, leveraging British Rowing Learn to Row funding. Members regularly organize riverfront litter-picking and environmental clean-ups, support homeless outreach by preparing and distributing food, and drive various fundraising efforts.
On the water, the club’s women’s squad competed on the Tideway for the first time, sending a double to Henley Royal Regatta. Volunteers are developing a bespoke session-planning app to streamline communication and safety.
Club Crew of the Year
Auriol Kensington Rowing Club – Women’s Eight
This crew trained together from the season’s start through the British Rowing Club Championships, aiming for peak performance. They won gold in the Women’s Club Eights—the best result for AKRC in 20 years, arguably the best ever for the women’s squad.
Derby Rowing Club – Adam Wood
Adaptive rower Adam Wood, who only recently began rowing, has redefined what's possible at Derby RC. He regularly competes in open categories against fully-abled athletes, earning admiration for his relentless drive and positive attitude. He followed a silver at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2024 with a bronze in the PR3 Single Scull at the British Rowing Club Championships 2025, and gold at the Peterborough Summer Regatta.
London Rowing Club – Henley Royal Regatta Thames Cup Eight
This crew’s summer regatta season culminated in winning the Thames Cup at Henley Royal Regatta—the first victory for London RC since 2006. They also claimed Championship Eights at Wallingford Regatta, Metropolitan Regatta, and Marlow Regatta, bouncing back from a near-miss in the prior year.
Royal Chester Rowing Club – Senior Women’s First Eight
In 2025, Royal Chester Women’s First Eight became the club’s first-ever women’s crew to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta. The year marked the 50th anniversary of female rowers’ admission to the club. The crew included three new recruits from the 2024/25 season, a former junior, and development athletes, plus graduates from local universities. Several crew members held leadership roles within the club, including women’s captain, vice-captain, trustee, and social media officer.
Thames Rowing Club – Henley Women’s Regatta Copas Cup Eight
Thames RC’s Copas Cup Eight demonstrated exceptional commitment on and off the water, balancing demanding training with careers, studies, and volunteer work. They posted strong results across major domestic regattas and fielded an inspiring Henley Women’s Regatta campaign. The crew’s resilience—adapting to challenges, supporting one another, and continually improving—sets them apart.
University Crew of the Year
Durham University Boat Club – Charlie Warren and Will Morgan-Jones, Men’s Pair
Charlie and Will exemplify the highest standards of performance, teamwork, and commitment in both university rowing and GB trials this season. Beyond racing success, they’ve contributed as club leaders—Charlie as Captain and Will as President—driving success on and off the water, mentoring teammates, and modeling a balanced, professional approach to training and academics.
Sheffield University Boat Club – Men’s Eight
In 2025, Sheffield University Rowing Club’s Men’s Eight made history by qualifying for the Temple Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta—the first Sheffield crew to do so in 27 years. The team funded their bid through a remarkable 150-mile cycling challenge from Sheffield to Henley-on-Thames, raising the funds needed. Notably, three athletes had only taken up rowing two years earlier, having learned the sport from a teammate.
Collingwood College BC (Durham University) – Women’s Quadruple Scull
After a season of sweep rowing, Lizzie Bourne, Eve Kempster, Alice Vyvan-Robinson, and Becca Boddington formed a Coxless Quad, borrowed a boat and blades, and competed at Henley Women’s Regatta as the fastest non-seeded qualifiers in the Aspirational Quadruple Sculls event. They became the first Durham college crew to qualify in six years.
Junior / School Crew of the Year
Elena Taylor – Derby Rowing Club
At Henley Women’s Regatta, Elena delivered an outstanding Di Ellis Trophy performance, reaching the semi-finals after navigating tough races. She then represented Derby RC in Europe at the Silver Skiff Regatta in Turin. Off the water, Elena serves as a role model for the club’s junior squad, leading with dedication, positivity, and sportsmanship.
Windsor Boys’ School Boat Club – Joe Wellington, Ruben Taylor, Isaac Thornton, and Bailey Taylor, J18 Quadruple Scull
The Windsor Boys’ School BC First Boat dominated last season with victories across Head of Charles, Head of the River, Schools Head, National Schools Regatta, and Fawley Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. The quartet have been club mentors, promoting a strong team culture and embodying respect, discipline, and humility. Joe, Isaac, and Bailey earned GB selection this year, racing at Munich International Regatta, Coupe de la Jeunesse, and the World Rowing U19 Championships.
Lambton Rowing Club – Neve Haggerstone and Maggie Hall, J14 Double Scull
Neve and Maggie, separated by 76.5 miles from Berwick ARC to Lambton RC, began rowing within the last two years and earned 15 medals this season, including a bronze at the British Rowing Club Championships. They’ve become role models for younger rowers, staying connected across long distances and supporting each other’s development.
Burton Leander RC – Jacob Clark & Henry Hardwicke, J14 Double Scull
Jacob and Henry have grown into a formidable pair, leading by example and supporting new juniors at taster days and scratch races. They’ve fostered relationships with junior rowers in Burton’s twin town of Lingen, Germany, and have hosted visiting crews. Their success includes multiple event wins and a British Rowing Junior Regatta gold, plus a silver at the British Rowing Club Championships.
Bradford Grammar School BC – Tom, Torben, Leo, Peter, and Harry, J16/J17 fundraising crew
In September, this team rowed 21.5 miles along Loch Ness in 3 hours 11 minutes 45 seconds, raising £1,630 for the RNLI. Earlier, they contributed to ROW2025—a village-wide rowing effort that saw Bradford Grammar School, Bradford Amateur Rowing Club, teachers, and families row 3.9 million metres, raising £20,250 for Kidney Research UK. Two team members completed a marathon on day one, and the crew collectively logged more than 100 km over the week.
Environmental Sustainability Award
The Fours Head
The Fours Head Committee crafted a sustainability strategy for 2025 aligned with British Rowing’s environmental goals. Key actions included taking litter home, avoiding single-use plastics, bringing reusable cups, using public transport when possible, and transporting clean boats to the Tideway to minimize invasive species spread.
Fulham Reach Boat Club
As a charity, FRBC embeds environmental sustainability at the core of operations and champions clean energy, citizen science, and community action. In 2025, the club built a shared charging pontoon for electric coaching boats, enabling broader adoption of zero-emission technology among river users. In partnership with River Action UK and Earthwatch Europe, they engaged over 250 volunteers and students in weekly water testing using the Fluidion ALERT One device to monitor E. coli and other sewage indicators. They host monthly river clean-ups, removing over two tonnes of waste to date.
Henley Women’s Regatta
Henley Women’s Regatta ran a sustainability hub in 2025 to educate competitors and spectators. Participants received free boat-cleaning products, and British Rowing’s Clean – Check – Dry protocol was promoted. Solar panels were deployed, with a plan for efficient recycling and robust waste management.
The Lincoln Rowing Centre
The Lincoln Rowing Centre (LRC) champions community involvement in river preservation through coordinated clean-ups and environmental education. LRC addresses invasive Pennywort and litter challenges and promotes year-round river maintenance and ecosystem awareness. In October, their environmental work received National Lottery Awards for All England recognition, with around £17,000 awarded to improve equipment and expand community participation.
Reading University Boat Club
Reading University BC shifted from international training camps to local sessions at Dorney Lake and Henley, cutting more than 500 kg of CO₂ per person by reducing transport pollution. As part of British Rowing’s Thriving Water Scheme, they hosted a litter-picking event in November 2025 and planned water-testing initiatives. They also incorporated the University of Reading’s warming stripes into racing kit to inspire climate action.
Welfare, Wellbeing, and Inclusion Award
Alex Leigh – Newcastle University Boat Club
Alex is breaking down conversation barriers and introducing openness at Newcastle University BC. He organized a weekly program with the women’s squad and guest speakers, expanding education beyond the water. The club now allows every athlete who wants to row to do so, removing performance cut-offs and enabling many athletes from less privileged backgrounds to progress.
Leeds University Boat Club
Each year, Leeds University BC runs a Mental Health in Sport workshop, equipping student leaders with tools to support members. Two Welfare Officers host regular drop-ins, plus an anonymous welfare dropbox. The team communicates on topics like safe travel, finances, winter training safety, and blister care. They eliminated gendered squads and committee roles to create an inclusive space for non-binary and trans members and support para-rowing alongside the Yorkshire GB Performance Development Academy.
London Otters Rowing Club
London Otters RC was founded to provide a safe, welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people and allies. They offer bursaries on Learn to Row courses for individuals facing social, financial, or wellbeing barriers, including those from the Trans+ community. The club maintains support networks across groups, regular check-ins for performance and wellbeing, and mentoring to foster connections. Since 2017, their Rainbow Races have celebrated inclusivity and raised funds for charity.
Mark Dewdney – Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club
Over seven years, the Stratford-upon-Avon BC Adaptive Squad has grown into one of the country’s largest impairment-diverse groups. Led by Mark Dewdney, the squad has seven qualified adaptive coaches, including neurodiverse and physically impaired coaches. The inclusivity extends to community projects like Row the Rhythm and the SEND School Project at Tewkesbury, which create opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Tristan Gillett – Reading University Boat Club
As Welfare Officer, Tristan has guided members toward appropriate support services—within the University, external organizations, or peer networks—ensuring no one feels alone. His strong safeguarding knowledge informs campaigns around mental health, inclusive training environments, Pride, women’s health, and wellbeing.
All winners of the 2025 British Rowing Awards will be announced on Friday, December 19, 2025, at 12:00.
