The earliest records tell of the military use of the oar. In 54 BC, Julius Caesar depended largely on oars when crossing the English Channel. In 296 AD, the Roman fleet rowed up the Thames to re-occupy London, and in 893-894 AD, the Danes rowed up the estuaries of the Thames and the Lea.
In England, racing in boats dates from the days when there were few bridges and rivers were crossed by ferry or ford. Passengers were dependent on the watermen who operated ferries or skiffs. In the early 1700's approximately 10,000 watermen were licensed to work on the Thames above London Bridge. These London boatmen wore a special livery and betting developed between the gentry on their speed and skill. The race for "Doggett's Coat and Badge", the foundation of boat racing, was established in 1716 and is still held each summer.
Early amateur oarsmen and scullers were often boxers; some rowing clubs also including boxing sections. Rowing was introduced at Oxford University in the late 1700's and in 1806 the sport arrived at Eton College. The first eight man boats appeared at Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1815. Leander, the oldest club existing, was founded in London at about this time.
The oldest regatta in the rowing calendar is Chester, which dates to before 1814. The first University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge was staged at Henley in 1829, and Henley Regatta was established ten years later. The Amateur Rowing Association was established in 1882.
Britain's first international competition was at Henley in 1872, and the first Olympic Regatta was staged in Paris in 1900. Although the European Championships were founded in 1892, British crews did not compete until 1947. The Olympic Regatta was held at Henley in 1908 when British crews won four gold medals - a feat since unsurpassed.
In 1973, Britain opened its first multi-lane international course in Nottingham and the World Championships were staged there in 1975 and 1986. This new facility coincided with a renaissance in British international rowing. The British eight won a silver medal at the 1974 World Championships; the first medal won by a British crew for ten years, and Olympic silvers in the eight and double scull followed at the 1976 Montreal Games.
DID YOU KNOW?
Since then, Britain has remained amongst the world's leading rowing nations. Successes at World Championships are too many to mention, however, a gold medal in each Olympics since 1984 is a record unrivalled in British sport.
At the Sydney Olympics, rowing's most well-known athlete, Steven Redgrave, won an unbelievable fifth successive Olympic Gold medal, something never achieved by a British Olympian in any sport. No rower, competing over the brutally strength-sapping 2000-meter course, has ever matched it, although Jack Beresford won five medals in successive games from 1920-1936.
Rowing in England is governed by the Amateur Rowing Association, and in Scotland and Wales by the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association and the Welsh Amateur Rowing Association respectively. In England there are 500 clubs and the Amateur Rowing Association has a membership of about 18,000 who compete at the 250 events held throughout the year.
Sir Steven Redgrave : Having won five gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games, Sir Steven has become the greatest British oarsmen ever and the most successful British Olympian in history. He is nine-times world champion and has won countless races at Henley and other famous venues. Having overcome two major illnesses during his rowing career, ulcerative colitis and diabetes, Sir Steven really has performed an amazing feat in achieving all that he has. In doing so, he has deservedly earned the respect of millions of people all over the world. Now retired from the life of rowing, Steven lives in Marlow, London with his family.
Jürgen Grobler : Grobler moved to Britain in 1991 from the former GDR to work as Head Coach for Leander RC, London. The Amateur Rowing Association appointed him Chief Coach of the GB men's squad a year later after the Barcelona Olympics and he has held that position since then. His unique and highly successful methods have been proved effective many times over with the wins by crews such as Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent from 1991 to 1996 and the famous GB coxless four at Sydney. For his contribution to the sport, FISA awarded him the 'Coach of the Year Award 2000'.
Steve Fairbairn : Fairbairn rowed for Cambridge University in the 1880s and went on to become a famous pioneering coach. He was a great innovator having revolutionized both rowing and training methods. He contributed greatly to the establishment of the Head of the River Race - a timed event in which 420 eights row from Mortlake to Putney, it is traditionally held the Saturday before the Boat Race. A memorial has been built at the one-mile point on the course. He died in 1938.
Amy Gentry : Called by many the 'founder of British Women's Rowing', Amy Gentry was a legendary figure in the history of the sport. She started off rowing at Weybridge ARC and did so well with her female teammates that a ladies section was added to the club in 1920, of which Mrs. Gentry became the first captain. This, in turn, stimulated the inclusion of women's boats in many regattas all over the UK. In 1925, Gentry, with her crew, was invited to Brussels to race in a Royal Charity Regatta. Defeating all opposition and becoming the best crew to have competed, the girls were presented to King Albert of the Belgians furthering and promoting international women's rowing. Gentry also won in the first women's eights race in 1927, already renowned for her service to British rowing, being Captain of her club, and responsible for getting Weybridge Ladies RC up on it's feet, she was elected Chairman and held office until her death fifty years later.
Di Ellis : Mrs. Ellis, current chairman of the Amateur Rowing Association, rowed for St. George's Ladies' RC and stroked the GB eight in the 1966 European Championships. She qualified as an umpire in 1978 and has chaired the Amateur Rowing Association Executive Committee since 1989; she also represents the Amateur Rowing Association on the British Olympic Association and in 1997 was elected a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta, the first woman ever to be elected in her own right. Mrs. Ellis' work for the Amateur Rowing Association is voluntary, she has done a great deal for rowing in this country showing dedication and commitment to the sport.
REGIONS
Northern : Including the counties Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, The Lake District and Northumberland and well known rowing clubs Durham ARC, Hexham RC, Tees RC; universities and colleges include Newcastle University BC, University College (Durham) BC; and renowned schools include Yarm School Boat Club. Temperature: Avg. about 10C throughout England but can fall to -4/5C (winter) and rise to 25C (summer).
Sites of Interest: City of Newcastle, Lake district and Peak District, Blackpool and Middlesborough.
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
North West : Including the counties Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottingham and well known rowing clubs Agecroft RC, Hollingworth Lake RC, Northwich RC; universities: Lancaster University BC, Liverpool University BC, Manchester University BC; and recognised schools include Merchant Taylors School BC.
Temperature: Same as most of country but usually slightly colder than the south in winter.
Sites of Interest: Chester, Manchester City Centre, Liverpool City Centre and Buxton.
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
Yorkshire and Humberside : Including the counties North, South, East and West Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and well known rowing clubs Doncaster RC, York City RC, City of Sheffield RC; colleges like University of York BC, Sheffield Hallam University RC; and schools like Woodhouse Grove School BC. Temperature: Much the same as the North West
Sites of Interest: Yorkshire Moors, Scarborough, Leeds.
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
West Midlands : Including the counties Hereford and Worcester, Shropshire, Leicestershire and Buckinghamshire and well known rowing clubs Stourport BC, Pengwern BC, Evesham RC, Bridgnorth RC; universities and colleges such as University of Birmingham BC and University of Warwick BC; and schools like Royal Shrewsbury School BC and The Kings School Worcester BC.
Temperature: Cold and wet in winter and autumn, warmer and drier in spring and summer; avg. temp.is about 10C.
Sites of Interest: Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Stratford-upon-Avon
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
East Midlands : Including the counties of Norfolk and Rutland and the well known clubs Loughborough BC, Burton Leander RC, Derby RC, Holme Pierrepont RC as well as colleges like Loughborough Students RC, Nottingham Trent University RC and Leicester University BC; rowing schools are Welbeck College BC and Nottingham Schools' Rowing Association.
Temperature: Same as West Midlands
Sites of Interest: Lincoln, Skegness, Newark and Mablethorpe
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
Eastern : Including the counties Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and the rowing clubs of Norwich RC, City of Cambridge RC and Bedford RC; universities and colleges include Cambridge University BC, University of East Anglia BC, University of Essex RC and Queens College (Cambridge)BC; and schools include Norwich School BC, Bedford High School RC and The Kings School Ely BC. Temperature: Wet in spring and autumn, drier in summer and winter
Sites of Interest: Bedford, Cambridge, Ely, Norwich and Chelmsford. Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
Thames Upriver and Downriver : Counties include Greater London, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Surrey. Rowing clubs which are well known can be found such as Abingdon RC, City of Oxford RC, London RC, Molesey, Thames RC, Twickenham RC and Reading RC; renowned universities include Kingston University RC, Oxford University BC and University of London BC. There are schools such as Eton, St. Edwards School BC, Headington School Oxford BC, Lady Eleanor Hollis, Westminster and Magdalen College School BC. Temperature: Warm in summer and reasonably mild throughout the rest of the year. Sites of Interest: London, Reading, Oxford and Windsor.
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
South East River : Including the county of Kent and well known rowing clubs include Curlew RC, Poplar and Blackwall RC and The Company of Watermen. Universities and schools include Wye College BC, University of East London BC and Kings School Canterbury BC.
Temperature: Similar to that of Thames Upriver
Sites of Interest: Canterbury, Margate, Maidstone and Woking
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
South East Coast : Counties are East Sussex and West Sussex and well known rowing clubs include Bexhill ARC, Worthing RC, Shoreham RC, Dover RC and Eastbourne RC.
Temperature: Warm in summer mild in winter Sites of Interest: Hastings (the coast), Brighton, Dover, Bognor Regis and Royal Tunbridge Wells
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
Hampshire and Dorset : Counties are Hampshire and Dorset and rowing clubs are Southampton ARC, Ryde RC, Newport RC and Icena Club; universities include Bournemouth University BC and Southampton University BC, rowing schools are Bryanston School BC, Winchester College BC and Portsmouth Grammar School RC. Temperature: Warm and mild for most of the year but windy and wet in winter
Sites of Interest: Southampton, Bournemouth, The Isle of Wight, Salisbury and Winchester
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn .
Wilts, Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset : Counties are Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset and well known rowing clubs include Avon County RC, City of Bristol RC, Swindon RC and Severn River Rowing Association whilst the well known colleges and universities include Royal Military College of Science BC, University of Bristol BC and Bath University BC. Schools include the Cheltenham Ladies College RC, Clifton College BC and Wycliffe Sculling Centre. Temperature: Wet in autumn, dry and warm in summer and spring
Sites of Interest: Bath, Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Swindon and Chippenham
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn
Western : Counties are Cornwall and Devon and rowing clubs include Exeter RC, Plymouth RC and Greenbank Falmouth RC; the only rowing university is Exeter University BC.
Temperature: Hot in summer and spring but wet and cold in winter
Sites of Interest: The coast of Cornwall (beaches etc.), Penzance, Newquay, Padstow, Newton Abbot and Plymouth.
Best time to visit: Spring, summer and autumn.
