Record number of rowers set to race in Dorset at the British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships
Knoll Beach will play host to the biggest British Beach Sprint Championships ever from 30-31 August

A record entry will see over 130 competitors hitting the beach this weekend, vying for Championship titles in this adrenalin-fuelled competition format.
Among the list of entrants are World and national Champions, Four Nations Series winners and those who have taken up beach sprint rowing for the first time this season. Anything can happen in beach sprints though – and a rogue wave can decide the difference between the chance to go for gold and a knockout.
New this year to the British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships are the Mixed Coxed Quads. The biggest boat on the beach, this addition to the programme promises to bring some incredibly exciting racing with both pre-formed crews and seat entries (to be drawn into crews on the day of racing) hitting the waves this weekend. Established coastal clubs are out in full force for the crew entries, with Fishguard & Goodwick Jemima RC, Tynemouth RC, Jersey RC and more bringing together composites of experienced scullers to take on the new challenge. Seat entries also feature multiple names from the Four Nations Series, as well as newcomers to coastal rowing from the University of Leeds BC and Thames RC.
In the Coastal Open Solo, Four Nations Beach Sprint Series winner James Cox of Agecroft RC leads out the pack, joined by his counterpart in the Four Nations Endurance competition Marc Wilson of Whitby RC. Reigning World Champion in the Coastal Junior Mixed Doubles Sol Chamberlain-Hyde (Lymington ARC) will be taking on both the Open and Junior competition, as he has for most of this season, finishing 5th overall in the Four Nations for the Senior category and unsurprisingly winning the Junior category by an incredible 16 points.
Leah Saunders (Evesham RC), who won gold with Sol at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Genoa last year, will be racing in the Coastal Women’s Solo against fellow GB Beach Sprint Team rower Laura McKenzie (Glasgow University BC). Laura is perhaps the favourite to take this year’s national title, winning the Four Nations Series with a 23 point lead. Next in line is Heather Gordon (Inverness RC), who will be racing both in the solo and the Coastal Women’s Doubles alongside partner Megan Hewison (Molesey BC).
GB Beach Sprint Team athlete Cam Buchan (University of St Andrews BC) is racing the doubles this year, alongside James Cox in the Open event and Coastal stalwart Natacha Searson of Jersey RC in the Mixed event.
Natacha won gold at the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals alongside partner Colin Wallace (University of St Andrews BC) – Colin will be racing domestically this weekend for his club in the Coastal Open Masters Solos against Natacha’s father, John Searson. Bryony Jones of Llanion Warriors raced for Wales in the Four Nations Endurance Series and placed 5th overall – she’ll be turning her blades to Sprints this weekend to race in the Coastal Women’s Masters Solos.
The Junior competition is packed this year, filled with familiar names from the Coastal scene, plus those making their racing debut in the sport. Olivia Hodgson and Lucy Whiteley (both RGS Worcester BC) raced in the Coastal Women’s Junior Doubles at the 2024 Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprints – they’ll be competing against each other in the Coastal Women’s Junior Solos this weekend. Olivia topped the table for Junior Women at the Four Nations Series, winning all three of the competitions she entered. She was followed in the leaderboard by Zara Gray of Lymington RC, who will also be racing.
Joining Sol Chamberlain-Hyde in the Coastal Open Junior Solos are Thomas Biddle (Southsea RC), Valen Giacchetto (Christchurch RC) and Edwin Van Lopik (Bradford RC), who all ranked highly in the Four Nations Series. Edwin came out on top at the Scottish Championships, whilst Sol scored the highest points in all other Championships in the Series. Thomas consistently ranked highly throughout this season’s racing with him and Valen the only junior men who raced every event, gaining valuable experience. All eyes will be on the final medal placings this weekend.
Studland is home to the South Coast GB Beach Sprint Performance Development Academy. Adverse weather conditions have meant the competition has moved to Knoll Beach from Bournemouth Beach.
Beach Sprints is one of rowing’s most exciting disciplines to watch, with races sometimes lasting less than three minutes and plenty of action happening both on the beach and on the water.
Studland Bay is on the National Cycle Network (Route Two) and accessible by bus from Bournemouth or Poole. There is plenty of on-site parking (free for National Trust members) so anyone keen to see what makes this fast-paced racing format so special should head to Studland this weekend!
Sarah Gregory, Chair of the Organising Committee, said: “We are incredibly excited to host the biggest British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships this weekend. Due to the weather forecast, the Organising Committee has taken the decision to move the racing to Knoll Beach in Studland, which will be familiar to many as a location of one of the GB Beach Sprint Performance Development Academies, and the location of the English Beach Sprints (as part of the 4 Nations Coastal Sculling Series) earlier this year. Nonetheless, we know that the competitors, support crew and volunteers will be bringing their energy and enthusiasm to the beach and have some great racing.”
The British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships is happening with the valued support of Swift Racing UK.
Pete Wells of Swift Racing UK said; “We at Swift Racing are incredibly proud to be the sponsor of the British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships 2025. We love to see the sport growing and thriving, and we’re excited to be part of this exciting journey. Here’s to a great weekend of racing and to many more successful events ahead!”