Shortlist revealed for the 2025 British Rowing Awards
Perseverance, determination and paying it forward defined this year’s nominees at the 2025 British Rowing Awards
Affiliated Club of the Year
Derby Rowing Club
Derby RC has delivered its strongest competitive performances in decades, winning the Small Club Pennant at Women’s Eights Head of the River Race and seeing representation at both Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. Derby RC celebrated its first ever 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 programmes, underpinned by the club’s commitment to British Rowing’s grant schemes. The club ranked in the top five fundraisers in the Midlands for Cash for Kids, raising vital funds for disadvantaged children.
Dorney Boat Club
Dorney BC is non-pressure and athlete focussed, aiming to be a safe space for both adults and juniors to enjoy the sport in a stress-free inclusive environment.
Dorney BC is committed to being open to all, with coach Hannah Vines putting in place a ‘pay it forward’ scheme allowing people who could to round up their subscriptions in order to help fund club members struggling financially. The club has a kit scheme, allowing athletes young and old to earn kit through metres rowed. Junior members of the club have begun giving back to the sport volunteering at local regattas.
Hereford Rowing Club
In 2025, Hereford RC started an accessible rowing programme called ‘Row The Rhythm’ supported by Love Rowing, focussed on facilitating rowing sessions for people with visual impairments.
The club has a new 6th form rowing academy as a joint initiative with Hereford Sixth form College, a non-selective state-funded sixth form. After the first year of the initiative, the club has had trialists in the U19 GB programme and a number junior rowing members have remained local to study and reach top levels of rowing 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 won 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 growing rapidly from a small club, with 170 members ranging from 13 to over 80. Lymington ARC encourages participation in all forms of rowing; offshore and endurance coastal rowing, adventuring, recreational, indoor, flat water and beach sprint rowing.
Lymington ARC have raised over £25k this year to get more people on the water. They are particularly proud of their flourishing junior programme, supporting children who are neurodiverse to flourish in a nurturing environment. They are about to pilot a programme specifically aimed at helping more children outside of mainstream education who often miss out on the opportunity to participate in sport and the associated life skills and health benefits.
Mersey Rowing Club
Mersey RC has seen significant growth in membership, capability, and outreach in 2025 as they’ve made the most out of the British Rowing Learn to Row grant funding available. Mersey RC members regularly organise riverfront litter-picking and environmental clean-ups, and the club supports a homeless outreach initiative by preparing and distributing food for those in need, as well as many other fundraising efforts.
On the water, for the first time in club history, the women’s squad competed on the Tideway and sent a double to Henley Royal Regatta. Volunteer members of the club are developing a bespoke session-planning app to streamline communication, organisation, and safety.
Club Crew of the Year
Auriol Kensington Rowing Club – Women’s Eight
This crew rowed together from the start of the year through to the British Rowing Club Championships – their racing goal for the season. They won gold in the Women’s Club Eights – the best result for AKRC in 20 years and arguably the best ever result for the women’s squad.
Derby Rowing Club – Adam Wood
As an adaptive rower who only recently learned to row, Adam has not only broken new ground for Derby Rowing Club but has inspired every member of our community with his relentless drive and positive spirit. Adam regularly enters open categories against fully-abled athletes, competing fiercely and earning the respect of his peers with every stroke.
Adam won silver at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2024, followed by a bronze medal in the PR3 Single Scull at the British Rowing Club Championships 2025. He went on to win gold in the PR3 Single Scull at Peterborough Summer Regatta.
London Rowing Club – Henley Royal Regatta Thames Cup Eight
The crew’s achievements through the summer regatta season culminated in winning the Thames Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. This was the first time since 2006 that London RC had won the event. They won the Championship Eights at Wallingford Regatta, on Sunday of the Metropolitan Regatta, and at Marlow Regatta. This success came a year after the majority of the crew suffered a gut-wrenching loss the year before where they lost in the semi-final to eventual winners Thames RC.
Royal Chester Rowing Club – Senior Women’s First Eight
In 2025, the Royal Chester Women’s First Eight became the club’s first ever women’s crew to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta. This year was the fiftieth anniversary of female rowers’ admission to Royal Chester RC. The crew’s breakthrough will forever be a defining moment for the club’s women, past and present.
The crew also contained three new recruits from the 2024/25 season, an ex-junior and development athlete, and graduates of local universities in Chester, Manchester, and Liverpool. Several of the athletes also contribute to club life as women’s captain, club vice-captain, club trustee, and social media officer.
Thames Rowing Club – Henley Women’s Regatta Copas Cup Eight
The Thames Rowing Club Copas Cup Eight has demonstrated exceptional commitment both on and off the water, balancing demanding training schedules with careers, studies, and volunteer work. Throughout the season, the crew produced outstanding results, highlighted by dominant performances across major domestic regattas and an inspiring campaign at Henley Women’s Regatta. What truly sets this crew apart is their resilience -their ability to adapt to challenges, support one another, and continually strive for improvement.
University Crew of the Year
Durham University Boat Club – Charlie Warren and Will Morgan-Jones, Men’s Pair
Charlie Warren and Will Morgan-Jones have exemplified the highest standards of performance, teamwork and commitment within both university rowing and GB trials this season.
Beyond outstanding racing success, Charlie and Will have made significant contributions to the wider club as Captain and President of the club respectively, playing a vital role in driving the club’s success both on and off the water. They have taken on mentorship roles and modelled a professional approach to balancing rigorous academic studies with training, recovery, and teamwork.
Sheffield University Boat Club – Men’s Eight
In 2025, the Sheffield University Rowing Club Men’s Eight made history by qualifying for the Temple Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, making them the first Sheffield University crew to do so in 27 years.
The crew took full responsibility for funding their campaign, completing an extraordinary one-day, 150-mile cycling challenge from Sheffield to Henley-on-Thames to raise the money required to compete. Remarkably, three of the athletes only began rowing two years ago, having been taught as novices by a fellow member of the crew.
Collingwood College BC (Durham University) – Lizzie Bourne, Eve Kempster, Alice Vyvan-Robinson and Becca Boddington, Women’s Quadruple Scull
After the local racing season finished during which they had been rowing sweep, Lizzie, Eve, Alice, Alice, and Becca put together a Coxless Quad, borrowed a boat and blades and took it to Henley Women’s Regatta, where they were the fastest non-seeded qualifiers in the Aspirational Quadruple Sculls event and 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 produced an exceptional performance in the Di Ellis Trophy, progressing all the way to the semi-finals after overcoming a series of tough and highly competitive races. She went on to represent Derby RC in Europe at the prestigious Silver Skiff Regatta in Turin. Beyond her personal successes, Elena continues to play a vital role within the club’s junior squad. She is a role model to younger rowers, leading by example through her 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 were unbeatable last season, with victories at Head of Charles, Head of Heineken, Schools Head, National Schools Regatta and Fawley Cup winners at Henley Royal Regatta. Joe Wellington, Ruben Taylor, Isaac Thornton, and Bailey Taylor have been role models within the club; mentoring younger athletes, promoting a strong team culture, and embodying the values of respect, discipline, and humility.
Joe, Isaac and Bailey were all selected for GB Representation this year, with members of the crew racing at Munich International Regatta, Coupe de le Jeunesse and the World Rowing U19 Championships.
Lambton Rowing Club – Neve Haggerstone and Maggie Hall, J14 Double Scull
Neve and Maggie were separated by 76.5 miles, from Berwick ARC to Lambton RC. Both began rowing within the last two years and this year achieved15 medals in competitions, including bronze at the British Rowing Club Championships.
Despite the distance between them, Neve and Maggie have travelled countless miles, made numerous phone calls, and exchanged messages to support each other’s development. Even when competing individually, they arrive early or stay late to cheer each other on. Both athletes have become role models for younger juniors, proving that with determination and support, remarkable goals can be reached.
Burton Leander RC – Jacob Clark & Henry Hardwicke, J14 Double Scull
Jacob and Henry have developed into a formidable crew over the past 2 years. They support new junior members, attending taster days and junior scratch races, where they demonstrate leadership and encouragement. Their positive influence extends beyond the club, fostering strong relationships with junior rowers from Burton on Trent’s twin town of Lingen (Ems), Germany. They have both visited Lingen and played a key role in welcoming and supporting German crews who visited for Burton Regatta.
The double has won the majority of events entered this season, including races in older age categories. Their gold medal at JIRR came after a fiercely contested final, followed by a silver at the British Rowing Club Championships.
Bradford Grammar School BC – Tom, Torben, Leo, Peter and Harry, J16/J17 fundraising crew
In September, Tom, Torben, Leo, Peter and Harry completed 21.5-miles along the full length of Loch Ness in 3 hours 11 minutes and 45 seconds, raising £1,630 for the RNLI. In January, the rowers also made a significant contribution to ROW2025, a huge community rowing event where Bradford Grammar School, Bradford Amateur Rowing Club, teachers and families rowed 3.9 million metres, raising £20,250 for Kidney Research UK. Two of the crew rowed a marathon on the first day of the challenge, and each went on to row over 100km over the course of the week.
Environmental Sustainability Award
The Fours Head
The Fours Head Committee developed a sustainability strategy for their 2025 race to align with British Rowing’s environmental strategy. The main elements encouraged crews to take their litter home and recycle where possible, not to use single use plastic bottles and to bring reusable cups, to use public transport where possible and bring clean boats to and from the Tideway to reduce invasive species spread.
Fulham Reach Boat Club
As a charity, FRBC has embedded environmental sustainability at the heart of its operations and is a hub for clean energy, citizen science, and community action. In 2025 the club built a shared charging pontoon for electric coaching boats, enabling other river users to adopt zero-emission technology.
In partnership with River Action UK and Earthwatch Europe, the club has engaged over 250 volunteers and students in weekly water testing using the Fluidion ALERT One device to track E. coli and other indicators of sewage pollution. They host monthly river clean-ups, removing over 2 tonnes of waste to date.
Henley Women’s Regatta
In 2025, Henley Women’s Regatta ran a sustainability hub to engage and promote greater awareness to competitors and spectators alike. Competitors were offered free boat cleaning products and British Rowing’s Clean – Check – Dry protocol was promoted. Solar panels were used at the Regatta, along with a plan for efficient recycling and robust waste management.
The Lincoln Rowing Centre
The Lincoln Rowing Centre (LRC) is dedicated to promoting community engagement in the preservation of the local river through coordinated clean-up efforts and environmental education initiatives. The Centre is actively addressing substantial challenges presented by invasive floating Pennywort and litter issues.
The Centre’s ongoing work encourages year-round river maintenance and promotes increased awareness of the local ecosystem. In October, their environmental initiatives received recognition from the National Lottery Awards for All England, with a grant of approximately £17,000 awarded to purchase improved equipment and further expand community participation.
Reading University Boat Club
Reading University BC has replaced international training camps with local sessions at its boathouse, Dorney Lake, and Henley. This shift has prevented over 500 kg of CO₂ emissions per person, reducing transport related pollution. The club now uses a hybrid towing vehicle and a second-hand lightweight trailer, significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
As part of British Rowing’s Thriving Water Scheme they operated a litter-picking event in November 2025 and are planning water testing initiatives. They have incorporated the University of Reading’s iconic “warming stripes” into racing kit to inspire climate action.
Welfare, Wellbeing, and Inclusion Award
Alex Leigh – Newcastle University Boat Club
Alex is working to break down conversation barriers and bring openness to Newcastle University BC. He has arranged a programme of talks every Wednesday with the women’s squad and guest speakers, allowing opportunities for education that go beyond the water. Club members have seen a shift in attitudes and culture due to Alex’s work. Newcastle University BC allows every athlete who wants to row, to row with no performance cut off. This has enabled many athletes from less fortunate backgrounds who haven’t had the same opportunities as others, to progress in the sport.
Leeds University Boat Club
Every year the Leeds University BC committee completes a Mental Health in Sport workshop, equipping their student leaders with the tools to support members. Two dedicated Welfare Officers run regular drop-ins where members can talk openly and without pressure, with an anonymous welfare dropbox also operating. Their welfare team regularly communicates on topics like travelling home safely, managing finances, balancing academics, winter training safety, and blister care.
The club removed gendered squads and committee roles, ensuring full integration and creating a safe, welcoming space for non-binary and trans members. The club supports para-rowing alongside the Yorkshire GB Performance Development Academy.
London Otters Rowing Club
London Otters RC was founded to provide a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people and allies.
To remove barriers, the club offers bursary places on every Learn to Row course for individuals facing social, financial, or wellbeing challenges, and those from the Trans+ community. The club runs support networks across all groups, regular check-ins to balance performance and wellbeing, and mentoring opportunities to support connection. Since 2017, their annual Rainbow Races have celebrated inclusivity and raised funds for charity.
Mark Dewdney – Stratford-Upon-Avon Boat Club
Over the past seven years, the volunteer-led Stratford upon Avon BC Adaptive Squad has become one of the largest and most impairment-diverse adaptive squads in the country.
Led by Mark Dewdney, the squad now has seven qualified adaptive coaches and the coaching team includes neurodiverse and physically impaired coaches. The squad’s inclusive ethos extends into the community through projects such as Row the Rhythm and the SEND School Project at Tewkesbury, which provides opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Tristan Gillett – Reading University Boat Club
As Welfare Officer, Tristan has guided many club members toward appropriate support services – whether through the University, external organisations, or peer networks – ensuring that no one feels alone or unsupported.
His thorough understanding of safeguarding policies and reporting procedures reflects his commitment to upholding the highest standards of care, accountability, and ethical responsibility. He has led initiatives that promote mental health awareness, inclusive training environments, and respect for diversity. Campaigns around Pride, women’s health, and mental wellbeing have been thoughtfully designed and delivered.
The winners of all of the 2025 British Rowing Awards will be announced on Friday 19 December 2025 at 12:00.
