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A comprehensive guide to all your burning questions including membership info, opening times etc A guide to the rules and regultations of the club Some useful resources Decade by decade
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About Thames Rowing Club
TRC pioneered women's rowing when, in 1973, it absorbed the United Universities Women's Boat Club and became the first major rowing club to admit women members. Since then, TRC women have set the pace in women's rowing nationally and the Club is now generally recognised as one of the world's leading clubs for women's rowing. TRC women now regularly comprise the largest single group in the GB national squad and Thames women are visible leaders in all aspects of women's rowing in the UK, such as coaching, the Women's Rowing Commission and Women in Rowing (WIRe) as well as on the water.
TRC is has an established programme with coaching and other resources to assist and support selected women in making the transition from top club to international standard. Although this programme is invitational, it is not restricted to TRC members.
Apart from its seminal role in women's and junior rowing, Thames has played a significant role in the development and practice of British rowing. In 1879, TRC was one of the co-founders of the ARA, the sport's UK governing body, and is an active member of the ARA Council. Later, TRC Captain Steve Fairbairn's thoughtful and innovative approach to rowing transformed the nature of British sport and established the "English Style" of Rowing, the basic style of modern rowing and coaching.
Today, TRC has the largest active rowing membership of the three grand British rowing clubs (Leander, London and Thames). The club is non-exclusive and draws its over 750 members from all sections of the community. Approximately 200 of these, excluding juniors and internationals are in active training for competition. Of this number, some 60% represent women and almost 20% are veteran oarsmen and women.
The Club also has exceptional facilities in terms of both fleet and training facilities and its boathouse. The Club fleet comprises some 54 boats (11 eights, 21 fours, 14 pairs/doubles and 7 singles), including a tub pair and 7 dedicated junior boats plus 7 coaching launches. The Club also has a specially designed rowing tank/ergo room and a gym, changing and shower rooms for men and women, a bar, long room and extensive kitchen and catering facilities. The clubhouse itself, built in 1879, is a time-capsule of British rowing
and, because of this, its panelled club room with commemorative blades,
trophies, portraits, prints and other rowing memorabilia was chosen for
the indoor scenes for the motion picture "True Blue", about
the 1987 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. |
Thames
Rowing Club was originally formed in 1860 for the purpose of "organised
pleasure or exercise rowing". However, the Club's focus soon shifted
to competition and, since then, its history is one of major success at
club, national and international levels. Thames crews and scullers have
at some time won nearly every national and international prize of note
and have led in development of the sport of rowing.
TRC also
became one of the first clubs to develop junior rowing when it established
links with local schools in the late 1800s. In 1972, TRC began its first
junior coaching programme and, in 1979, initiated schemes to attract school
leavers. Today, TRC provides facilities and coaching for Putney High School,
whose rowing pupils join Thames and represent the Club out of term, as
well as for an increasing number of unaffiliated juniors. The funding
of junior rowing is assisted by the Thames Rowing Club Charitable Trust,
which was formed by members to finance junior and under-23 rowing.s