Leeds Rowing Club is a young and exciting addition to the sporting scene of the city. Since 2006, the club has grown to about 100 members of all age ranges and rowing experiences and caters for all levels of commitment.

The club regularly competes in regattas and head races and represents the city at events in the north and across the UK. Training is managed in a squad system, with regular water time featuring as the top priority for our coaches. Water sessions are held on most weekday evenings during the summer and weekends throughout the year.

Success at Peterborough.

The club has an extremely good record in junior coaching and provides learn to row courses for adults and juniors alike. During the past few years of rapid growth, the club has seen competitiveness increase and is now in a position to challenge at major events.

Rowing is a popular and exciting team-orientated sport which can improve fitness and co-ordination. Leeds Rowing Club provides a friendly atmosphere which can cater for people at all levels, from the social rower to those aiming for top level performance.

Brief History

Until recently, Leeds was the largest city in the UK without an open rowing club. With a population of nearly a million people, the demand for a facility in the city was overwhelming. The club opened its doors to members in 2006 and has never looked back.

In recent years, Leeds’ representation in the rowing world has existed only through the University Boat Club, who row in York. Despite suitable stretches of the River Aire being available in the city, rowing has not featured on the river since the early eighties, when there was a boathouse at Swillington. For a time during the nineties, Leeds Schools Rowing Club rowed from the boathouse at Roundhay.

Due to the resurgence of the sport during the late nineties and early part of this century, a demand for a rowing venue in Leeds was apparent. Space was available at Roundhay and with some hard work by committed members, Leeds Rowing Club was born in 2006. Since then, the club has expanded dramatically and has increased the total win tally year on year without exception. The club is now redeveloping links with the University, with a joint clubhouse in Leeds a definite possibility for the future.

Club Structure

The club is run by an elected committee on behalf of its members, with an AGM held annually in September. The committee positions are: Chairman, Head of Rowing, Secretary, Treasurer, Development Officer and Welfare Officer. The committee usually meet once a month, with squad representation at the meetings coming from the Men’s and Women’s squad captains. An experienced safety officer also advises the club on all water and land based safety issues. As with most community sports clubs, Leeds Rowing Club has a constitution which provides the basis of the club structure. 

The club operates on a squad system, overseen by the Head of Rowing. There are three squads in the club; Men’s, Women’s and Juniors. Within these squads, rowers of similar ability are usually grouped together so that training and coaching can be better co-ordinated. Whilst there is no specific division between open and veteran categories, veteran crews may be formed for certain races. 

Rowing guidance is provided by a ‘Lead Coach’ for each squad, with a number of club members providing additional coaching on a voluntary and periodic basis. 

Facilities

The club caters for rowers and scullers, with a fleet comprising of six coxed fours, a coxless quad/four, four doubles (one of which can be rigged as a pair) and five single sculls. Additionally, there is racking space for members own boats and also seven training boats for new or inexperienced rowers. Three new Intersport racing shells were purchased in the winter of 2010/11.

Land training is complemented with use of four Concept2 ergometers which are available for club member’s use in the clubhouse. Weights sessions form an important part of winter training and the club owns a good set of free weights.

The clubhouse is shared with the local canoe club and comprises a weights room, showers, toilet, changing facilities and lockers.

The boathouse.

Please follow this link to the LRC Water Safety Guide: Leeds Rowing Club Water Safety Guide

Please follow this link to the LRC Constitution document: LRC Constitution 2011