An interrupted winter season last year only drove the UK’s student-athletes to greater, faster heights: summertime saw broken club records abound and ferocious racing between long-term rivals. British Rowing’s success in Paris has only further spurred on the fastest student rowers in the UK, many of whom will be aspiring for Olympic selection in a few years. With the Paris Games fresh in everybody’s minds, 2025 looks to be a fiercely competitive season: these exceptional crews will aim to find their edge over a fast-chasing pack of student programs.
Oxford Brookes University Boat Club
Unparalleled in depth and renown, there’s been no stopping the women of Oxford Brookes. 2024 became another remarkable season in Brookes legend, with the women’s top boat winning not only The Remenham Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, but also notably becoming the first club in history to retain The Island Challenge Cup against formidable student competition. Setting the standard for women’s rowing worldwide, Henley Women’s Regatta saw Chris Tebb’s squad win both the championship and academic eight events for the second year running. The ruthless Brookes program is of international pedigree, taking scalp after scalp from rivals across the globe and near-untouchable in university competition: with 2025 looking to be as strong as ever, only time will tell what limits the ladies of Oxford Brookes will stretch next.
Newcastle University Boat Club
A stunning Henley Royal campaign saw Newcastle’s Island Challenge Cup eight pushed to their limit repeatedly, in a cinematic run straight to the final for the first time in the boat club’s history. Not once, but twice, Alex Leigh’s top crew overcame mid-race row-throughs with a machine-like sprint, honed to devastating effects by their head coach, Italian Angelo Savarino. These duels with Durham University and University of London, dripping with the weight of a decades-long rivalry, showcased the exceptional strength of the Blue Star; in the squad-wide camaraderie, in the sharp starts and fiery finishes, in the bone-deep drive that spurred this boat on into club history. Eight of these record-breaking athletes return to the Tyne for another year as British Rowing’s newly-minted University Crew of the Year, bringing with them new junior talent from across the country and the drive to go one step further.
Reading University Boat Club
Reading’s championship quad for the ill-fated Fours Head 2024 looked remarkably similar to Great Britain’s bronze-winning quad at the U23 World Rowing Championships – with the addition of Oxford Brookes and Leander alumna Daisy Bellamy, an U23 world champion herself. Just two months into head season, Reading were boating, at least on paper, a world-class crew: it’s only a shame they couldn’t make their mark on what is arguably the winter’s biggest stage of all. 2025 marks ten years of Reading’s commitment to a unique sculling-only program, and the squad looks poised for great things this season – four scullers placed within the top 30 at GB Senior and U23 trials in November, with Zara Povey as the fastest U23. With the advent of a new Olympic cycle, the international aspirations of these athletes will be shifting towards LA 2028, raising the club culture and standard of sculling at Reading to an exciting new high.
Bath University Boat Club
Not to be overshadowed by Reading’s sculling prowess, the high-performance centre in Bath lived up to their great promise in 2024, with their female scullers posting consistently impressive results throughout the season. Coupe de la Jeunesse veteran Ella Fullman took home BUCS medals in the championship single and double, the latter partnered with Rebekah Court. This combination would reach the finals of Henley Women’s Regatta, qualify for The Stonor Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta, and eventually be crowned British champions ahead of the powerful Hartpury University and an Oxford/Cambridge composite. Further driving on Bath’s rise to the top of sculling are Izzy Langley and Freya Ridge, who were crowned BUCS and British champions in the beginner double sculls this summer. Dan Harris has built a formidable program in his tenure at Bath, and 2025 could quickly become one of Bath’s most successful years yet.
Overview
As river levels drop and racing picks up again in the new year, each of these clubs will be itching to make their mark after incredible 2024 seasons between them. The standard of Oxford Brookes’ performance often defies description; but with Newcastle’s heart-stopping Henley campaign in July, I can’t wait to see what they can do with another season and new levels of confidence.
Following two golds and an outstanding bronze for GB women’s sculling in Paris, it seems that two blades have never been more in fashion – Reading and Bath have led the sculling charge for a while on the university scene and will surely capitalise on their fantastic squad depth, creating a 2025 season to look out for.
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