About us

York City Rowing Club is an active, thriving club with around 300 members based in the centre of York on the Ouse.  We have a fine fleet of boats and a fantastic stretch of water on which to use them.

There is a strong competitive element to the Club and we regularly top the British Rowing Almanack for the most wins in a season, wins which are spread throughout the junior, senior and masters sections of the Club.

This success does not come without a high level of commitment. The Men’s and Ladies’ Senior Squads will train up to 8 times per week and members of the Junior Squad may also attend training sessions on a daily basis, depending upon age and experience.

Things for the Masters squad are slightly more relaxed, with Sunday morning providing the main focus for organised outings – although many of our mature athletes do still train every day!

The Club also has a growing Leisure & Progression Group for those less interested in competitive rowing. This group meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9am. When deemed competent and safe, L&P rowers can of course take to the water at other times.

The first regatta was held in October 1843 with informal racing also being held on 1st August 1846. The first official regatta was held 30th September 1865 for “Racing and Swimming” with the course being as before from Marygate Landing to a boat moored below Ouse bridge which was rounded by the boats and swimmers and then raced back to the finish. in 1900, the White Rose and the York Amateur Rowing Clubs joined forces and moved to the present site, using the building at the time for changing. A new timber boathouse was built in between the existing building and the river. Between the existing building and the new boathouse, a small building was created to house the bar, one shower (cold water only!) and room to store a few crates and a barrel of beer for regattas!