Welsh Rowing

Welsh Rowing Welsh Rowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in Wales. Welsh Rowing is the governing body for the sport of rowing in Wales.

We aim to positively develop the growth and success of the sport. We encompass all formats of rowing. Company Overview
We safeguard and develop the sport of rowing in Wales by:

- representing the needs and opinions of the rowing community;
- increasing uptake of rowing in all disciplines and supporting rowers to fulfil their potential;
- Supporting and growing a diverse professional and voluntary

workforce. Description
- working in partnership with other organisations to add value and aid sustainability;
- upholding and advocating our behaviours;
- Supporting improvements in infrastructure.

Olympic star's regatta showing proves out of this worldAN Olympic medal rower’s appearance at Monmouth Regatta proved si...
03/06/2026

Olympic star's regatta showing proves out of this world

AN Olympic medal rower’s appearance at Monmouth Regatta proved simply stellar – as he chatted about his career and being involved in a Space race to develop a rowing machine that can be used in zero gravity, reports NICK HARTLAND.

Matt Wells raced at four Olympics from Sydney through to London 2012 and won bronze in the GB double scull in Beijing with Steve Rowbotham.

And having played such a starring role on the water, the Avon County rower found it great to be back out on the river again at Monmouth Regatta.

Matt won the over-42 singles and his daughter the U15 girls’ singles, and he now intends to race a double scull at this month’s British Masters Championships with fellow ex-GB rower Marcus Bateman.

With that sort of calibre, they’ll be blasting off the blocks at Nottingham’s National Water Sports Centre.

But it was lift off of a different sort when he featured on national BBC News the day before the two-day Wye event, having become involved in European Space Agency parabolic flights in France testing new gym equipment to help astronauts preserve bone density on long space missions.

Matt, who chatted to regatta commentator Scott Hazledine over the speaker, had just over 20 seconds to row in zero gravity when the plane went into a temporary free fall to create weightless conditions.

"Isn't it every kid's dream to be an astronaut?” he said. “It’s an opportunity to be able to do something really different. And working on something that might end up being used in Space is literally out of this world!”

Rowing crams a lot of exercise into a short time – “more bangs for your buck” – and time-pressed astronauts use the rowing machine for training back on Earth.

“So talking to them, it made sense to try and design a rower that works in Space,” said Matt, who was lifted off his seat during the zero gravity test

“And it definitely works, a proper workout, with proper resistance. Now NASA are on board and it could feature on Artemis 4.

"Every year since the Olympics I've done some sort of physical challenge. I've been in boxing rings, an Ironman, swimming 6k, and playing rugby for a season," he added.

"This is another step again... off the chart... the most outrageous so far! And of course, I’d love to go into Space and try it out!”

Former aircraft engineer and pilates studio owner John Kennett came up with the High-Frequency Impulse for Microgravity (HIFIm) device, which incorporates other exercises, after working with a client recovering from cancer who had low bone density.

And it was developed at Pinewood Studios by the 1917 Oscar-winning special effects team who have also worked on Star Wars, James Bond and Mission Impossible.

Matt, a state school head of PE in Cheddar, rowed hundreds of thousands of miles during his international career, and said the rowing machine is a great way of promoting the wider sport in schools and elsewhere.

Asked by Scott for his fave music for those 90-minute sessions, he name-checked Hurt by Jonny Cash – “because it does!”

“Monmouth Regatta is a great event, everyone’s friendly and it’s great to get back out on the river again,” he added.

Watch Matt try out the rower in zero gravity at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHau_dg-q9Q

Photos: Oarstruck Photography/ John Kennett/ BBC News

As we celebrate Volunteers' Week, 1st-7th June 2026, we'd like to say a huge thank you to every volunteer who gives thei...
02/06/2026

As we celebrate Volunteers' Week, 1st-7th June 2026, we'd like to say a huge thank you to every volunteer who gives their time, energy, and passion to support Welsh Rowing.

From coaching and officiating to committee roles, event support, safety cover, boat maintenance, and everything in between, your dedication helps our clubs, athletes, and communities thrive. Your contribution makes it possible for more people across Wales to experience the enjoyment, challenge, and camaraderie of rowing.

Volunteers are at the heart of our sport, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do, often behind the scenes, to keep rowing moving forward.

Thank you for your commitment, enthusiasm, and generosity.

This Volunteers' Week, we celebrate you!

Diolch i chi gyd!

Welsh students prove class acts at BUCSWELSH rowers filled their boats with medals at the four-day British Universities ...
29/05/2026

Welsh students prove class acts at BUCS

WELSH rowers filled their boats with medals at the four-day British Universities and Colleges Championships at Nottingham's National Water Sports Centre, reports NICK HARTLAND.
Llandaff RC's Kai Schlottmann and Cari Meredith were both on fire winning two golds and a silver each, while Meg Knight scored two golds with Reading University, who proved first-ever joint men's and women's Victor Ludorum winners under the guidance of Welsh Olympic medal head coach Chris Bartley.
Schlottmann helped Oxford Brookes retain the Championship men's 8s title with fellow Welsh rower Carwyn Davies, beating Durham into silver by just over a length in 5.52.70.
And the Taff graduate, who helped Wales win the men's coxless fours at last year's Home Countries, was then on board the Brookes 4- that overhauled the Wear outfit in the final 500m to again win by clear water in 6.20.14, with Oxford University 1/2L back in bronze and Wales team mates Gwilym Johnson and Finlay Thomson fourth with Newcastle, who also placed fifth in the Ch 8s and Ch 4+.
Welsh GB U23 cap Knight and her Reading A boat had 2L too much power for their B boat in the WCh 4x- A final (6.51.75).
And then with Zara Povey she went head to head all the way with quad crew mates Ellie Cooke and Franny Hunt Davies in the W Ch2x medal race, holding on to score a second gold by 1/4L in 7.10.81.
Cari Meredith's Birmingham University boat also took WCh Ltw 4- gold by 1L (7.27.56) from Cambridge's Light Blues, with Llandaff club mate Eve Tanguay fifth with Nottingham, while Old Monmothian cox Ben Jennery steered Durham to WCh 4+ gold (7.26.87) by 1 1/2L from Brookes with Cambridge third.
Gwilym Johnson also struck Ch 2- silver with Ed Ridley (6.54.29) 1L behind Durham's winners.
And Cardiff City graduate Megan Hadfield and Jennery were also on board Durham's bronze medal-winning WCh 8, overhauling Cambridge in the second half to finish 2L behind London in gold, 1L behind Brookes in silver and the same margin up on the Light Blues.
In the Intermediate events, Wales cap Millie Hurrell took gold with Brookes in her women's 8, overhauling Bath in the last quarter to come home 1/2L up in 6.52.97, with Cambridge in bronze a further canvas back.
Cari Meredith was also on the gold standard again in the WLtw IM 2- with Emily Fergusson, crossing a full 5L clear of Queen's Belfast in 8.19.82.
And she also struck silver in the WIM Ltw 4x in 7.02.76, leading to half way before coming home just over 1L behind Reading.
Llandaff club mate Schlottman also showed he's handy with two blades, taking IM 4x silver with Brookes a length behind Reading, with Strathclyde a similar distance back in bronze.
Hadfield was a double WIM silver medallist in the pairs and fours, coming with a rush from fifth with Durham partner Molly Vondrak in the former to take second on the line from Nottingham 2L behind Cambridge in 8.11.97.
And her four then caught London on the line by five-hundreds of a second with Cambridge just 1/3L up in gold.
Fin Thompson also teamed up with Lucas Bowes to take IM2- silver for Newcastle just over a length behind London in 6.56.53 – quick enough for bronze in Ch 2- – with fellow Welsh rower and club mate Dan Coupe taking bronze 1/2L back.
There were also some near misses, with A final showings from Meg Knight finishing fourth in WCh 1x, Alfie Wynter (Reading) fifth in Ch 4x, Tom Powell (Imperial) sixth in Ch 4+, Megan Hadfield fourth (Durham) in WIM 2x, Bath's Will Stradling and cox Freya Laws sixth in IM 4+ and Reading's Alex Repton sixth in IM 4x.
And Maddie Jones and Rae Bennett raced to fifth for Cardiff Met in the Women's Beginners' 2x only a couple of lengths off a medal, while club mate Grace Chaffy was sixth in the W Beg 1x.
Swansea University also made an A final placing fifth in the men's Beg 4+.
Meanwhile, Tom Powell's Imperial 8 won the Ch B final for seventh, matched by Carwyn Davies' Brookes boat in the Ch 4+, cox Scarlett Dundas in the Newcastle WIM 8 and Dan Coupe in the latter's IM 4+
Brookes' Sienna Taylor placed second for 8th in the WIM 8s, matched by Bath's Stradling and Laws in IM8s, who pipped Archie Jones and George Coates by one place in the Durham 8.
Cardiff University overturned the Varsity result edging out Swansea to B final victory for seventh overall in Beg 8, leading through every marker to win by a length (7.22.63), with the Tawe outfit holding off Warwick in second by 0.8secs.
But Swansea repeated their Welsh Boat Race success finishing fourth in the WBeg 8 B final for 10th overall, 2L and two places ahead of Cardiff.
The Taff students scored two more B final showings as well, Beth Weaver, Keira Delaney, Lucy Jones and Menna Sutton placing fourth in the WIM B 4x final for 10th (7.37.29) and their Beg 4+ third for ninth overall, while Swansea were 10th in WBeg 4+.
Eve Tanguay was also third for ninth overall with Nottingham in WCh Ltw 2x, while Swansea's Lydia Hunter-Tod impressed winning the C final of WCh Ltw 1x (9.11.01) for 13th overall, finishing 10 seconds clear of her nearest Nottingham Trent rival.
Mica Hird and Seren Van De Horst were also 14th in Exeter's WIM 8, Llandaff's Will Parry and Kier Palmer were 16th in Birmingham's IM4+ and 17th in the IM 2-, and Will Letten 17th in the Queen's Belfast IM 4+.
Cardiff University's other results were WIM 8 20th (also overturning their Varsity loss), IM 4x 26th, WBeg 4+ 28th, WIM 4+ 35th, Thomas Hargreaves IM1x 34th and Abdirahman Hassan 39th, who was a place ahead of Cardiff Met's Zach Salmon.
Other Swansea placings were Beg 4x 21st, WIM 4+ 25th with E final victory, matched by Daniel Bates in the IM1x and the WIM 8, WIM 2x 29th and 40th, WIM 2- 38th, IM 4+ 41st, and IM 8 42nd.
Cardiff Met's Beg 4+ also placed 15th, Tommy Dack won the Beg 1x D final for 19th, with Amelia Eldridge 27th in WIM 1x also winning the WIM 2x F final with Grace Chaffey for 31st, and the IM 4x 35th.
Bangor's results were Beg 2x 22nd, WBeg 4x 24th, WBeg 2x 31st with victory in the F final (Emma Croucher, Rachael Stanton), and IM2x 40th.
Full results at https://results.bucsrowing.org.uk/regatta26

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not bought. 100% me. Welsh Rowing is proud to support ...
16/05/2026

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not bought. 100% me.

Welsh Rowing is proud to support Clean Sport Week (taking place from 11–17 May 2026), the annual awareness campaign led by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) that champions fair play, integrity and drug-free sport.

This year's theme, ‘Built not bought. 100% me.’, celebrates athletes who achieve true, lasting success through hard work, talent and commitment. It sends a clear message: champions compete clean and don’t take shortcuts.

Clean Sport Week 2026 comes at a critical time. There is growing concern across the sporting and fitness community, about the marketing and availability of Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) online, including Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

There is an increasing amount of content online promoting the use of SARMs to young people, with claims that these are ‘safer alternatives to anabolic steroids’. This is not the case. They are dangerous, not for human consumption and are banned in sport. UKAD is using Clean Sport Week to shine a light on this misinformation and to remind people not to risk their health, career and reputation by taking these substances. Don’t swallow the lies.

Welsh Rowing is committed to ensuring that athletes from elite competitors to grassroots participants and young fitness enthusiasts, have access to accurate information and are empowered to make healthy, drug-free choices. The message is simple: just don't risk it. True success is built, not bought.

To find out more about Clean Sport Week and access resources, visit
www.ukad.org.uk/clean-sport-week

Photo: CJ Taylor Photography

Cedol retains GB trials title as Welsh rowers make waves at CavershamCEDOL Dafydd raced to GB trials regatta glory for t...
16/05/2026

Cedol retains GB trials title as Welsh rowers make waves at Caversham

CEDOL Dafydd raced to GB trials regatta glory for the second year running at Caversham, while there were other impressive performances from Welsh rowers.

The North Walian 2025 world silver medal quad sculler raced to victory in the A doubles final with Tobias Schroder, having partnered Callum Dixon to first place last year.

Cedol said: “This has been a really fun project with Tobias. I’m so happy to get back to back wins at April trials and to do it today with Tobias was epic.

"This is the most intense testing we do in the year. You are racing your teammates, you’re at your home base, there’s other members coming in to try and beat you.

"And we also have to prove why we’re in the team. But it’s a great weekend and now we can enjoy racing as a team, not against the team!”

City of Swansea RC Paralympic and Men’s PR1 World champion Benjamin Pritchard also won his event in style from Scotland's Jake Woods as he prepares for another international season.

“Jake has worked hard over the winter and I think that’s a massive PB for him. He really pushed me all the way to the line, so it’s great to have domestic talent that can push you the same as your international counterparts.

"This is the first time we’ve been included in the final April trials and it’s great, because you do get that kind of massive regatta feeling.
"You have bow numbers, you have launch times, you have everything that you’d have at an international regatta. So it’s another opportunity to practice something before we go racing.”

World and Olympic medallist Becky Wilde also stormed home second in the women's doubles with GB world silver medal quad crewmate Lola Anderson, chasing home world singles silver medallist Lauren Henry and Olympic gold medallist Imogen Grant.

And Katherine George, a member of the historic winning Wales Women’s 8 and coxed four at Dorney last summer, also took third in the women's pairs with Holly Youd in a race won by 8s world medallists Eleanor Brinkhoff and Megan Slabbert.

Llandaff RC product Angharad Broughton was sixth with Philipa Emery in the final, matched by GB 8s world silver medallist Matt Rowe with Dan Graham in the men's pairs final, in a race won by fours world champions George Bourne and Douwe De Graaf.

Rowe's 2025 crewmate and fellow Welshman Matt Aldridge won the B final for seventh with Sam Nunn, followed in eighth by Llandaff RC's Kai Schlottmann partnered by Brookes clubmate Sam Nunn.

Wales' Toby Lassen was 10th with Josh Bowesman-Jones, while Old Monmothian Robbie Prosser won the C final for 13th with Leander's Levin Graf.

Gwilym Johnson, who won the Home Countries fours for Wales with Schlottmann and Prosser, was 15th in a Newcastle University pair and Carwyn Davies 25th in a Brookes pair.

Swansea University graduate and Wales and GB cap Aidan Thompson was also second in the doubles B final for eighth with Joe Cunliffe.

GB rowing provided no times or winning margins, only rankings.

Photos: British Rowing

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not bought. 100% me. Welsh Rowing is proud to support C...
15/05/2026

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not bought. 100% me.

Welsh Rowing is proud to support Clean Sport Week (taking place from 11–17
May 2026), the annual awareness campaign led by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) that
champions fair play, integrity and drug-free sport.

This year's theme, ‘Built not bought. 100% me.’, celebrates athletes who achieve
true, lasting success through hard work, talent and commitment. It sends a clear
message: champions compete clean and don’t take shortcuts.

Clean Sport Week 2026 comes at a critical time. There is growing concern across
the sporting and fitness community, about the marketing and availability of Image
and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) online, including Selective Androgen
Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

There is an increasing amount of content online promoting the use of SARMs to
young people, with claims that these are ‘safer alternatives to anabolic steroids’.
This is not the case. They are dangerous, not for human consumption and are banned in sport. UKAD is using Clean Sport Week to shine a light on this misinformation and to remind people not to risk their health, career and reputation by taking these substances. Don’t swallow the lies.

Welsh Rowing is committed to ensuring that athletes from elite competitors to
grassroots participants and young fitness enthusiasts, have access to accurate
information and are empowered to make healthy, drug-free choices. The message is simple: just don't risk it. True success is built, not bought.

To find out more about Clean Sport Week and access resources, visit
www.ukad.org.uk/clean-sport-week

Photo:

Tawe titans ensure Swan-derful day with first Welsh Boat Race clean sweep SWANSEA University raced to a first ever clean...
14/05/2026

Tawe titans ensure Swan-derful day with first Welsh Boat Race clean sweep

SWANSEA University raced to a first ever clean sweep in the Welsh Boat Races, winning all four events from Cardiff on the River Taff to successfully retain the overall Varsity title, reports NICK HARTLAND

The Tawe club's novice women secured the first win of the day by a length, before the novice men comfortably came home 3 1/2L clear, thereby securing the Varsity crown for another year.

Next up, the club's senior women's eight downed Cardiff's colours for the first time ever in the 20 years of the event, winning a great race by 1/2L.

And in the last race, the senior men sealed the clean sweep with victory for the 13th year running by 3/4L.

Swansea were high fiving their success as well, taking a fifth win in the Alumni sprint.

Cardiff still lead 45-25 in races won since the event started in 2006.

Photos: Ben Rodford Photography
See https://www.benrodfordphotography.co.uk/image/I0000r6Egl0TS7xw

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not bought. 100% me. Welsh Rowing is proud to support ...
14/05/2026

Welsh Rowing backs UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week 2026: Built not
bought. 100% me.

Welsh Rowing is proud to support Clean Sport Week (taking place from 11–17
May 2026), the annual awareness campaign led by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) that
champions fair play, integrity and drug-free sport.

This year's theme, ‘Built not bought. 100% me.’, celebrates athletes who achieve true, lasting success through hard work, talent and commitment. It sends a clear message: champions compete clean and don’t take shortcuts.

Clean Sport Week 2026 comes at a critical time. There is growing concern across the sporting and fitness community, about the marketing and availability of Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) online, including Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

There is an increasing amount of content online promoting the use of SARMs to young people, with claims that these are ‘safer alternatives to anabolic steroids’. This is not the case. They are dangerous, not for human consumption and are banned in sport. UKAD is using Clean Sport Week to shine a light on this misinformation and to remind people not to risk their health, career and reputation by taking these substances. Don’t swallow the lies.

Welsh Rowing is committed to ensuring that athletes from elite competitors to grassroots participants and young fitness enthusiasts, have access to accurate information and are empowered to make healthy, drug-free choices. The message is simple: just don't risk it. True success is built, not bought.

To find out more about Clean Sport Week and access resources, visit
www.ukad.org.uk/clean-sport-week

Photo: CJ Taylor Photography

Make a splash at the two-day Monmouth RegattaA FINAL reminder that entries for the 95-year-old Monmouth Regatta (23rd an...
14/05/2026

Make a splash at the two-day Monmouth Regatta

A FINAL reminder that entries for the 95-year-old Monmouth Regatta (23rd and 24th May) close at 4pm on Friday, May 15.

Racing on the regatta's straight Wye course is over 1500m on Saturday and 750m on Sunday.

Whether you are looking for a full-course test or a fast-paced sprint, the two-day format offers something for every crew.

For more details about the regatta, see https://www.monmouthrc.org.uk/regatta

Address

Sport Wales National Centre
Cardiff
CF119SW

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+442920334914

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