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Saturday 9am - 11:30am Sunday 8am - 10:30am

Weybridge Ladies Amateur Rowing Club

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Weybridge Ladies Amateur Rowing Club

WLARC is a vibrant and enthusiastic Rowing Club on the River Thames. Created by pioneer Amy Gentry,

05/06/2026

We are delighted Alex has rejoined WLARC in 2026 to row on the Weybridge stretch again when she’s in the area. 🚣🏻‍♂️

This is me, Alex, in 1980 in Silvia’s single scull. She was kind enough to let me borrow it when I was 14. This was the GB junior eight in 1983, 5 members were from weybridge ladies and over the summer we were based at WLARC.

We trained under the watchful eye of John Biddle and my father John Sanson who coached us at the club accompanied him in the launch during our many sessions early in the morning.

GB junior eight in 1983:
- Stroke: Alex Sanson (WLARC)
- 7: Sarah Allen
- 6: Alison Barnett (WLARC)
- 5: Lisa Silk
- 4 Andrea Jones (WLARC)
- 3: Theresa Stretch
- 2: Kim Thomas (WLARC)
- Bow: Becky Holmes (WLARC)

In 1984 several of us represented GB again. Kim, Alison and Becky were in a four and me (Alex) was in the eight with Sarah Harris who also rowed at WLARC.

26/05/2026

Check out our next members story about Liv…

Liv started rowing at the age of 14, having been previously convinced that she was terrible at all sports! The sport suited her better than any others had, and led to a love of yoga and pilates, (she now teachers both).

Twenty years later, she returned to the area and to rowing, after watching all the boats on the river longingly.

She started with Walton RC and then moved down the river to WLARC after a two week trial during which it became clear how lovely, fun and welcoming WLARC ladies are! Two and a half years later, she has learnt more and had better experiences than in the rest of her rowing career, including taking bow seat in the 2026 WEHORR crew, which she was honoured to be part of. Getting up at 6am on a Saturday is made easier by the camaraderie cohesiveness of the WLARC women and she loves that we are so encouraging of one another and generous with our time and advice, always helping one another to develop as rowers.

16/05/2026

This week’s story goes back in time to our alumni Belinda Holmes.

Belinda Holmes represented Great Britain 🇬🇧 at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, competing in the women’s eight that finished in fifth place.

Success started as junior rower as part of a WLARC coxed four crew at the National Rowing Championships in 1979. Other crew members were Jane Cross, Kate Panter, Joanna Toch, and cox Andrea Jones. These ladies achieved a remarkable treble by winning the junior coxed fours & taking the junior eights by 15 seconds, earning selection for the FISA Youth Championships.

Belinda and the other members of this successful four went on to race in the senior women’s eight at 1981 World Rowing Championships, taking first place, and then went on to win the quadruple sculls event the following year. At the 1985 National Rowing Championships Belinda won the coxless pairs event in a Weybridge Ladies/ Marlow composite crew with Flo Johnston.

Her early career hadn’t been without its challenges, however. At the age of 18 while training in a double with Kate Panter for their second World Championships, a collision with a barge left their boat severely damaged so at the event itself they had to row in a borrowed boat. After a storming start, things were going well and they were ahead after 100m, but unfortunately more bad luck was to come. Before they reached the finish line, Belinda’s gate broke and they capsized.

Considering the great number of rowing successes that Belinda achieved in the years to follow, this early spell of bad luck clearly didn’t deter her from continuing her racing career!

08/05/2026

Our next story is from Sophia, one of our newest members 🪩

Hi, I’m Sophia and I joined WLARC in August 2025. I rowed at school and then also at university, so after graduation and moving home was looking for a local club to join.

What made me chose WLARC was the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of the club — I didn’t want to (or have time to) train more than a few times a week (I had been training 10ish times a week at my previous clubs), but still wanted the opportunity to compete a few times a year.

WLARC taught me to row in a single, which I had always wanted to learn, and the expertise that the club has makes the teaching here fantastic. The warm and inclusive environment has made me feel so supported, and I truly can’t imagine a better group of ladies to row with.

01/05/2026

Now for our second members post…over to our co-captain Jen🫶🏼

I first sat in a rowing boat exactly 30 years ago when I was persuaded to novice at university. Despite the crazy 4:30 alarm calls, I was soon obsessed with training & competing in my college 2nd VIII. Back then, the main objective of most races I took part in was to ‘bump’ other crews to win. This seems strange to me now as I spend my time on the river trying to avoid physical contact with all boats!

After university, I had a long 12 year break from rowing before joining WLARC in 2010 to learn to scull. I have taken part in some epic head races & regattas, both sweeping & sculling in big boats & small boats and I love the balance between competitive and recreational rowing that WLARC offers.

I also coach J14 novices at Hampton School and feel lucky to have learnt so much about the rowing world from my involvement with the junior rowing world. WLARC has been my rowing ‘home’ for 15 years and I passionately believe in the ethos of our amazing club, as well as being immensely proud & respectful of all the women who have gone before us.

Our club community is very special and enduring - I have found support, inspiration, determination and wonderful friendships here.

I am very honoured to been voted in as Club Co-Captain in 2025 and I am immensely proud of everything our club achieves and its wonderful legacy of creating and nurturing a home for women’s rowing. 🩵❤️

25/04/2026

Our founder Amy Gentry OBE was an icon of women’s rowing. Amy established WLARC on the Weybridge site in 1926. In 1927, she took part in the first Women’s Eights Head of the River Race, in which her Weybridge ladies club boat won.

Amy went on to become British single sculls champion in 1932, 1933, and 1934, and retired undefeated. She also helped administer the sport of rowing including the Women’s Committee of the Amateur Rowing Association, until retiring in 1968. Amy died just two weeks before a Weybridge Ladies coxed Four competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics - the first Olympics in which female rowers were allowed to compete.

In 1960, she persuaded the International Rowing Federation to hold its Women’s European Championships in London.

She was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to rowing in 1969.

23/04/2026

Weybridge Ladies Rowing club celebrates 100 years of rowing in 2026. 🪩

Over the coming weeks we will be sharing stories from WLARC members over the decade. From founding members and Olympic rowers to juniors and midlife women discovering a new sport.

Join us celebrating 100 years by donating using the link in our bio!

Address

WLARC Boathouse, Thames Towpath, Walton Lane
Weybridge
KT138LU

Opening Hours

Saturday	9am - 11:30am
Sunday	8am - 10:30am

Website

http://www.weybridgeladies.org.uk/

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