The Rowing TutorThe Rowing Tutor
Clubs
A rowing club is the best way to learn to row on the water. You get coaching, a boat, a safe place to launch, and a crew to train with. Most clubs welcome complete beginners through learn-to-row courses, and many have juniors, masters and social sections too.
Our country guides list clubs by region, with what we could confirm about each one. They are directories rather than rankings, and the right club for you mostly depends on where you live and when you can train. Check with the club directly before you travel, because programmes change from season to season.
You can also explore the best stretches of water to row on, and what US college programmes involve. National federations such as British Rowing and USRowing are the best source for current club details. If you spot something out of date or want your club added, please get in touch.
Best place to start
ClubsRowing Clubs in the UK: A Region-by-Region GuideOver 90 UK rowing clubs by region, from the Tideway to Belfast, with founding dates, home water, who each suits, key regattas and tips on picking one.ClubsRowing Clubs in the USA: 59 Clubs by Region59 US rowing clubs by region, from Boathouse Row to Lake Superior, with USRowing's structure, key regatta dates and how to choose a club.Clubs10 Reasons to Join a Rowing ClubTen good reasons to join a rowing club: coaching, boats, safety, fitness, friends, racing and the chance to try sculling, sweep and coastal rowing.
Clubs by country
ClubsRowing Clubs in Argentina: Tigre, Rosario and Mendoza14 rowing clubs in Argentina, from Tigre's 1873 Buenos Aires Rowing Club to Rosario and Mendoza, with the regatta season and how to join as a visitor.ClubsRowing Clubs in Australia: State-by-State Guide13 Australian rowing clubs across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Tasmania, with founding dates, home water and how the state bodies work.ClubsRowing Clubs in Austria: Vienna, Linz and the Lakes11 Austrian rowing clubs on the Danube, Traunsee and Attersee, with founding years, beginner courses, Ottensheim regatta notes and tips for newcomers.ClubsRowing Clubs in Belgium: Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia11 Belgian rowing clubs in Ghent, Bruges, Brussels, Liège and along the Meuse, with Flemish and French leagues explained and tips on language and joining.ClubsRowing Clubs in Brazil: Rio, Porto Alegre and Florianópolis14 rowing clubs in Brazil across Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Santa Catarina, with national regattas and how to start on the Lagoa.ClubsRowing Clubs in Canada: Ontario, Quebec, BC and Alberta13 Canadian rowing clubs from Victoria to Montreal, with founding dates, home water, who each suits, Royal Canadian Henley dates and winter training advice.ClubsRowing Clubs in France: Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and More10 French aviron clubs from the Seine to the Saône and Garonne, with founding years, licences, baptêmes and how to join a club as a visitor from abroad.ClubsRowing Clubs in Germany: Where to Row and How to Join14 German rowing clubs from Hamburg to Starnberg, with founding years, waters, courses for adults, regattas and how a Ruderverein membership works.ClubsRowing Clubs in Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway14 Irish rowing clubs on the Liffey, Lee, Shannon, Ilen and Corrib, with founding dates, who each suits, championship dates and tips on river or coastal.ClubsRowing Clubs in Italy: Turin, Rome, Venice and the Lakes11 Italian canottieri clubs in Turin, Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice, Cremona, Como and Lake Varese, with voga veneta and how to join as a socio.ClubsRowing Clubs in Mexico: Cuemanco and Mexico CitySix rowing clubs and teams in Mexico, centred on Mexico City's 1968 Olympic course at Cuemanco, with regattas and how to book a first session.ClubsRowing Clubs in New Zealand: Auckland to Otago11 New Zealand rowing clubs from Auckland to Dunedin, with founding dates, home water, who each suits, national regatta dates and tips on choosing a club.ClubsRowing Clubs in Portugal: Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra11 rowing clubs in Portugal on the Tagus, Douro, Mondego and Sado, from Lisbon's 1856 Associação Naval to Porto, plus the 2026 calendar and joining tips.ClubsRowing Clubs in Spain: Traineras, Lakes and the Med9 Spanish rowing clubs, from Banyoles and Seville to Basque and Galician trainera crews, with league notes, La Concha dates and how to start rowing.ClubsRowing Clubs in the Netherlands: Student and City Clubs14 Dutch rowing clubs in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft and Groningen, with founding years, how student intake works and the main Dutch regattas.ClubsRowing Clubs in the UK: A Region-by-Region GuideOver 90 UK rowing clubs by region, from the Tideway to Belfast, with founding dates, home water, who each suits, key regattas and tips on picking one.ClubsRowing Clubs in the USA: 59 Clubs by Region59 US rowing clubs by region, from Boathouse Row to Lake Superior, with USRowing's structure, key regatta dates and how to choose a club.ClubsRowing in Russia: Organisation and Historic CentresHow rowing is organised in Russia, from Peter the Great's 1718 Neva club to the federation in Moscow, its historic centres, and a note on UK travel advice.
College rowing
Where to row
ClubsBest Places to Row in Los AngelesRowing around Los Angeles is mostly in harbours and lakes, not rivers: Marina del Rey, Long Beach and Alamitos Bay, and the old Olympic venue at Lake Casitas.ClubsBest Places to Row in New JerseyWhere to row in New Jersey: the Raritan and Delaware rivers, plus Lake Carnegie and Mercer Lake, with notes on tides, clubs and checking local rules.ClubsBest Rivers to Row on in BostonWhere to row around Boston: the Charles, Mystic and Neponset rivers, plus the Concord River, with notes on access, clubs and conditions.ClubsHenley Royal Regatta: A HistoryHow Henley Royal Regatta began in 1839, how its knockout format and famous trophies developed, and why it remains one of rowing's best-known events.ClubsThe 10 Best Rowing Locations in the USATen American rowing waters, from the Charles River in Boston to Lake Tahoe, with what makes each special and what to consider before you row there.ClubsThe 16 Best Rivers to Row on in the USASixteen major American rivers and what they offer rowers, with honest notes on which have flat, rowable reaches and which are better left to paddlers.ClubsThe 4 Best Rivers to Row On in New YorkA guide to rowing on the Hudson, East River, Bronx River and Mohawk River in New York State, with what to expect from each and how to get on the water safely.ClubsThe Best 6 Locations to Row in EuropeSix of Europe's best rowing waters compared by size, hazards and season, from the 346 km Thames to 2,120 m Lake Bled, with a planner for your trip.ClubsThe Best Rivers in the UK for RowingA tour of well-known UK rowing waters: the Thames, Severn, Trent, Great Ouse, Tyne, Clyde, Wye, Dee and more, with advice on tides and joining a local club.ClubsThe Different Types of Water to Row On: Which Suits You?Compare rowing on rivers, lakes, the sea and the open ocean: what each is like, the boats they suit, the main risks, and how to choose where to start.ClubsWhere Are the Most Popular Rowing Locations?A tour of well-known rowing venues around the world, from the Thames and Lake Bled to Olympic courses in Paris, Tokyo, Rio and Lucerne's Rotsee.
Joining a club
Clubs10 Reasons to Join a Rowing ClubTen good reasons to join a rowing club: coaching, boats, safety, fitness, friends, racing and the chance to try sculling, sweep and coastal rowing.ClubsThe Best Things About Rowing ClubsThe best things about rowing clubs: shared boats, coaching and crew mates, plus typical six-week course costs and what to check before you join one.
Free 8-Week 2k Erg Plan
A week-by-week PDF plan to take seconds off your 2k, sent straight to your inbox.
We’ll email you the plan and occasional training tips. Unsubscribe any time. See our privacy policy.